Blueprint signs with EKKO Music Rights
EKKO Music Rights Europe are proud to announce the signing of an exclusive worldwide music publishing deal with the talented Norwegian songwriting team BLUEPRINT (Paulos Solbø / Stian Nyhammer Olsen / Julia Bognar Finnseter). Thanks to their unique combination and skills (singer, topliners and producers) BLUEPRINT finds new ways to make the unfamiliar sound familiar, and the weird sound cool. So far, they have scored one Billboard Chart No. 1 placement and multi-million streams, they are entering into 2021 with the aim of increasing this statistic. With a united focus, they are currently casting a spotlight on the K-POP market. However, they are not genre defined and have worked with both local and international songwriters in the western marked, expanding their catalogue and toolbox.
Who is Blueprint and how did you guys meet?
We are a songwriting and music production team, currently focusing on K-pop, but not working towards that market exclusively. We met at the songwriting camp called Trondheim Song:Expo. Paulos was in a team already and Julia and Stian was experiencing songwriting with someone else. It was a total coincidence that we became BLUEPRINT, since we wanted to try something new and ended up with a really good writing session and like working together.
How did each and one of you get into music?
Julia took singing lessons in 4th grade and started writing songs in 8th grade. She performed at open mic nights with her own songs and also sung in a choir. “For me it was a coincidence”, Stian says. “I was about 12 years old when a friend came over”, and said “I found a program where you can make beats”, and so it all started. Paulos on the other hand, started playing the guitar when he was six. He started with a local band (he and one guy on a bass) and studied music in high school. His first dream was never to produce and write, it was to perform, but that all changed when he begun studying music.
What would you say is most significant about your music?
“We all have different influences”, Stian says. “I’m more of the main producer, and Julia is more vibey when it comes to the songwriting and sings a lot”. Paulos though is a mystery! They all laugh before Paulos continues. “I like to do everything. I’m mainly into conversation. I’m actually not sure what I do. I do some instrumental work, and some melodies. I just try to get the song to sit well. So we have three different ways of looking at and creating music, which is a strength for the making and creates more freedom”.
You say it’s a strength to have different influences. Do you ever have conflicts?
“No, not conflicts, but we do have disagreements for sure. We see it as a good thing though! It helps with learning and it’s never like, “shut up you stupid…”. It’s more like “maybe we can try this”, and then we learn from each other’s experiences. I think our most important strength is that we’re not afraid to test things we’re uncomfortable with. It doesn’t have to be a certain way”, Paulos says.
Who inspires you the most, does that person or persons affect your music?
As a team, we get inspiration from all kinds of music that is a bit ballsy. A weird run in the top line, making the bass sound like a seagull, ha ha! We find inspiration in everything.
Stian listens a lot to Meghan Trainer, Julia is into a lot of Madison Beer right now and Paulos loves the music Max Martin makes. Also he likes Drake, Rihanna and so on, but also rock music like AC/DC.
What made you sign a publishing agreement with EKKO Music Rights?
“I think that’s a complex situation”, Stian says, both individually and as a team. Stian wanted to sign because it’s a statement to work with people who actually works with this. You can have a certain confidence with saying you have a deal, for example I can tell my mom that “it’s not a hobby, it’s a work!!!”, ha ha. No, but seriously, the timing with EKKO is a guideline for where we want to go. It’s not just dreams now, it’s a golden opportunity.
What ingredient do you think that you can add to EKKO Music Rights?
SPICE! Ha ha. A pop sound, I mean, it changes a lot, so we didn’t grow up with the same music and experiences as the others that’s been signed before did. We can add new perspectives, new melodies, toplines.
How can EKKO Music Rights help you to grow? What are your expectations?
“New relationships with songwriters worldwide. Travel the world and participate on songwriting camps. Perspectives on how others write songs”, Julia says. They work together every day, but always nice to learn new. Inspiration from other songwriters and producers. But also the business side of things, can be pushed a bit more. There’s a lot of things they can help us with that we don’t know about yet, but we’re looking forward to find out.
What band/artist do you dream about cutting your song?
A lot of people, the question is who to go for first! TWICE would be something we all strive for. Stian says that Justin Bieber would be amazing, but it’s more of a long-time goal/dream. Paulos continues: BLACKPINK, BTS, the biggest would be amazing. We would be able to continue a really good path from that.
We welcome Blueprint to join the EKKO Music Rights roster, and look forward to see them grow and succeed together with us.
