Anne Fagermo (24) can boast songs, albums and several concerts, despite her young age. For a long time she has wanted to sign up for a singing competition. Now the time felt right.
– I’ve thought that The Voice is a program I’ve wanted to take part in, but it wasn’t until now that I felt ready, she tells TV 2.
See Anne’s blind audition at the top of the story.
SUPPORT: The cheering team was ready backstage, when Anne Fagermo had performed the Bruce Springsteen classic, I’m On Fire. Photo: TV 2
Stood at a crossroads
She makes no secret of the fact that music means a lot to Anne. It was still not a given that that was the path she was going to take.
Yosef is moved by the great talent: – This was something completely different
From a young age she played both guitar and piano, and participated in several local competitions. In her teens, she developed an interest in football – perhaps not so surprising, when her father is Vålerenga coach, Dag-Eilev Fagermo (55).
Football and top sports therefore became a natural choice when she started high school – something she really enjoyed. Around the age of 18, she felt she was at a crossroads – which path would she take?
Her heart beat faster for the music, and in the end she chose to put the football on the shelf.
– It was difficult, because I had imagined that I would play football. But it got to a point where it was too much. I lost the spark for what it takes to reach the top. The spark was rather somewhere else. It was music I wanted to keep doing, she says.
The miss for sports is still there, but from time to time she plays for fun.
Burned more for music
Father Dag-Eilev cares very little that Anne chose to put the football on the shelf. He, and the rest of the family, think it is great that the daughter will now take part in the singing competition.
– It is a fantastic experience for her, who is at the start of a music career. It is a platform with good people and good coaching, he says to TV 2.
Gets a real surprise when he turns around
Although the 24-year-old put in heaps of training hours, her father noticed that she wasn’t as passionate about football.
– If you want to be good at something, you have to be passionate about it. She was good at soccer, but not passionate about it. It is easier to put in the time needed to become good when you are passionate about something – as she does with music, he says and continues:
– It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t play football at that level anymore. The most important thing is that the children enjoy it. You can’t do something you’re not passionate about. Then we also get a new perspective on the family.
STAS: Vålerenga coach Dag-Eilev Fagermo thinks it’s great that his daughter is on The Voice. Photo: Martin Fønnebø/TV2
Despite the support of the family, Anne reveals that her father can make some joking comments.
– Both he and my mother support me in that. He is very fond of music, but sometimes he says that it is boring that there was no football. But music is fine, he thinks it’s fun, she says jokingly.
Unnerving
Although the 24-year-old from Telemark has been on several stages before, it was a completely new experience to perform a song in front of four chairs with their backs to it.
– This is completely new to me. It’s something completely different from what I’m used to.
She describes standing in front of the mentor chairs as an unreal situation. She remembers little of the two minutes she had at her disposal.
LISTENER: With their backs to the stage, the mentors have a short time to decide whether they want the participant on stage for their team. Photo: Thomas Andersen / TV 2
– I thought it was really scary. I was really nervous. I’ve been on stages quite a lot before, so I was so nervous surprised me a little, she admits.
It didn’t take many seconds before mentor Espen Lind (51) liked what he heard, and turned around. Fortunately for him, he didn’t have to fight for the telemarking. It was a good match, according to Anne.
MENTOR: Anne Fagermo has learned a lot from Espen Lind. How far she will go in the competition remains to be seen. Photo: Thomas Andersen / TV 2
– I was very relieved and happy to have Espen as a mentor. I would have been happy no matter who turned up, but I felt he and my style of music matched very well. We have pretty similar tastes. He is incredibly good, and I have learned a lot from him, praises the 24-year-old.
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