‘Peel’ 10 From 10

Questions answered by Pim

01) What inspires you as an artist?
Writing for me means facing a lot of pain — the lonely kid outside Oslo, always feeling like an
outcast or a freak. Those experiences aren’t just memories; they’re still alive, shaping
everything I create. Music and books have been my way to cope, to find some kind of direction
in all that darkness.Today, even though we’re more connected than ever, the digital world
makes me feel more isolated — like we’re all ghosts behind screens, unable to really reach
each other. The feelings I can’t say out loud end up in the songs, where they finally make
sense.And then there’s the state of the world. It’s scary — with tensions rising, like a new Cold
War or maybe even something worse. That fear, that uncertainty, it fuels a lot of what I write.
For me, writing is both a way to deal with that fear and a way to get it out, to turn it into
something real

02) How do you differ from most other artists?
Peel is different because we dive into the shadows where most shy away. Our music isn’t just
sound — it’s a feeling, a place where vulnerability meets rawness. We don’t hide behind
polished masks or easy answers; instead, we invite our Peelgrims to journey with us through the
Peeluniverse — a space full of fractures and beauty, where emotions are messy and real. It’s
like painting with feelings that don’t fit neatly into words, creating moments that invite you to live
inside the music, to find your own story in the silence between notes. That honesty, that
intimacy, and the connection with our Peelgrims — that’s what makes Peel who we are

03) What would you say is your greatest weakness as an artist? I’d say our greatest weakness—and maybe our biggest strength—is that we just don’t care
about what’s hot or trendy. We live in our own world, the Peeluniverse, and we make music that
feels true to us, not something that fits neatly into a genre or a marketing box. That makes us
hard to place, and yeah, probably ‘hard to sell’ in today’s industry where targeting specific
audiences and trends is everything.We try to be a band first and foremost, not influencers
chasing likes or viral moments. In an era where the music business often feels more like social
media performance, that’s definitely a risk. But it’s also what keeps our music real and
meaningful — even if it means swimming against the current

04) New Album/Ep In The Works? Yeah, we’ve quietly been building towards something… maybe an album. Someday Someone,
Love Phobia, One You Know, and now Tears from the Sun — they all feel like pieces of a
bigger picture. Whether people still care about albums these days, I honestly don’t know.
Everything moves so fast — songs come and go like social media posts. But I’ve always liked
the idea of music living in a world of its own, not just floating in the endless scroll. So yeah, Ithink we’ll release an album — even if it feels a bit like throwing a message in a bottle into the
ocean. And then, of course, there’s the Christmas EP… we’ve joked about it, but knowing us, it
might actually happen. Nothing says ‘merry and bright’ like melancholic Peel songs under the
tree.

05) How would you describe the music that you typically create?
The music we make lives somewhere between alternative rock, post-punk, indie, dream pop —
with touches of electronica and hard rock when it feels right. There’s always that melancholic,
atmospheric core, but sometimes it gets noisy, sometimes fragile, and sometimes heavier and
more aggressive. We like contrasts — dreamy synth layers next to raw guitars, soft vocals that
suddenly explode.It’s a strange mix, really — somewhere between the melodic sense of The
Beatles, the darkness of The Smiths, the cinematic mood of Massive Attack, the harmonies of
the Bee Gees, and the raw, guitar-driven energy of Thin Lizzy. We don’t fit neatly into a box, but
if you’re into moody guitars, electronic textures, honest lyrics, and that mix of quiet and loud,
you’ll probably find a home in our Peeluniverse

06) What is your creative process like?
I write most of the songs and the lyrics, but when it comes to production, Seb and I work it out
together in the studio. We both play various instruments, and Seb is a real wizard when it
comes to creating soundscapes, programming, and mixing.The process starts with my demos,
and then in the studio, we experiment and build the songs layer by layer until the production
feels just right. It’s a true collaboration that brings the songs to life and shapes the Peel sound

07) What is one message you would give to your fans?
To all Peelgrims and music lovers — thanks for sticking with us. Our music and our lyrics come
from real struggles and honest feelings. In a fucked up world full of noise and glossy, cheap
adistractions, don’t lose yourself trying to fit in or follow bullshit and stupid trends. Trust your
own voice, listen to your soul and heart and stick to what matters to you. Keep being different,
keep pushing through, and remember you’re not alone.

08) How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
When the internet first took over, I thought it would finally give artists real freedom — no more
gatekeepers, just pure connection. But the truth? It’s a mess. Over 100,000 new songs hit
Spotify every single day. That’s insane. No wonder so much good music gets buried under all
that noise.Streaming pays almost nothing — about three to five thousandths of a cent per
stream. You need millions just to make rent. Meanwhile, physical album sales have dropped
over 70% in the last decade. Music used to be something you collected, something real. Now
it’s just endless scrolling and quick hits that disappear in seconds.There are some bright spots
— like connecting with Peelgrims around the world without anyone blocking the way. But
mostly, it feels like music’s been cheapened, turned into disposable content. It’s frustrating.
We’re here trying to make something honest and lasting while the industry pushes everyone to chase clicks and streams.So yeah, the internet changed everything. Some of it good, a lot of it
hard to swallow. But we keep doing what we do — because the music has to mean something

09) What is your favourite song to perform?
It really depends on the night — my favourite song to perform keeps changing. Some nights it’s
Natalie Somewhere, because there’s something raw and nostalgic about playing that one, like
going back to where it all started. Other times it’s Comes Down… OK, especially if the crowd’s
in that moody, reflective zone with us. From Ghosts and Shadows, Like Sand always feels
special — there’s this quiet intensity to it that just hits differently live. And Angel Steps has this
floating, melancholic energy that I love getting lost in on stage. Love Phobia is pure chaos in the
best way — that one lets out all the frustration and weirdness. But right now, Tears from the Sun
is probably the one I look forward to the most. It’s new, it’s still finding its place in the set, and it
feels like the freshest part of the story we’re telling

10) If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Get back to record stores and music on MTV. I never thought I’d say this, but I kind of miss the
industry as it was… At least back then, music felt like it had a pulse — it wasn’t just background
noise in an endless scroll. Now it’s algorithms, playlists, and chasing trends that vanish
overnight. Don’t get me wrong, I love that music’s more accessible than ever, but somewhere
along the way, we lost the mystery. We lost the patience. I miss saving up for an album, holding
it in my hands, reading the liner notes, letting a song sink in — not just swiping past it like it’s
disposable