A Little Land Where Anything Is Possible

By Cassia Pollock

Imagine you are a 25-year-old girl with a long, slender figure, a face that bares an unmistakable resemblance to Heidi Klum, and a ten-year long experience in Switzerland as a ballet dancer. One day while dancing to your heart’s content, you injure a disc. This causes you to quit ballet and boom—just like that, you realize that Danish electro pop singing was your calling all along. If the previous statements describe you perfectly, then you’re probably Nanna Øland Fabricius—unless you’re someone who is freakishly similar to her by pure coincidence or a creepy impersonator.

True, Oh Land’s life story might not sound all that relatable. She’s no Swift, with a background as a frizzy-headed teenager who got bullied by the popular girls or anything. But you’ll love Oh Land (that’s her stage name) anyway. For what she lacks in relatability, she makes up for with sheer talent. Basically, she looks like a model, dances well (or at least, she used to), and she can sing. You can hate her, for being so perfect, if you want. But her lighthearted manners will persuade thousands to forgive how bizarrely flawless she is.

Oh Land debuted in the U.S with “Sun of a Gun.” This music video is rising in popularity through YouTube, but her real crowning musical moment is in her song “White Nights.” After moving from the quiet outskirts of Copenhagen to New York City, Oh Land often did not sleep because she did not want to miss a thing. Inspired by the city lights and crazy energy she wrote “White Nights,” capturing a spark in the tune.

In addition to singing, Oh Land can dance too. However, due to her injury, ballet is much too rigorous. In her music videos “Sun of a Gun” and “White Nights,” her dance moves are not balletic at all. Her dancing slightly resembles a high school girl doing jazzercise, arms flailing this way and that way. Except instead of looking silly, her ballerina-esque figure helps her to pull off eccentric movements like a swan. Unlike most singers, Oh Land tires of perfection after being unable to obtain it after 10 years of ballet. When she dances now, she doesn’t try to look cool or sexy. This attitude gives a natural, relaxed vibe to the music videos. Oh Land sings and dances like nobody is watching.