大象传媒

Susanne Sundf酶r on Oslo, a city she鈥檚 returned to for solitude and solace.

鈥淥slo to me is like a big city in a small town鈥� it鈥檚 why I love it鈥� when I鈥檓 on tour and I think about it, I really miss it and the beautiful golden light of the winter,鈥� says Susanne,, who moved to the capital to make a career as a singer songwriter.

Four number one albums later and she is one of Norway鈥檚 most prolific musicians, with a growing international reputation. Oslo has become the place she retreats to after touring and travelling, but her profile means she has to negotiate the city carefully if she wants to maintain her privacy.

In Living for the City, musicians take the listener on a personal tour of a city they love - exploring how buildings and street corners, train lines and park views hold stories of heartache and inspiration as they project their inner worlds onto the canvas of the city.
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Oslo for Susanne is a city that echoes and resonates with the voices and legacy of past Norwegian artists and creatives. She takes us to the mausoleum built by Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland. The dark, vast space is a place she鈥檚 recorded in before. She returns to it as a place that allows her to talk about how the cold winter can be a quietly inspirational force for her.

She left Oslo for London after a breakdown a few years ago, but she鈥檚 recently returned to live there and now has a studio right in the centre of the city.

鈥淚鈥檝e been back for about nine months and think I鈥檝e been through some kind of transformation. London allowed me to get a different perspective on Oslo鈥�I came back here to see friends and one of them said to me, 鈥榊ou have to take Oslo back鈥� and I understand what he says now鈥�but I鈥檓 still working on that鈥�.it鈥檚 like we found each other again.鈥�

(Photo credit: Raphael Chatelain)
Produced by Rachel Hooper
A Falling Tree production for 大象传媒 Radio 4