Jarle Bernhoft has a new album coming out in 2023, a fact that surprises the man himself. The Norwegian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist intended to have a break from recording this year. Now, he finds himself reaching back out to the world with new music and a new outlook, propelling himself back to a global stage with a renewed ambition.

The UK may have first come across a young Jarle as lead singer of rock power quartet Span. He lived in North London where he enjoyed critical acclaim and a cult following. After they disbanded in 2005, he went solo, and soul, as Bernhoft. He employed live looping techniques, using a loop pedal to layer his vocals and instrumental parts, creating intricate and dynamic arrangements. The single “C’mon Talk,” became a viral sensation showcasing this, earning Bernhoft millions of views on YouTube and introducing him to a global audience.This culminated in the international success of ‘Islander’ (2014), an album that explored themes of identity and self-discovery, blending elements of folk, pop, and R&B.

The album received critical acclaim and further solidified Bernhoft’s reputation as a musical innovator. He became the first non-American to be nominated for the Best R&B Album Grammy.

His profile swelled with appearances on the Conan O’Brien and Ellen De Generes shows, he was about to embark on a huge US tour and then, as far as the rest of the world was concerned, he disappeared.