Høvding has managed to create something magical and euphoric in their newest track, ‘Caught Beneath The Water’ that gives off a dark and Nordic vibe to it that sends listeners on a journey of mythical imaginations.
Caught Beneath The Water is indeed truly something magical, as the track itself feels like one of those unforgettable theme songs from a TV series or movie that leaves you completely engulfed in the main story. The song itself is blended with dark orchestras and Nordic sounds that send a chilly and yet, warm feeling down your spine.
Originally from New Zealand and currently based in Nashville, HØVDING is a father-daughter musical duo that seems to have already set precedence when it comes to music that has heavy undertones. The duo, which is made up of Nika Jane and her father has found a way to make music that is rooted in the history of their ancestors blended with dark orchestras and Nordic sounds that we come to love.
“‘Caught Beneath the Water’ is a song that evokes a journey into mystery, darkness and beauty. We have all experienced a simultaneous sense of foreboding and awe. This song will take you there, let you feel those emotions and allow you to take a dive into your deepest imagination.” – Høvding
Caught Beneath The Water is a true testament to what HØVDING is capable of and what is in stock for us in the near future as the duo continues to pick up the pace. While listening to their new song, one can’t but only describe it as a sound that conjures up a multitude of feelings rooted in deep meaning and history.
The duo, which is a collaboration between 16-year-old artist Nika Jane and her father has managed to create Nordic-inspired dark cinematic songs that are surreal and very enchanting in their own way. They have so far released tracks like In the Heart of the Darkness, Secrets and No One Is Safe.
HØVDING a creating Nordic-inspired dark cinematic songs that have heavy undertones and enticing sounds
Høvding’s music combines ethereal, haunting vocals, acoustic and traditional instruments, and dynamic, cinematic elements. Their music does something unique by creating both intimacy and a sense of scale that immerses the listener in folklore, myth, mystery and longing.
The name HØVDING means ‘CHIEF’ and comes from the name of the ship that took Nika Jane’s ancestors from Norway to New Zealand in 1872.
Given how impressive and magical their newest track Caught Beneath The Water is, we can’t wait to hear more from the duo who already have a bright future ahead with their haunting vocals and acoustic sounds.
Our team reached out to the father-daughter musical duo to find out more about what they are up to and what makes them tick. Find out what they had to say about their latest song and much more in the interview below;
1. Listening to your newest track “Caught Beneath The Water”, one can’t seem to deny the fact that it gives off a chilly vibe with haunting vocals that blend acoustic and traditional instruments. Is this a style your duo intends to embed in their future work from now on or there’s more to it and we are in for a surprise?
We definitely like the sinister vibes and the blend of acoustic and cinematic instruments is a lot of fun to work with. However, we are storytellers and love exploring all different kinds of cinematic landscapes. In fact, we are currently working on some exciting collaborations that are pushing our sound and vibe into new and very cool places. We can’t say too much yet but we are super excited about the various directions they are taking us in.
2. Given the dynamics and how you’re a father-daughter musical duo, what is your creative process like? Anything exciting you would like to share with your fans?
Even though our music is dark and comes across as very serious, when we are in the studio making it, we actually spend a lot of time laughing. It’s really fun creating the worlds in which these stories live.
3. Seeing how beautiful and enchanting Caught Beneath The Water is, what is it that inspired you in creating such a cinematic experience?
Nika: As I was singing the song I pictured very clearly the visual of the world we were writing about. It feels really cool to bring that to life.
Geoff: I wanted to bring an emotion of coldness and dread, and the sense that everything we held dear would be lost to us. It felt like a really tangible feeling to try and capture.
4. Have any of the fans or the people you have met along your journey as music artists found it surprising that your duo comprises a father and daughter?
We have had a lot of very positive comments saying how cool it is that we are making music together. It’s really special to be able to do this and people have been excited for us when they’ve found out we’re family.
5. Do you have any bands or musicians in mind you would like to collaborate with?
There are so many inspiring artists we would love to work with. As we said above we have some awesome collaborations in the works which we can’t wait to share with you but we would also love to work with DUOMO. We are huge fans of what they did for the Bridgerton soundtrack. Their approach to using strings would sound incredible alongside what we do as HØVDING. Maybe one day!
6. Which artist/band had an impact on your decision to do music?
Geoff: I love a huge range of music but especially gravitate towards artists who convey a sense of scale and a tangible sense of emotion eg: Jonsi, Johann Johannsson.
Nika: My initial introduction to cinematic music was the movie soundtracks composed by Hans Zimmer, John Powell and others. I always loved the emotions they were able to convey with their music. I loved losing myself in them.
7. Aside from creating music together, what do the both of you usually do for fun in your free time?
We are huge movie fans and love a good game of Catan. We also enjoy going out for coffee and trying new delicious food. We’re also always looking for opportunities to travel and explore new places as a family.
8. Are there any misconceptions that people have about your duo or you as individuals? And what struck out most for you?
I think people are surprised that our music is so dark and serious and that Nika is so young whilst singing and writing lyrics like “Blood in the well.” Once they talk to us they realize that we are actually quite fun and not bloodthirsty barbarians at all.
9. How did the two of you get into music? Is there an interesting story behind it?
Nika: I have been around music forever. I toured America with my Dad’s band from age 7 to 10. This had a huge impact on me. I loved classical music and at age 13 I had started learning the violin. I wanted to compose a piece of music for my orchestra to play. So I did and they played it. The composition was my main focal point at first.
Geoff: I started playing in bands at high school and then toured internationally as a guitar player through my 20’s. I have been creating music ever since, and am really excited for this new chapter of music-making with my daughter.
10. What are your favourite bands or music artists?
Nika: Finneas, Mehro, Dodie, Ashe, Billie Eilish, Hans Zimmer, John Powell, Ramin Djawadi and lots more.
Geoff: Jose Gonzalez, Tame Impala, Jungle, Empire of the Sun, Bleachers, Dashboard Confessional and so many more.
11. How do both of you manage to separate personal time from work? And has it affected your relationships both on a personal and family level?
We set times specifically designated to HØVDING as we are both busy with our own projects too. That keeps it from spilling over into family time. We would actually say it’s been a very positive thing for our relationship and our family – the opportunity to create together and build something as a family.
12. What’s next for your band? Do you have any surprise projects lying in wait for your fans?
We have lots of releases coming up over the next 6 months including the artist collaborations that we are pumped about….they are still a secret for now
13. What message would you love to give to your fans?
Thanks for listening so far….there’s lots more music to come and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Be sure to stream “Caught Beneath the Water” on all DSPs today and follow HØVDING on Instagram.
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