Two childhood friends are sitting and grinning in the back seat of an old American car. André Jensen and Olav Tokerud are the duo Hagle. They have every reason to smile at a success that came as a surprise to them as the rest of the music industry. But there is no doubt that people want their mix of rap and country, with lyrics that leave little doubt that you are on “bøgda”. – I guess we did not see very much what was going to happen. We just started making something we thought was fat. So it works well. NRK gets to be with them on a journey through a landscape that few Norwegians know, flat settlements in inner Østfold. Even though it is only an hour’s drive, this country is several light years away from the hipster colonies on Grünerløkka. At Raymond’s Diner in Rakkestad, there is a long way between the vegans. Here, Hagle is in the middle of their core area – and this is where they have had their own pizza named after them. Much of the inspiration for the songs is taken from growing up in the county at the Swedish border. – We write about what we think is fun and cool, we sort of reflect Østfold in the songs, they say and take a bit of pizza extra in honor of the photographer. But even though there are few who mix rap and country, they are by no means the first in Norwegian rural music’s history. – This form of music has deep roots in Norwegian culture, and is an example of the tradition that lives in the best prosperity in the districts. That is the opinion of NRK journalist and music historian Bård Ose. He is not surprised by Hagle’s success, but points out that this was a phenomenon that had a particularly good grip on Western Norway. – Especially then artists who have mixed folk music, country and shows, says Ose. Among the first was Teddy Nelson, or Terje Nilsen, as he was actually called. In 1964 he became the first to release a song with a harding fiddle. No comparison with Hagle’s rap otherwise, but for people west of the mountains, the harding fiddle was probably counted as something they did with “in da hood”. – This is music that is created outside and regardless of what is “in and hot” in the cities, and then especially Oslo, says Bård Ose. Today, Teddy Nelson is history, as are Ivar Medaas and many others who have passed away. But the Norwegian village party music lives on in the best of times. Even so good that the music has got its own category in Spellemann, party music. But when the party music award was launched in 2021, not everyone was equally satisfied. – Norwegian pop is Staysman, Freddy Kalas, Hagle and so on – as much as it is Sigrid and Aurora. One should not create one’s own category – across genres – just because something is popular. Manager Aslak Klever told VG when the price category was launched – he wants the music to be taken seriously. Simen Eidsvåg in Spellemann rejected the criticism then, he has not been available in connection with this case. The duo Hagle during the Spellemann Prize 2022. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / NRK But for the duo in Hagle, it is a matter of whether they want to have a good time together – and make music that captures – regardless of whether the audience lives in Nordreisa or on Mysen. – A lot of people write about partying at the club this weekend, but it’s fun to write songs about going to work at five in the morning as well. We are very fond of everyday things. André Jensen and Olav Tokerud make no secret of the fact that they are well satisfied that their mix of rap and country now reaches an ever larger audience. Now they embark on an extensive summer tour, 26 concerts in total. – We will play with the Østfold dialect and banjo. We think we’re fat and it works great. And so close to the Swedish border, they at least agree on one thing: Raggen must go! Teddy Nelson did not rap much, but was in return a very popular artist.
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Hagle shot the golden bird during the pandemic – Norway
