CMW Interview: Harmonica Hot on the heels of Harmonica's stellar set at SoundProof's Canadian Music Week showcase, we sat down with Monica Johansen from the band to talk about what's next for Canada's new favourite Norwegian pop-rockers. SoundProof: For those who aren't familiar with Harmonica in North America, how would you describe your sound? Monica Johansen: The music is a mixture of danceable rock and indie pop. Then you add some good-natured punk, spice it with synthetic synth sounds and wrap it in plastic-fantastic outfits, and voila! You've got Harmonica! We make music you can dance to! SP: You have a dynamic stage presence. How has this translated in the way the audience responds? MJ: Our concerts often lead to spontaneous dancing, both onstage and off. We want the audience to feel like they are a part of the concert, and we are often inviting them to join us with hand claps and sing-a-longs. We want our audience to have a good time and to have fun. People always seem to get very happy during our concerts, and happy people are nice people! SP: The songs are catchy, fun and full of energy. How would you describe the personalities in the band? MJ: Since I am the only songwriter in the band, the songs are a result of my inspiration from different artists and genres. I love those concerts when I am both listening to my favorite band and have the feeling of going out dancing at the same time. I want our audience to feel the same way too. But the songs somehow also reflect the band. We are three girls in the band; that means a lot of laughing, chattering and energy. We are all hard-working and ambitious people, but we are having a good time doing the hard work! SP: Your music is very danceable, yet rocks at the same time. Do you find that Harmonica has crossover appeal with music genres? MJ: The songs are a result of all the different artists and genres I listen to as a songwriter. I am very fond of indie rock, but I also like more commercial artists, like Justin Timberlake. One song can be inspired by hip hop, while another can be inspired by punk rock. I think you can hear that diversity in our songs. Some have put us in the new rave genre because of our way of mixing the feeling of going to a concert with the feeling of going out to a club at the same time, but you can call it whatever you want. We see that a lot of different people like our music, and in the end I think that the most important thing about a song is a good melody. And hopefully people find our melodies really good. SP: Is breaking into North America important to the band? MJ: Breaking into North America would be a dream for us. Many of our favorite artists are from here, and to be noticed outside Scandinavia would be amazing. But at this time I wouldn't call it important. Not yet! We are at the very beginning of our career and have done everything on our own so far, so to get noticed in North America would be a big bonus. SP: Over the past few years, Scandinavia has produced a lot of intense garage-rock bands. Is the music scene more pop/melodic oriented now? How would you describe the scene in Norway and Scandinavia? MJ: Yes, the Scandinavian music scene is definitely more pop-oriented than earlier. It has some really good pop-oriented bands these days, and Harmonica is one example. I think people are ready to lighten up a bit; they want catchy melodies and beats to dance to! SP: Finally, where does Harmonica see themselves in five years? MJ: We are working on our third album, experimenting with more electronic beats, but still have the melodic orientation. We are touring North America, Europe and are big in Japan! I have always wanted to go to Tokyo.