Ora the Molecule

[ she/her ]

city: Oslo
country: Norway
genre: Pop
styles: Indie Pop, Avant Pop, Alternative, Electronic, Electropop

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Next Release

Dance Therapy on March 21, 2025
via Mute

on hashbrandnew.com since April 13, 2021

ABOUT THIS ARTIST

Ora The Molecule is the musical moniker of Norwegian-born avant-pop artist Nora Schjelderup. For Schjelderup, life has always been about observation and finding one's purpose in the community at large. She is the molecule personified: the smallest bit of matter that retains its own identity while being part of something greater. This keen sense of inspection and willingness to surrender to feelings of wide-eyed wonder guided Schjelderup from her childhood to the release of her debut album, Human Safari.

Schjelderup grew up hopscotching between Spain, Italy, and her home country of Norway. Always the new kid in school, she adopted the role of observer and sought to connect with new people and cultures. Schjelderup credits this nomadic lifestyle with helping her develop an appreciation for others' experiences.

For Human Safari, a collection of joyous, beat-driven pop and slick synthwave songs, Schjelderup returned to the role of observer. "You could look at it like a bird walking around and feel stupid for not understanding how everything works," she theorizes. "You feel small. When cognition takes over, those feelings can come easily because it's so much to take in for a tiny creature. It's celebrating the spectacle." Schjelderup espouses the concept of the extended chosen family and welcoming those who might otherwise feel uninvited. "Community is everything,” she says. “It's very important but it starts with the individual. If I can contribute to that, I want to do it."