Marthe Halvorsen: Feed the Fire, Breathe the Night

Marthe Halvorsen: Feed the Fire, Breathe the Night 

Montreal-based Norwegian artist, songwriter, and producer Marthe Halvorsen is set to release her highly anticipated second album Feed the Fire, Breathe the Night on August 29. This deeply atmospheric and distinctive collection of indie folk songs highlights Halvorsen’s rare ability to craft music that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. With introspective lyrics and her unmistakable voice, she strikes a chord that lingers. Feed the Fire, Breathe the Night is an album that longs to bring music back to something organic and heartfelt—made for those who need to take a deep breath in 2025.

Originally hailing from Northern Norway, but currently based in Montreal, Halvorsen has cultivated a sound where Nordic melancholy and Indie folk meets global influences. Her new album is written and produced by Halvorsen herself, and co-produced by Montreal’s François Jalbert (Little Misty). She is also joined by a cast of acclaimed musicians from Montreal’s indie, jazz, and world music scene. The album is mixed by Pierre Girard and mastered by Philip Shaw Bova (Feist, Devendra Banhart). 

Recorded in between Montreal and Halvorsen’s native Northern Norway—the new album captures a unique blend of city and nature and the result is a compelling soundscape where the dreamy and ethereal intertwines with the raw and earthy.

The title Feed the Fire, Breathe the Night comes from the track “Truth Seeker,” which Halvorsen describes as a mantra in turbulent times:

“The world feels chaotic these days, and this line to me represents an image of hope and togetherness—a mantra to help us get through difficult times, whether on a personal or more global level. The fire also represents to me a powerful symbol of community, something cyclical and timeless that has connected humans throughout history.”

The album features several highlights, including previously released singles like the dreamy opener “For the Dreamers & the Bold,” the jazz-tinged indie pop track “Invisible Sword,” and the recent songs “Change” and “The Willow Tree.” The focus track “Truth Seeker” serves as the emotional and musical core of the album. Inspired by a close friend’s personal struggles, it reflects on the importance of being there for each other in our most vulnerable moments. With its gentle verses, soaring choruses, and evocative vocal production, Halvorsen describes it as “a tribute to the strength in daring to fail.”

Another standout track is “Gone,” featuring longtime Norwegian collaborator Ove Pedersen. Reflecting on climate change and human’s relationship with nature, the song incorporates field recordings of whales and sounds from the depths of the ocean. Both Marthe and Ove comes from the small coastal town of Fauske in Northern Norway, and have a strong connection to the ocean and the north Norwegian coastal culture. The track builds into an expansive, cinematic soundscape reminiscent of something from the universe of Sigur Rós.

Feed the Fire, Breathe the Night is an album that dares to exist on its own terms. It embraces an analog and organic feel, allowing space and silence in a way that contrasts sharply with much of today’s algorithm-driven music. Whether Halvorsen is singing about personal experience or our shared humanity, her music conveys a deep longing for meaning, connection, and wholeness in an increasingly fragmented world.

Her sound may at times evoke artists like Iceland’s Emilíana Torrini, Björk, or Irish Lisa Hannigan, but Marthe Halvorsen ultimately defies categorization. As the music blog Raised by Cassettes put it:

“When you try to compare and think about who she sounds like, you end up coming back to her sounding like Marthe Halvorsen.”  "

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