Interview by Rich Quinlan
I recently enjoyed a remarkable conversation with Kathrine Shepard, a limitlessly talented artist who performs as Sylvaine. Her latest work, Eg Er Framand, is released through Season of Mist and reveals a continued evolution in the sound of Sylvaine which began in 2014 with the release of Silent Chamber, Noisy Heart. Through our interview, we touched upon topics that ranged from Norwegian winters to Romantic poets, her Grammy nomination, and yoga.
Kathrine Shepard moved from California to Oslo, Norway as a very young child, so she only knows the exquisiteness and distinctive qualities of the country. Her music is profoundly influenced by the world around her, particularly the beauty of nature. While she admits that the Norwegian weather may be, “too hostile at times and can certainly amplify feelings of loneliness” for some people, as months of darkness gives way to a lush Norwegian Spring, Shepard speaks of “inspiration” and an ability “to reconnect with oneself.”
When asked if her adopted homeland shapes her music, she acknowledged that it plays a central role in her creative process and does wonder if she would craft the same type of music is she lived somewhere else.
When one listens to Eg Er Framand, a language barrier does not matter. Woven within these hypnotic, airy songs are sentiments akin to fairytales. The stories are stirring but accented with melancholy and even foreboding. Referencing the Brothers Grimm and other classic European tales, Shepard noted that the “fairytale description can fit” and reminded me of the underlying darkness that exists within so many stories we tell children. This dichotomy between celebratory beauty and penetrating unease makes the music of Sylvaine so powerful.
Shepard admitted that she does not “focus too much of darkness, for there is always light even in the darkness situation, and darkness shapes who we are.” Extremely well versed in literature, Shepard discussed how the writing of Romantic and Impressionist poets influenced her work, particularly the writing of Paul Verlaine, who happens to be a partial inspiration for the name Sylvaine. Verlaine was part of several literature movements, including the Decadent movement, and Shepard explained that work of that nature expressed a “belief in hedonism, and even excess over logic. These writers celebrated full, sensual expression”. Such phrasing perfectly surmises the songs of Eg Er Framand, as it is an immersive experience that embraces the listener in warmth that allows them to see through periods of desolation.
Looking back upon all she has achieved, Shepard could not believe that it has been ten years since the release of her debut record. She admitted that she “was not confident in her music”, when she first began crafting songs and the first album was a “completely DIY project.” Fervently introspective and perhaps a bit of an introvert, Shepard talks with beautiful eloquence about her work and art in general, stating, “Art evolves as people grow, and new experiences leads people to a new point in your art;” to that point, she continued to say, “experiences has caused changes in sound, as the more you do, the more detours that emerge, but they are new doors opening.” Rather than an artist who wishes changes could be made to earlier work, Shepard describes her music as “an audio diary-a picture of myself at a specific moment in time.” Shepard went on to discuss her growing self-assurance by admitting that she has “stopped worrying about trying something new” and just allows “a song to develop.”
What makes Eg Er Framand so powerful is that such vocally dominated record, according to Shepard, “breaks the barrier between performer and to whom they are performing.” Shepard is a remarkable musical presence, and also a woman who shatters preconceived boundaries in metal. She was proudly the first woman ever nominated for a Norwegian Grammy in the metal category. This is ironic, as Sylvaine, according to Shepard was “never looked at it [her music] with a metal label”, but notes that she has been “embraced by the metal scene which is a great community of fans”. Shepard’s reaction to her nomination was blunt and funny: “it’s about fucking time” she said as she smiled with great pride, and considers herself “a door opener rather than a role model,” but her humility speaks to her character.
Kathrine Shepard is a limitlessly talented musician and a delight of a person. Despite all that she does with Sylvaine, Shepard somehow has a side gig as an online yoga instructor! While her business, Akiko Yoga, “is currently on hiatus”, there is a good chance that it come back for a global audience. Sylvaine is an astonishing act that I cannot strongly enough urge everyone to find. The warmth of the music is only superseded by the warmth and kindness of the artist behind it. I am already excited about what comes next.
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