Denmark’s rising pop icon Nicklas Sahl made rapid progress through 2019. The success of his Platinum-certified hit ‘New Eyes’ boosted his profile with a succession of major awards. He won the Carl Neilsen Award (the country’s Ivor Novello equivalent) for Best Pop Composition as well as Best Danish Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards. He was also nominated for two Danish Music Awards (their answer to the Grammys) for Biggest Radio Hit and Best New Artist.
Now Nicklas Sahl looks to take his homeland success global in 2020, starting with his new track ‘There For You’.
‘There For You’ finds Nicklas’s enticingly sweet vocals complemented by a memorable acoustic guitar motif and laidback beats. Both contemporary and timeless, it’s a song which spans his diverse influences: the textures of modern alt-pop, the melodic intimacy of early Bon Iver, and the classic songwriting of Paul Simon.
The song tells a universally relatable story of two friends who grew apart. Nicklas explains:
“‘There For You” is about two friends whose friendship started when they were both very young and lasts all the way up to adulthood where they start to live different lives. One takes a wrong turn in life and gets into trouble and the other tries to reach out and save the friendship by saying, ‘Remember I’ve always been there for you, pal! Trust me and not the people who has just stepped into your life.’
Some of my best friends live on the other side of the country and we’re all busy doing different things, and it’s frustrating not to be able to be as close to them as I used to. Sometimes I fear they see me from a distance and think I´m not the same guy they hung out with in high school.”
The video expresses that story in symbolic fashion. Nicklas and Alex Høgh (best known for his role as Ivar the Boneless in HBO’s ‘Vikings’) play two young men who are being forced apart by powers beyond their control. But can they be reunited before it’s too late?
‘There For You’ commences what promises to be a huge year for Nicklas. He’s planning extensive international touring in the months ahead, including shows in Germany, the UK and North America, as well as more new music.
Nicklas Sahl was raised in the small town of Hadsten. The radio was his first inspiration, with Nicklas playing along on that stolen toy guitar in front of the neighbours. That grew throughout childhood, with him attending a music school at the age of seven and then three years later deciding that was something he wanted to dedicate his life to. By his mid-teens he was developing his artistry with the help of a producer and co-writers. He eventually moved to Copenhagen in search of a career in music.
His first single ‘Hero’ was named as Single of the Week on Danish national radio and featured on his breakthrough album ‘Planets’, which was released last year. This was followed by the #1 radio single ‘Four Walls’. He’s already scored three Top 10 airplay hits and has exceeded 40 million streams.