A couple of new pop singles here out of Norway, one from an artist we’ve often written about, the other from a new name to us.
Dagny – Dancefloor Erotica (single)
I’ve waited some time for Dagny to deliver the very high international standard of song that she has long promised, and having supported a plethora of A-list musicians on their live tours. She’s often gotten close to it but never quite clambered over the line.
With ‘Dancefloor Erotica’ all that has changed. It’s a paean to the world’s elite dance floors, from “90s New York to the Moulin Rouge” and it’s a banger on an international scale.
I have to say that line confused me a little because the music of the time (mainly House in 90s Big Apple and traditionally Cancan/operetta in Paris) doesn’t square with what is on show here, which is a glorious mix of the best of Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Lady Gaga, and with a dash of Madonna, who gets a mention in the lyrics.
It’s high octane from start to finish. “This is the mantra; everyone’s a dancer” she proclaims – breathlessly by the sixth successive iteration – and if you can’t shift your butt to this you need to get a checkup.
I suppose a perfectionist might opine that it’s perhaps a little too derivative of Gaga, especially in the vocalisation, to gain recognition as a seminal piece within its narrow genre but I’d simply argue that it shows that very high quality mainstream and danceable pop is not the sole preserve of New York and Los Angeles.
It’s as alive and kicking as high as any Moulin Rouge dancer ever did, right there in Oslo. Elle est arrivée.
‘Dancefloor Erotica’ marks a move towards a more self-directed and uncompromising expression, and a more physical, direct and dance-driven sound from the Tromsø-born artist.
Dagny will headline Øya Festival this year; arguably Norway’s most significant one, and Bergenfest.
The song was produced by Matias Tellez and co-written with Nick Hahn.
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Find her on:
Website: https://dagnymusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dagnymusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dagnymusic/
Not Charles – Why Not !? (single)
By comparison, Not Charles (Charlotte Tepstad), is relatively speaking a newcomer, having only begun to make her mark in 2024 with her debut album ‘GLITTERS AND GHOSTS’, which was written during a period of depression.
That depression appears well and truly to have vanished with this loud, forceful and very self confident single ‘Why Not !?’, which is one for those who “no longer wish to explain why they do as they do to anyone and everyone.”
“You try to save me from life by telling me what not to do” she wails.
A teenager’s anthem, I suppose. Whatever.
“Don’t slow me down, I’ve got places to go” she adds, and I’m sure she’s heading in the right direction.
Musically it’s a three minute whirlwind of a thing that reminds me in its construction of her compatriot RABO’s ‘A little too lost sometimes’, which came second in the NMC 2025 Songs of the Year review.
The only problem with RABO’s song, and to a degree the same thing applies with Not Charles’, is that it all gets a little too breathless at times, even for the listener.
On the other hand Charlotte can write a tune, there’s no doubt about that. And sing it.
She employs a little lyrical trick of interpolating those of others, including song titles. In fact she has three successive lines of them:
‘Dancing in the moonlight’ (Toploader); ‘Don’t kill my vibe’ (Sigrid); and ‘Don’t call me maybe’ (Carly Rae Jepsen).
That’s going to be cool to some people and irritating to others. Personally I’m more concerned with the occasional expletive which really isn’t necessary. It adds nothing to the song. (To be fair there is a cleaner version available but this wouldn’t get airplay in many countries).
(I’d love to know who ‘Judgy Jane’ is and if it carries any connection to the Ting-Tings song ‘That’s not my name’).
Am I being a little too “up in her business” as she puts it? Well yes, but that’s what a critic does and we do it with the artist’s interest at heart.
The Press Release tells me “This is the song you play as you grab the day by the balls and think: Why Not !?”
Well, she grabbed mine.
The song is written and composed by Charlotte Tepstad, Susanne Rønnekleiv and Grimur Einarsson and marks the start of a new chapter for her, opening up a louder pop-rock landscape than previous releases. She is currently working on her second album, where this musical expression will be explored further.
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Find her on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlesnotcharles/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__notcharles__/
I’m not going to make comparisons between the two, merely to highlight the contrast between them. They do actually look quite similar physically. One has been in the business over a decade and has innumerable high quality songs to her credit.
But international breakthroughs at a high level often come to those that have the patience to wait and I strongly suspect this latest piece of work from Dagny will be the one.
The other artist is at the beginning of her career relatively speaking, is still a bit raw, but clearly has the talent to follow in Dagny’s footsteps.
