Sigrid Solbakk Raabe is a household name in Norway and rapidly gaining the status of a global singer-songwriter.
The 21-year-old captured the attention of industry insiders before she won the prestigious BBC Music Sound of 2018, which showcases new music for the year ahead.
Sigrid Solbakk Raabe joins high profile singers like Adele, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith and Jessie J who have all won the BBC music title in recent years.
Ms Raabe was born in the Norwegian town of Ålesund and spent her childhood surrounded by nature. The musician told SBS News that she is constantly wowed by the natural wonders of her country, and was fortunate to have a safe and cosy upbringing.
"It's cold, rainy, but I have a lot of time to stay inside and do music... I'm very close with my family and friends," Ms Rabbe said.
Norway's culture and dramatic natural environment provide the singer with inspiration when composing her music.
"I don't write about nature, but I'm definitely very inspired by it... My favourite thing about being in nature is that I feel so small and kind of insignificant," Ms Rabbe said.
Source: AAP
Raised in a musical family, Sigrid Solbakk Raabe began her musical journey when she was seven years old.
She began playing the piano and by her early teenage years had discovered Coldplay and Adele, which inspired her to learn covers before writing her own music.
At 16 years of age she released her first song, which was picked up by a national radio station in Norway.
She then took a break from music to focus on school.
The young pop star originally wanted to be a teacher or human rights lawyer, but her music pulled her back.
"I just wanted to get my grades, I didn't know what I wanted to do... and then I started music again," Ms Rabbe said.
In February 2017, she released her first international single "Don't Kill My Vibe," which was written after a difficult writing session with some older men.
“They made me feel like I was in the way," Ms Rabbe explained.
"I totally got that they might not be excited to work with me, but they didn’t have to be rude."
“I called my mum and she told me to go back in there and do my best.”
That experience resulted in her debut receiving international acclaim, and millions of streams.
Within a year, the Norwegian export has climbed to fame with her infectious pop style.
On Sunday 25 February, Sigrid Solbakk Raab won the award for 'Newcomer of the Year' at Spellemannprisen, often referred to in English as the Norwegian Grammy Awards: "We were live on FaceTime from our hotel room here connected to Norway so that was fun."
Ms Raab is visiting Australia this month as part of her global tour, and will embark on the United Kingdom and United States legs next month before returning to Norway to write more music.
"The emotional power of creating something... Nothing gives me as much joy as that," said Ms Raab.
