Out now: Ida Maria's 'Dirty Money' EP

More music news about Scandinavian acts...

Norwegian rock singer Ida Maria has unveiled the new video for her EP title track “Dirty Money,” which details how she experienced the music industry as a younger woman, often feeling exploited as a commodity instead of appreciated as a creative being.

Whereas the punk/pop song highlights some of the ways in which Ida participated in the dirty money ecosystem as a major label artist, the black and white video reflects Ida’s life now.

“The most obvious idea for ‘Dirty Money’ was to make [a] sex, drugs and rock’n’roll video. But we've seen that 1000 times before,” says director Per Heimly . “So, then I thought, What is the most rocking thing Ida Maria can do? Well, to be a working-class hero who has three to four jobs during the day to be able to be a rock star in the evening at the local bar. Is there anything more rock and tough than being a fisherman, sheep farmer or excavator operator, who has to work hard to survive and to get their deserved salary? We want to strike a blow for the common man and woman, in strong contrast to the superficial and greedy society we live in, where people step on corpses to get their Dirty Money.”

About Ida Maria:

Having established herself with breakout hits like 2007's "Oh My God," and 2008's "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" from her debut album Fortress 'Round My Heart, Ida Maria returned to Norway in 2013 after becoming disillusioned with the music industry and the major label system. 

"A girl can't put out music on a major platform without going through some twisted insane beauty ideal that doesn't correspond with my own ideals of what a woman can be. A woman is a complex creature. There are not enough complex female role voices out there," she states. 

Despite the struggle to work within the system, Maria managed to release her third album, Accidental Happiness. Her fourth album Scandalize My Name followed in 2016. Since then, she has been devoting herself to farming, building a studio, making music on her own terms, and looking inward for self-growth.

She received global critical acclaim for debut album Fortress Round My Heart. 

Dirty Money EP Track Listing:

1. I’m Busy
2. Dirty Money
3. Sick Of You
4. Celebration
5. California

Photo by Per Heimly