My Kind of Heaven – The Wildest Journey
The process of creating my upcoming album My Kind of Heaven has been long and rich on many levels—both personal and musical. From the beginning, it was always the plan that my first album The Journey would have a follow-up, and some of the songs have been lying in the drawer for quite some time, maturing.
But the whole process really took off in the spring of 2023, when the decision was made and the plane tickets were booked. Just like the debut album, the new one was also to be recorded in Nashville. A number of songs were already finished, but a few extra hits were still missing from the collection.
That’s why it was an incredible stroke of luck—and a huge honor—that my great musical idol Ivan Pedersen invited me to his home on Samsø to write a couple of songs together with him and Nanna Larsen, who he was touring with at the time. As mentioned, it was an enormous honor and a fantastic experience to work with the two of them; Nanna’s insane musicality and Ivan’s lyrical mind kickstarted the co-writing process and added two strong songs to the list—one of which carries the album’s theme: My Kind of Heaven.
The song Kind of Heaven springs from the longing to buy a one-way ticket, start fresh, and wave goodbye to familiar surroundings—to break free from the boxes we as humans tend to put ourselves in. In other words, the lyrics reflect my very own situation when, in 2023, I put my house and job on the line to kickstart a new chapter.
The other track, A Better Man, showcases, among other things, Ivan Pedersen’s ability to play with words—and it was a real joy to co-write that one.
It wasn’t long before I once again found myself on the ferry to Samsø. This time it was for a songwriting camp, which I was fortunate enough to be accepted into. It became a week in the company of some truly amazing songwriters.
Together with Peter Friisnæs and Søren Jacobsen (known from Shu-bi-dua), Henning Stærk, Ester Brohus, and Ivan Pedersen, I wrote a wonderful song called Strange Kind of Loving. You might hear some musical inspiration from The Eagles in both the soundscape and the vocal arrangements.
Finally, Samsø also gave birth to an insanely beautiful duet with the fantastic Anne-Marie Hassing: When I Lost You. As co-writer and, not least, the man behind the keys, we had Søren Skov, who many know from Ivan Pedersen and Dodo & the Dodos. It was one of those songs you could instinctively feel was truly something special.
On Samsø, I also connected with producer and songwriter Mogens Binderup, who turned out to be hugely important for the album. With songs written together with a group of incredible artists and songwriters, the suitcase was packed for the studio in Nashville, which—as usual, one might say—transformed the songs into little musical gems.
My previous album The Journey was finalized in Nashville, but this time I needed to spend more time polishing the small details. That became possible thanks to my new acquaintance, Mogens Binderup, who took on the task of mixing and mastering. Mogens is also a brilliant songwriter, and when he suggested we write a few songs together, it didn’t take me long to say yes. The result was three very different but equally strong songs.
Colors lyrically tells a traditional love story but within a very picturesque universe. Good Times is perhaps my most political statement to date, addressing how we let ourselves be ruled by the media and politicians’ urge to govern through fear and paint a picture of doom. The contradiction in the title lies in the idea that we can create our own reality and choose positivity over fear. Finally, 2-4-7 tells the story of giving everything we have to each other—but never more than 100% if we want to preserve ourselves within the relationship.
The first single, Wild River Moon, was co-written with Rehne Bank Jensen, who also co-wrote A Good Thing Going On, a track that got A-rotation on DR P4. That song makes a comeback on this album in a new and more intimate 2025 version.
In other words, My Kind of Heaven is significantly different from The Journey. This time, I’ve been far more inspired—especially by the many talented people I’ve collaborated with in terms of songwriting, recording, production, and mixing. In my opinion, it has created a more complete product. Not least, I’ve had more peace of mind to shape a stronger expression by finishing the songs here in Denmark—away is good, but combined with home, it can turn out even better.
The Title
The album’s title is not only the name of one of the songs but also has a double meaning: I get to present what, for me, is My Kind of Heaven—namely, my music. I’m incredibly fortunate to have been given a voice, and I’m deeply grateful for the chance to express myself through music.
Focus Track: My Kind of Heaven
The song was written with Ivan Pedersen and Nanna Larsen. I told Ivan about everything I was going through at the time: the house was up for sale, the job had been resigned, and there were clear signs of change. Ivan quickly picked up on that, and together with Nanna Larsen, we created the story of arriving with the 4 o’clock train, suitcase in hand—saying goodbye to everything old, with a dream of harmony and happiness to be pursued without falling back into old habits. So My Kind of Heaven is, on many levels, my own story.