MUMBAI: Soren Hansen has released a new holiday single titled, “Christmas Time,” which follows his recent self-titled debut solo effort, released earlier this year on ENCI Records.
The co-founder of platinum-selling Danish alternative pop band New Politics says of the new track, “Releasing this song, created with my close friends from New Politics, fills me with holiday spirit. I can’t wait for you all to experience it and feel the joy too!”
“Christmas Time” is a fun, up-tempo holiday anthem that captures the magic and joy of the season. Written in the heart of Brooklyn by Soren Hansen and David Boyd, and powered by the dynamic drumming of Lou Vecchio, the song is a celebration of love, togetherness, and festive cheer.
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Stream “Christmas Time” here: https://onerpm.link/ChristmasTime
About Soren Hansen
Once you find your calling, it never lets go of you…
Søren Hansen co-founded platinum-selling alternative pop band New Politics, released five fan favorite records, and toured around the world for over a decade. Eventually, the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer wound up in Nashville where he planted roots and carved out a lane for himself behind-the-scenes as a songwriter and producer, collaborating with a bevy of acts across genres. As he kept writing and recording music, he couldn’t help but hold on to certain tunes for himself. They felt a little too close to his heart as he reflected on the ups and downs of childhood, the loss of his mom, and how he got here.
He fashioned those songs into his 2024 self-titled full-length debut album, Soren Hansen [ENCI Records].
“I never thought I would be on stage ever again,” he states. “Suddenly, I started getting the urge. I created some songs I really loved, and I was proud enough of this music to want to play it live. That was the whole reason for getting into this project—to process all of those thoughts. There were things I was sorry about and things I was happy about. Finally, there was a place I could put them. Even if it was merely a folder on my desktop, that was enough for me. It was incredible to go back and be an artist again.”
For Soren, music served as an anchor in the midst of a turbulent childhood in Denmark. By his high school graduation, he had lived in 13 different places and attended eight different schools. As the perennial “new kid,” bullies often targeted him. In fifth grade, he received a small keyboard as a gift from the family of a friend. At 18-years-old, a guy in a bar approached him and said, “You look like a singer.” A few beers later, he started singing alongside his new buddy and recognized his latent talent.
Leaving home, he studied jazz piano in Greece for a year before settling in Copenhagen for the next eight years. He landed a major label deal as part of New Politics, and a whirlwind ensued. The group notched a global hit in the form of “Harlem,” garnering a platinum certification, landing dozens of syncs, and even soundtracking a trailer for the Disney mega-hit Frozen. They canvased North America with everyone from Fall Out Boy and Paramore to P!nk in addition to tallying hundreds of millions of streams.
Trading New York for Nashville during the Pandemic, he built a studio of his own and began writing and recording with the likes of Sam Palladio, Sarah and the Sundays, and Striking Matches. Simultaneously, he crafted solo tunes laced with pop universality and punchy rock spirit.
In a session with Femke, he shared what would become “Zoned Out.” She sent it to ENCI Records, and Soren unassumingly and unexpectedly found himself with a recording contract as a solo artist.
“After a year-and-a-half of writing ideas, it happened very fast,” he recalls. “Since I was working with so many other people, I needed an outlet. A lot of the songs were about my mom who passed away in Denmark, while I was in the U.S. There was a lot of guilt over not being there. The music was just therapy, and I was going to get to share it. A lot of the songs come from a place of recognizing something beautiful and important, but feeling like I ran away and never looked back until it was too late.”
Fittingly, he introduces his solo artistry with the single “Seventeen.” Neon keys accent a breezy guitar riff as he ponders, “Do you ever just wish that you could turn back time, sometimes?” It culminates on the nostalgic chorus, “Hold me just a little bit closer, just like back when I was 17.”
“My dad was a sailor, and he was a little distant,” he goes on. “My mom was so sweet. She was just trying to hold the family together, while we were moving around. I didn’t have a nice childhood. I was bullied at school. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I’m thinking about her and wishing I could say, ‘Thank you for everything you did’.”
A palm-muted riff gives heft to the introspective “Dream That I Die.” Powered up by a steady beat and somber piano, he confesses, “I don’t remember why I always dream that I die.”
“The lyric came from sitting on a plane out of California,” he says. “It was a graphic image of being in a state of helplessness.”
Then, there’s “No Angels Below.” His high register teems with emotion above cinematic piano as he accepts, “I know you had to go, but what am I gonna do when there’s no angels below?”
“It’s about my mom,” he reveals. “She’s gone, and there are no angels here anymore.”
Tension flows through the piano-laden “Water Under Bridges” as he confronts, “a bit of the impostor syndrome that I’m sure a lot of people can relate to.” The finale “Zoned Out” layers cathartic vocals above a gentle tempo kept by tambourine and wrapped in warm acoustic guitar.
“It’s about not feeling very great at the moment,” he says. “The musical universe of the track is sad, but it’s also beautiful. Lyrically, everyone can relate to having a bad day or night.”
In the end, Søren is doing exactly what he what he’s meant to.
“I’ve come to a point where I’m proud of the person I’ve become,” he leaves in. “I’m able to tap into who Soren is. Nothing else really matters. A lot of the music come from a real place and a lot of hurts. I didn’t give up, no matter what though. I always get back on my feet and keep moving. That’s who I am today.”
