Emma Remine // Cohen på norsk

In 2019, a group of musicians from Southern Norway started a concert project called Cohen på norsk. The band consists of Emma Remine Reisvaag Sunde (Farsund) – vocals, Arne Martinsen (Farsund) – keyboards, Kjell Martin Sirnes (Farsund) – drums, Geir Grande (Grimstad) – guitar, and Ole Kelly Kvamme (Arendal) – bass.

The goal was to create a concert based on Cohen’s songs, but with Norwegian lyrics and their own musical interpretations. This has resulted in an exciting repertoire that has been very well received by audiences.

Leonard Cohen (1934–2016) was a Canadian poet, songwriter, and singer. He is known for songs such as Hallelujah, First We Take Manhattan, Dance Me to the End of Love, and Suzanne. Many associate Cohen with understated, sometimes somber songs. His lyrics are rich in content, often using metaphors and poetic expressions.

“We see that this is something that makes audiences curious. Many have a connection to Leonard Cohen and find it exciting to attend these concerts. We’ve heard from devoted Cohen fans that they were skeptical at first. They were afraid we would ‘ruin’ the music or do poor imitations. But they’ve actually found it very engaging and beautiful – they get to experience his music from a new perspective,” the band says about the concerts.