There’s Always More That I Could Say: Sigrid on joy, heartbreak, and letting go in her third studio album

By Celina Tran | Photos: Charlotte Alex

At just 28, Norwegian pop powerhouse Sigrid has already lived a career most musicians can only dream of – headlining festivals, topping charts and becoming an unmistakable voice of Scandinavian pop. Yet with her third album, There’s Always More That I Could Say, she sounds freer and more self-assured than ever.

When Sigrid Solbakk Raabe first stormed into the spotlight with Don’t Kill My Vibe, she was just a 20-year-old from the small fishing town of Ålesund. Though harmless at first sight, make no mistake – her voice and talent could level a festival tent and send a message that resonated far beyond Norway’s borders.

The rise that followed was meteoric: a BBC Sound of 2018 winner, a Glastonbury highlight and two hit albums – Sucker Punch and How to Let Go – that turned her into one of Scandinavia’s most vital pop voices. Along the way came global tours, billions of streams and anthems that balanced both vulnerability and stadium-sized power. Now, in her late twenties, Sigrid stands at a different point in her journey.

“It’s a little funny, because while I started playing music when I was a kid, it was never part of my plan to become a pop artist. I wanted to be a lawyer or a teacher and started studying comparative politics for four weeks before I dropped out and began pursuing music. After that, I haven’t looked back, and now I’m about to release my third album,” says Sigrid.

There’s Always More That I Could Say: Sigrid on joy, heartbreak, and letting go in her third studio album

No two songs are the same

The title, There’s Always More That I Could Say, speaks for itself. The singer explains that you can always say more and give nuance to a situation – whether romantic or otherwise – but in this album, what she says is exactly what we get. And while the lyrics are charged with tension and deeply rooted emotion, it is not quite what you would expect from a typical break-up album. “You’ve got all your life to write your first album because no one knows you yet, then your second often comes when you’re a little older, so it’s more serious and cohesive. My third one, while also cohesive, is joyous, fun, energetic and eclectic. It’s real.”

With her third album, Sigrid leans into a sound that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new. Drawing on the indie-leaning Scandi-pop she grew up listening to on her iPod, as well as early-2000s textures and flashes of French electronica, the record is playful and experimental while still anchored in her trademark sound.

Still, no two songs on the album are the same. The breezy lead single Jellyfish, written with long-time collaborator and friend Askjell, captures that free-spirited energy – chaotic, giddy and fun, like a Scandinavian summer fling. Fort Knox, however, is raw, unfiltered and angry. Built around a pulsing synth bass, it is a thunderous, raspy outpouring of heartbreak and rage – a certified scream-in-the-car banger. “The really exciting thing about the pop industry nowadays is how it’s less rigid in many ways. While it can be frustrating with so many different platforms, we’re also not limited to just making music for the radio – we can really experiment and try new things.”

Much of the album was written and recorded in fun, carefree studio sessions with friends and fellow musicians all over the world, and this newfound freedom really comes through in the new tracks. While writing, Sigrid found herself recording many of the vocals with a handheld microphone, particularly evident in the title track. Delicate and stripped back, it’s the only ballad on the album – a candid, slow reflection of the underlying melancholy that threads through an otherwise upbeat record.

“It’s a song about miscommunication, misunderstanding each other, saying or not saying the right thing at the right time. It’s everyone’s and no one’s fault, which can be very sad but also beautiful in a way,” she says. “I wrote it in London with producer Oli Bayston, and writer and good friend Will Taylor. Instead of a proper set-up for a pop song, we just sat down by the piano and allowed this train of thought. It’s funny because we tried to re-record the song but none of them beat the raw emotion in the original, so it’s an unchanged take from that day.”

There’s Always More That I Could Say: Sigrid on joy, heartbreak, and letting go in her third studio album

The cover of Sigrid’s new album, There’s Always More That I Could Say.

Staying grounded when living out of suitcases

Having toured internationally for nearly all of her career, life on the road has become second nature to Sigrid – even if it still feels a little surreal at times. “You just have to get used to travelling all the time, living out of a suitcase,” she says. “I rarely even unpack my toiletries anymore because I know I’ll just bring them with me again.”

It can be disorienting, never spending more than a week in one country, but she has learned to embrace the rhythm. Her flat in Oslo remains an anchor – the place she loves most – but the constant motion of touring has become its own strange kind of home. Each stop along the way offers something different: the electrifying passion of South American crowds, the culture and humour she adores in Europe, the sense of adventure in Asia. “If I’m in one place too long, I almost get restless,” she laughs. “It’s mental, but I’m used to it now and I’m grateful. It’s pretty amazing how far the music has taken me.”

Still, touring at such a scale comes with complications, especially around sustainability. Sigrid does not shy away from the tension of being both a frequent flyer and someone deeply concerned about the environment. “It’s not something I’m proud of,” she admits, “but it’s part of the job and something I rely on in order to tour. As a public figure, I try to use my voice to raise awareness, to vote and to push for regulations on industries that make the biggest impact, including airlines.”

Sigrid participated as both speaker and performer in Billie Eilish’s climate event Overheated in London in 2022, which saw artists from all over the world collaborate to raise awareness and promote activism around environmental issues – particularly focusing on combating food scarcity and climate change through plant-based food systems.

She is especially passionate about the role of politics in shaping real change, pointing to Norway’s Green Party gaining ground in parliament as a hopeful sign. “Individual choices matter, of course, but massive corporations can’t escape responsibility. That’s where the biggest difference has to come from. I’m hoping, with the new election results, there will be stricter regulations and that we can move away from the idea of deep-sea mining.”

As for what comes next, Sigrid hints at tour dates across Europe and Asia – with stops in Poland, Istanbul, Japan, Korea and China – though much remains under wraps. “It’s a very joyous album,” she says. “Fun, tongue-in-cheek, but also emotional. I think it’s my best one yet.”

There’s Always More That I Could Say is out now.

There’s Always More That I Could Say: Sigrid on joy, heartbreak, and letting go in her third studio album