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Dec 16, 2021 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Nina Jordan

Norwegian electro pop artist Monica Birkenes (a.k.a. Mr Little Jeans) first made waves in early 2014, releasing her debut Pocketknife to a mass of critical acclaim. In the years since, she’s been in and out of the studio, dealing with an autoimmune disease and a series of life-altering events. Now at long last, Birkenes is set to release her sophomore album next year, her first full-length record in eight years. She teased her return last month with the record’s lead single, “Jump to Fall,” and today she’s shared her follow-up, “Paper Vows,” premiering early with Under the Radar.

Unsurprisingly, a lot has changed in eight years; the Mr Little Jeans of 2014 does not sound like the Mr Little Jeans of late 2021. For one, on her new album, she’s paired with a host of new producers who’ve worked with alt pop luminaries like Halsey, Billie Eilish, King Princess, and Olivia Rodrigo. Rather than a driving dancefloor filler, “Paper Vows” is a chilled melodic gem, with Birkenes gliding over top of synth bass, glossy electronics, and a slick beat. Though the results are undeniably dreamier, beneath the production Birkenes’ resonant vocal talents and skill with a pop hook are on full display. Lyrically, the track is a biting look at changing gender norms, with Birkenes seizing her own power and independence back. As she says early in the song, “I see that I’m / the one to save me.”

Birkenes says of the track: “‘Paper Vows’ was one of those songs that took forever to finish writing as I hit a big stumbling block and couldn’t finish the chorus. I was close to moving on, but after 157 failed voice memos I ended up calling in the cavalry. I got some help from my friends and here we are! Lyrically, I would say I’m partly voicing a residual and previously undiscovered anger from my own experiences as a naive girl entering adulthood.

I also think awareness around both consent and equality has come a long way in a relatively short amount of time and that’s worth celebrating. We still have ways to go before it’s truly automated and ingrained culturally, but I’m grateful #metoo happened as I think we now have the gift of seeing previously blurred lines with a whole new clarity and that’s empowering.”

Check out the song below and pre-order the single here.