Marion Raven and Marit Larsen are M2M, the Norwegian teenagers who hit it big worldwide with their hit “Don’t say you love me.” But the girls are growing up, and their music is developing too – 
Miranda has a chat to Marit to find out how….

Your website is great. Did you take all of the photos for it in one day?
Yeah it is cool. The photos were done over two photo shoots, both were one day long. 

You said that you grew up as artists after your 2000 debut. Will that be evident on the album?
I think so, because we are better song writers now and I play the guitar and Marion plays the piano all through this album It is much more us more real.

Why did you call the album The Big Room?
That was the room that we recorded the album in, a studio in New York. 

Your fans are growing up too, what situations are they facing that you guys are too?
There are many different topics in our songs and I receive many emails from girls who identify with them. But they all see the songs differently, and fit them to mean something to their lives. 
People are falling in love, being betrayed, being jealous - all of this is described in our music.

You once commented that everything is so electronic these days that energy is lost from the music, are you guys focussing on guitar-based songs?
Yes because I play the guitar on this album and I feel that it is such an emotional instrument. You can feel what you hear. 

Do you think the same about the piano?
Yes, I do. 

Marion said that your song “Everything’ is about a relationship with a sucky boyfriend. Was that a personal experience?
Yes! 

Sucky is such a New Zealand word.
We saw it in the movie ‘Dude, Where’s my Car?’ We liked it.

What advice would you give to a nzgirl in the same position that she was in?
Sometimes song writing can be like therapy. Marion and I got it all out of her and now she is over him. But he can hear it on the radio over and over now. 
I would tell them to do something fun and forget about him - if he doesn’t call he’s not worth. It.

Your song debuted on the Album for the first Pokemon movie. Are you a Pokemon fan?
We hadn’t heard anything about Pokemon when we got on soundtrack as it hadn’t hit Norway yet. 

What do you think of Pokemon now?
It gave us great exposure. I mean, it’s huge - my cousin is a big fan. 

”Don’t say you love me” got to the top 5 in the States, how did that feel? How about getting 3 and a half stars from Rolling Stone?
It was pretty major. You look at artists that you know and admire, and they are 3 points below you! That’s an odd feeling.

What was the best feeling?
It was exciting around the time of our first album, everything was new – but the last record didn’t really belong to us. This one is more personal 

In your upcoming tour you are supporting Jewel, do you admire her? 
Yes very excited! She came to one of our shows in New York as a member of the audience. Actually I am glad I had no idea she was in the audience until after! She came backstage, 
complimented me on my guitar playing and asked us to open for her on her tour. No agents were involved.

We don’t get Dawson’s Creek anymore, weren’t you guys were on a spring break special?
Yes, we were on the 100th episode. We are M2M, we perform 3 songs 4 songs are played elsewhere in episode. Marion did a bit of acting.

Not you?
No, I’m a lousy actor! 

Did you used to watch the show?
Yes we actually watched it in Norway. It was funny meeting people that you are so used to seeing them as their characters. It was like “Hi Pacey.”

Were they all there?
Yes, except Dawson. It was very fu, everyone was so nice there were no big egos.

Ifyou could chose a TV show to be on, what would it be?
Ally McBeal, because it is my favourite show!

Quickfire:
Favourite Food: Fish. That is very Norwegian. 
Favourite Movie: Almost Famous, A beautiful mind. 
Favourite CD: Radiohead ‘The bends.’ 
Can’t live without: love, my guitar. I have had it 4 years, I brought it in the US. It goes everywhere with me.
If you could meet anyone, who would it be? Joni Mitchell. She has been a great inspiration to me.

Lastly do you and Marion ever fight?
We not abnormal, when you are with someone 300 days a year you do fight. But it is healthy, and we have been together since we were 13, so we are used to it.