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Marit E. Larsen and Marion E. Raven
listen intentlt through their headphones as the
playback of a just-completed vocal track rolls on
the mixing board. Happily ensconced at the famed
Atlantic Studios in New York City, the Norwegian
teen duo are in their element as they complete work
on their forthcoming Atlantic Records debut.
Marit and Marion have already spent a long
winter-into-spring turning musical dreams into
recorded reality with such producers as Matt Rowe
(Spice Girls) and Max Martin (Robyn, BSB).
Songwriters and performers from their earliest
years, Marit (16) and Marion (15) are operating in
high gear as tehy put the final touches on a host of
upbeat tracks that span a field of contemporary
musics. "Sometimes the songs are in a pop rock
style, some are pop-R&B, and some are just
pop-pop," explains Marit.
Along with its Larsen/Raven numbers, other album
tracks are the fruit of collaborative work with such
trophied talents as Carole Bayer Sager, Phil
Galdston (Celine Dion, Vanessa Williams), and Matt
Rowe. The album also thrives under the girls'
instrumental performances - Marion on piano and
Marit on guitar.
"It's important to us for people to see that we
sing, we play, and that this is what we like to
do," says Marion, who took up piano at
8-years-old.
"Some people think we're too young to write
songs," adds Marit. "I can understand. But
that's good, too, because it makes us all the more
excited to prove ourselves."
During downtime, the girls have enthusiastically
discovered the Big Apple's many thrills, among them
Urban Outfitters, ice skating in Central Park, the
buzz of the city's always-bustling
streets..."and cute boys," adds Marit with
a laugh. "Yeah, a lot of cute boys,"
chimes Marion in agreement.
At such moments - while cracking up some shared joke
or observation - the chemistry and depth of
understanding between the two is readily evident.
Inseperable? Definitely.
"We travel together constantly so when we're at
home we try to spend more time with our own
families," says Marion. "Still, we call
each other all the time. Some of my other friends
say it's gotten to the point where i even talk like
Marit."
"I would never have done this album
alone," says Marit. "I couldn't have
handled it. We're experiencing so many new things so
it's cool to have someone who is right there with
you to talk to. It's really great to be two."
Marit and Marion had their fortuitous first meeting
back in 1990. when Marion was just 5-years-old.
Living just a few houses apart in their hometown of
Lorenskog, just outside Oslo, the girls soon
discovered a common love for music.
"We were singing all the time so we got this
band together with kids at school," says Marit.
"We called the band Hubba Bubba, after our
favorite gum."
Before long, what began with imprompt performances
for family and friend turned into their shared
appearances in professional musical theater
productions of, among others, The Sound Of Music,
Annie, and The Wizard of Oz. They also made a series
of early theme park appearances, performing in a pop
revue while flanked by a team of even younger
dancers. The pair made their official recorded debut
with a Norwegian language childrens' album, released
before either had hit their teens. "We did kid
songs, but they were cool - really funky
stuff," says Marion. "Not the same boring
old thing."
The pair had already racked up numerous studio hours
providing backing vocal parts to a vast array of
Norwegian recording artists, but the album did give
them an exciting sample of what it felt like to
create something of their own.
The popular reception to the album, coupled with
numerous television appearances, led to a "Best
Childrens' Album" nomination for the
Spillemanspriset, the Norwegian equivalent of a
Grammy Award.
As much as they grew from experience, the idea of
recording another childrens-oriented album didn't
hold the appeal of doing something more reflective
of their true musical passion.
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