The case in summary Artists feel increasing pressure to share more of themselves on social media to stay relevant. Artist Hilde Skaar, known as Skaar, expresses that this pressure can feel claustrophobic. Music and media researcher, Eirik Jacobsen, confirms that relevance today is largely about availability on social media. Jacobsen believes that the public now expects a more friendly relationship with artists, with close communication on social media. Skaar notices that the pressure comes from several sides, including the media landscape, fans and the industry. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I think it can feel a bit claustrophobic, the pressure, sometimes, says artist Hilde Skaar, who is known under the stage name Skaar. In Paul’s church on Grünerløkka in Oslo, she uses the acoustics and organ music together with a somewhat out-of-place amplifier to compose and write new music. – Although I want to be private, I try to be good at filming the process with the music because it is relevant to what I do, but if my team had got what they wanted, I would have shared everything together “on the spot”, says the artist. She feels a clear pressure to share both musical but also personal content on her social media channels. – It has become more and more and you have to share so much. Not just pictures, but videos and vlogs, and you have to show that you made a sandwich for breakfast. It gets suffocating, almost. To get musical inspiration, Skaar Paulus rented the church to write and compose music. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news Do you share a lot of your personal life on social media? Yes, I like to show personal pages with my followers! I mostly keep things to myself. I like to share myself, but not with just anyone! Show result Staying relevant on social media There is an increasing pressure to share among both established artists and newcomers, says music and media researcher at the University of Oslo, Eirik Jacobsen. He has researched artists’ use of social media and sees a clear change. – Staying relevant today is largely about being available on social media, says Jacobsen. He believes that there have been new expectations for the relationship the public has with an artist. – Where artists used to be more mysterious idols whose music you could listen to and maybe watch a TV interview here and there, now there is a more friendly relationship that takes place on social media where you constantly communicate closely with artists, says Jacobsen. Media researcher Eirik Jacobsen says many artists feel a lot of pressure to share content on social media. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news During the songwriting process on the church floor, Skaar is also clear that the pressure comes from several sides. – The media landscape wants it that way. I also feel fans want it that way, and not least I think the industry is almost the worst. There is a lot of pressure to share absolutely everything. Several people news talks to say they like to follow artists’ everyday lives on social media. Ingvild Bakken and Sara Nordbeck like to follow artists on social media to see an everyday life that is not like their own. – If the artist posts a TikTok of them writing songs, then it becomes more personal than if you just hear the song, says Nordbeck. Several people news talks to say they follow artists on Instagram, and especially big international artists. – There are probably some artists who just want to be artists, but I think more demand that they share since they are public figures, says Karoline Krøvel. – It doesn’t appeal so much to me, but I understand that artists should share in order to reach more widely and get a closer fan base, says Jørgen Vartdal Halse (tv). Sharing in the lyrics In the last four years, the artist from Stord has started to share even more of himself in his lyrics. In her latest album “Mad woman”, which came out last year, Skaar uses music to come to terms with unpleasant experiences. – I feel I already share so much in my lyrics. If I were to share absolutely everything I do in one day, I feel there would be so little left of me that is only mine, says Skaar. She says that she has to be stubborn to say no to the pressure from the industry, but is clear that she does not underestimate those who are good at sharing themselves. – Because there are so many different personalities who want to do music, and I think it’s rubbish with those who feel like it and like it, says the artist and adds: – I just hope that it will be governed by the fact that one sees it’s fun, and not that you are pressured into it. In the album “Mad woman”, the artist shares personal experiences with the listeners. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news – Maybe I’m biting myself in the ass Eirik Jacobsen’s research shows that there is a big difference in whether artists are comfortable sharing themselves or not. – Some people have no problem sharing regularly from their lives, while for others, more introverted, it can be frustrating. Still, you can’t get away from it, says Jacobsen. Perhaps the video clips from the songwriting in Paul’s church, which Skaar has stored in his camera roll, will be published on a later occasion. Because she sees some of the benefits of sharing more than she does now. – You can see that it is very positive financially to share very, very much. But whether it’s super positive long-term, I don’t know. Maybe I’m biting myself in the ass by not sharing enough of myself, says Skaar. Skaar films some of the songwriting process, but for now the clips will remain in the camera roll. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news Published 31.10.2024, at 17.05
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– Can feel a bit claustrophobic – news Culture and entertainment
