With Girl in Red, Dagny, Aurora and More, Norway’s Oya Festival Showcases the Country’s Booming Music Scene
Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorMusically speaking, Norway is too often unfairly overshadowed by its neighbors, the overachieving Sweden — which has mastered the art of speaking modestly while flexing outrageously — on the east, and the eccentric Iceland and Scotland to the west. But with a population of just under 5.5 million, the comparatively understated country punches far above its weight in both the world’s music scene and its economy, and its booming talent was on ample display at the latest installment of the long-running Oya Festival in Oslo last week.While there were plenty of Anglo and American acts — ranging from headliners Gorillaz, Florence + the Machine and Nick Cave to H.E.R., Little Simz, Freddie Gibbs, Remi Wolf and Perfume Genius — equally if not more compelling was the diverse array of home-grown talent.