Formula Indie Sessions interview with Terje Gravdal
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Sitting still and listening. Wind, silence, and songs on the radio that felt like they meant something. Music wasn’t noise – it was atmosphere.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Late in life. I bought my first guitar in 2011 at the age of 47. I needed a way to turn thoughts, lived life, and wonder into something honest.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
It’s about catching truth while it’s still moving. Songs shaped by nature, real life, and the times we live in – no filters, no trends. There’s som much wrong going on in the world today. For 2026 I’m coming up with 3 new songs and a 5th EP, all of it with a geopolitical storyline.
Today’s geopolitics is about money, power, loss of democracy, and transfer of welfare from the people to the richest. It looks like a Chess Game where our politicians let themselves be used to lie to us, to justify wars, lock downs, social control, fast growing inflation, higher taxes and useless Green Deals.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Roots-based country and folk with a Nordic backbone. Story-driven, acoustic at heart, shaped by wind, fjords, and grit.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Less polish, more truth. If it doesn’t feel real, it doesn’t matter how good it sounds.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
A balanced mix of “the right” instruments, not competing, but sharing the space leading to your emotions. Top recording tools, and great collaborators who understand emotion, sound, space and restraint.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
No particular artist. I keep searching and returning to artists who value storytelling, honesty and emotion over noise – the song always comes first.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Life came first, music came later. Work, loss, nature, politics, and people – all of it found its way into the songs.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Recognition. Reflection. Maybe a moment of calm – or a moment of discomfort that leads to thought.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
It’s never too late to start – but it has to be honest. I released my first song “Welcome to The Rehab” at the age of 58…
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
A small stage where people actually listen. If the room is quiet, I’m happy.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Johnny Cash. He understood silence, weight, and truth better than most.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music?
You can find me on Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook – search Terje Gravdal.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
To keep writing songs that matter – and to reach listeners who value meaning over hype.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That I’m not trying to impress anyone. I’m just telling the truth as clearly as I can.
Representative YouTube video suggestion:
Nomadic Grey Spirits: This music video is about the balance between strength and vulnerability. As a hunter and fisherman in Hardangervidda National Park, I feel the tension between prey and hunter — both respect, danger, and natural rhythm. This becomes the soundtrack of my music: people meet reality and nature, real stories, and real emotions. Watch the video here: Nomadic Grey Spirits
