Ane Brun: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

April 1, 2016 by TOM HUIZENGA
Ane Brun recently turned 40, and she - like many of us who've reached that milestone - has been taking stock of her life. It's a life filled with music and success, but there have also been a few rough spots. Like the time we scheduled her to play a Tiny Desk concert in 2012 and she was forced to cancel an entire North American tour (with Peter Gabriel) due to a lupus flareup. Brun, a Norwegian native based in Sweden, was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease when she was 27.
But after that episode landed her in the hospital, Brun told NPR she'd had something of an epiphany. "I got an enlightenment somehow. And also freedom. Because I feel that freedom is an absence of fear."
Brun isn't afraid to face her demons. Many songs on her absorbing new album, When I'm Free, speak to her newfound freedom and fresh opportunities. She sings three of the album's slower, more reflective numbers for this Tiny Desk performance.
In "Still Waters," Brun sings, "How I've been longing / Oh, for this moment when / The rivers are running / Towards the same sea / For this moment when I'm free." Her voice, with its tight vibrato and expressive coloring, walks an emotional line between vulnerability and confidence.
Brun is undervalued as a songwriter. She turns out introspective, insightful portrait pieces, rhythmically complex rockers and tender love songs which are at once sensuous and probing. "All We Want Is Love" sways gently, but also questions the very definition of ourselves.
She closes with another song about taking control of her destiny. The title, "Signing Off," may sound ominous, but then she sings: "Everything that's broken / Everything that's gone wrong / I am gonna carry that with me / Mend the streets with it stone by stone."
As far as turning 40 goes, Brun says she doesn't mind time passing by. And her admirers shouldn't either. It just means more compelling albums to come from one of today's most insightful musicians.
When I'm Free is available now:
iTunes: itunes.apple.c...
Amazon: www.amazon.com/...
Set List:
"Still Waters"
"All We Want Is Love"
"Signing Off"
Credits:
Producers: Tom Huizenga, Niki Walker; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Niki Walker, Kara Frame; Production Assistant: Jackson Sinnenberg; Photo: NPR.
For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast: www.npr.org/pod...

[@mycupofindie]

This is how I like to listen to Ane Brun : just a piano/guitar and her voice. THIS VOICE.

[@BN-cd4ok]

I just encountered Ane's music for the first time yesterday (1 Feb 2019) and already I have listened to the songs "All We Want Is Love" and "Signing Off", which she very thankfully performs here, about 200 times each, over and over and over. I have filled my little apartment with her beautiful words and her singularly beautiful voice. They are such achingly lovely songs. Tusen takk, Ane.

[@ericbruyn]

She's Amazing. I discovered her 3 weeks ago. All her work is Fantastic

[@Watchitneow]

I LOVE HER!!! "Do you remember" is one my favorite songs to this day

[@blainegarcia2503]

"When we found our first positions, and every muscle rested".💙

[@SimonNgYH]

I come back each time to draw strength for such a beautiful voice!

[@clairebear1318]

She really sings the truth in such a delicate way. I heart this!

[@RayasNegroOvejas]

Oh, didn't expect to see Ane here!

[@blainegarcia2503]

I know right?! Ane Brun is like this little secret we kept. But I'm so excited to see her!

[@Omtatsatup]

I feel privileged to be alive at the same time this beautiful artist is on planet to see her perform is a truly uplifting experience bless you lovely Ane Brun

[@gmayster01]

Makes me wonder ... Invites me to consider ... how beautiful voice can be as an instrument

[@thefleetcat]

Thank you for doing what you do, Ane. You are beautiful in every way.

[@bigbattenberg]

This lady speaks to my heart. So very relatable, this song. How amazing music is, life is unimaginable without it.

[@timothyhaupler9912]

Ana just found you and bursted out in tears hearing you ,this is magic what your doing beautifull beautifull beautifull

[@maplesyrup76]

Ane is my absolute favorite.

[@blainegarcia2503]

Do you remember?👍👍👍

[@OmgItzNay]

So beautiful! Love her so much

[@OmgItzNay]

+Blinding And AURORA's album in the background! Full circle. Love it :)

[@myindigoblues5796]

One of my all time favourites. Thank you 🙏💕🌸

[@gasmasongs]

Moving. Extremely beautiful!

[@MoiraRussell]

She is AMAZING.

[@stewartmcdowall2285]

Words are never enough for a moment such as this......live and love

[@RamblinAround]

Beautiful

[@samsaporito]

amazing , new talent for me and as a poet i really appreciate her lyrics and emotional depth

[@blainegarcia2503]

Keep pushing. You have it. I know you do!🤩

[@ISEEKSPACE]

She's my favorite, you know? ❤️

[@traciemchugh3114]

👀📲popped back to watch u again. U always Cheer me up 😊 L💟✌e the vibe u radiate. Great tunes especially 💞🎵 the uptempo of Radio 🎶📻 Thank u 😽

[@genarocobar7199]

I was waiting for this a long time already, thanks.

[@JustDave54]

I love your music, I love you as well.

[@themysticmuse1111]

Also,very sad about her battle with lupus. Can't imagine the strength it takes to fight that fight.A true warrior princess

[@brendanfletcher5216]

It doesn't take any strength. It's a disease. You get it, and then you either recover or die. We personalize it with words like, "fight" to provide the comforting illusion of control or responsibility or sovereignty. And although we all agree it's a nice thing to say, you should never actually believe the nonsense we peddle

[@themysticmuse1111]

+Brendan Fletcher As one who knows the daily struggles of chronic pain,I can tell you,some days it IS a fight. No romanticizing. It just is what it is

[@brendanfletcher5216]

cocteautwinned I have a neuromuscular degenerative disorder that causes the myelin sheathing of my nerves to erode and my peripheral muscles to atrophy. I live in a constant state of often intense pain and go days without sleep for it. I do a great many things I am proud of. I am a good husband and I try to be thoughtful and kind. I go to university with the intention of meaningfully contributing to the society that has provided me with such opportunity. But I am not brave or strong or admirable for having a shitty disease. I am not spectacular or heroic for not being shitty because I have a shitty disease. And I very specifically don't fight anything. I just suffer and try to live on. It's not pleasant and certainly lacks the soft tone of the patronizing language of 'fighting the pain', but it's also true. Some things are just awful and beyond our control

[@Nicolyche]

Well. If thats your take on it, to bad. But sometimes in life, you really have to fight to get forward, to say something else is pretty stupid. That we all just needs to accept all the shit in the world, and carry on hoping for the best is pretty a poor lifechoice i think. (coming from someone who fought for my life against a disease for a lot of years and (at least temporarily) won..)

[@brendanfletcher5216]

Nicolai Lyche I'm not advocating inaction and indifference. If something can be meaningfully changed for the better, then of course we ought to do something. It is specifically when we can not affect a thing that trying to contrive the illusion of control or self-determination becomes insultingly desperate. Cancer is not a villain sitting in a lair, twisting its moustache. It is the corrupted mutation of a cell, inadvertently mass producing its useless variation throughout our body. It is a biological glitch. You could argue that doctors and modern medicine are fighting it, but the victims sure as fuck aren't. Either the cancer will go into remission, and the person is temporarily spared or the cancer will metastasize and kill the person. But at no point in this shitty circumstance did a person grit their teeth and bear down their divine fuckin willpower to thwart that troublesome cancer. Stephan Hawking got a raw deal and has a shit body with a shit disease. However, rather than affect the pretense that he's fighting the disease, he instead focused on the world in his mind and developed one of the most fascinating imaginations of our generation. His mind doesn't make his disease less real, only less impacting. Im saying that it is lazy, insulting, and almost childish to pretend we stand as masters of our fate against the fickle whims of chance in all things. Some things, like CMT, or ALS, or cancer are just awful. I change the things I can, like being good to people I love, and accept the things I can't, like becoming riddled with a nasty little bastard of an ailment.

[@carlospires7411]

Fantastic!!!

[@Martin-lx2oz]

I love you ❤️

[@evygil]

beautiful beautiful beautiful !!!

[@andydowns13]

Voice of an angel.

[@burnsienewton]

I loved her! So thoughtful and soulful! Can't wait to hear more.

[@dlbwoodbury]

Embarrassed to say I’ve just come to Ane through AURORA’s fangirling. Wonderful voice and songwriting.

[@heatherbrown1880]

Dear Ane,always a treat,

[@MnM412614]

Amazing; I really wasn't expecting her to be this great👌🏾

[@bababoombaboom2465]

The cold is still showing strongly in her voice here. Still a beautiful voice.

[@dondamartin7375]

All We Want Is Such Music.

[@bobloblaw9639]

the pipes on this girl...

[@dianeevans2281]

wow what a talented lady!

[@AnneloesF]

That was beautiful and profound. Thank you!

[@TobyBAshworth]

FINALLY! Ane

[@blainegarcia2503]

👏👏👏🙌🙌🙌

[@smokeytaboo1756]

The commentary by NPR says she's taking stock of her life and these songs are the result.. makes sense to me that when reflecting on perhaps the end of many of the most important parts of life, she ends up with just her voice & a piano

[@footangnanglaaggg2827]

so beautiful music

[@themysticmuse1111]

Love Ane.So authentic and genuine.♥

[@fleurbordeaux711]

real music. thank you

[@riverthecat]

great sound...deep....anthony and the jonsons is all over this...nice

[@ArtBusker]

Me gusta !!!! No la conocía a Ane Brun " Gracias Tiny desk !!!

[@lilyedwards7277]

beautiful

[@emsb85]

I didn't know she did one of these! Watching now.

[@flyagaric23]

For me, signing off is a deactivate facebook theme tune. A simple guide to social media in 2019. All the passion and intensity of the artist. Bravo Ane.

[@pgmd1998]

Oh, my goodness!

[@rociof9628]

Beautiful ❤❤

[@dianeevans2281]

wow i had no idea she played with Gabriel, i have to listen to that!

[@magdy8171]

So relaxing.

[@AlAminKhan-hy4of]

Heavenly

[@kurumbot]

Wow!

[@HotRose]

Fantastic, I've nothing more to say.

[@Manoelluthieri]

she is fantastci so much thanks

[@hugabuga535]

Breathtaking...I'm so glad that I found her music. Her voice, the piano and guitar playing, the lyrics - when I listen to Ane Brun it is like time stops and an atmosphere occurs, where I feel deeply understood, seen and hugged. :-) I'm looking forward to see her live in November for the first time!!

[@artyhedgehog]

Same! Super happy to have finally discovered her! And for that I must thank the girl on the LP cover in front of which Ane is playing her guitar here =)

[@Cimbarius]

saw her a couple of years ago with Peter Gabriel - i like her songs.

[@Jkdrs]

Magical

[@Ethricje]

About god damned time.

[@udonnya1]

CDより　良いです。

[@JFK1180]

Nydelig Ane Brun. Flott spilt!

[@GaelBernard]

so Nice !!!

[@williamtylerast]

what kind of piano is this played on? it sounds great

[@acerv0]

This is what I imagine an angel sounds like.

[@justalemon8]

Aurora brought me here ♥️

[@eliasjuniorify]

Very nice

[@VergerJohnny]

formedable!!!

[@JulianFernandez]

Remins me of the great Tori Amos. Nice!

[@blainegarcia2503]

The "Great one"... Tori Amos 😥

[@stringthebell5426]

부드럽고 섬세하다

[@HilmarSchacht-zm8kg]

Can we compare to ...say.. Joni Mitchell.....both so good..

[@nilsenjoseph7828]

No fake Reality.

[@intersweat]

She looks like a young Clint Eastwood :)

[@stevanzivadinovic4646]

She is the same Clint Eastwood :D

[@oldbirdwing9114]

does anybody know if that guitar is alhambra?

[@sturdeehouse]

Anyone have an idea what kind of guitar that is?

[@HilmarSchacht-zm8kg]

Acoustic 😂😂

[@Smile_Flint]

after Island-Blues you don't need to sing anything

[@TEOALandfriends]

Old St. Vincent?

[@walendxweg]

//

[@yerlantanayev9930]

sdf

[@lualncol]

I've been a fan for years, and I'm a little let down by this. Didn't do it for me.

[@HilmarSchacht-zm8kg]

It's the Fentanyl😂

[@franciscojosegiordano3684]

Lovely! The second one is my favourite, the guitar playing reminded me a bit of Nick Drake :) Your voice is amazing.

[@renefeijen5916]

+Francisco José Giordano There are only few who may be compared with Nick Drake. Ane certainly is one of them!!

[@Catalinaobregon]

Francisco José Giordano I felt the same. She owns it, but Nick Drake 🎶 for sure.

[@arnastubuttwehak994]

Worst sounding piano ever. It's like it didn't get its own mic or something.

[@HilmarSchacht-zm8kg]

I'm sure you're a piano virtuoso😂😂😂

[@arnastubuttwehak994]

@@HilmarSchacht-zm8kg Piano virtuosos play the piano. That has nothing much to do with recording a piano. I do however have a Steinway M that I tune, maintain, play and record. I don't quite see why you're snottily defending the anonymous technician at NPR who set this up. It's not a criticism of Brun.

[@bulibilbuli]

Beautiful Ane 🧚‍♀️

[@andyt5354]

What a rare GEM!! Love how Ane makes the guitar hum with her voice

[@jungrancho]

Love you Brun

[@saramaemusic]

all we want is love...

[@katie-7972]

Such pretty music. Thanks for sharing!

[@blainegarcia2503]

"Here's the ultimate love song, kind of..." 👏👏👏

[@VEBE333]

Preciosa voz, me encanta Ane...

[@themysticmuse1111]

Back again. Can not get enough of her.

[@themysticmuse1111]

I will be devastated if I never get to see her live. It is one of the few things on my bucketlist.

[@Naza_SS]

This is glorious. The first show that i see entirely.

[@shellyidwttw8680]

this is amazing