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For Singer Ane Brun, 'Freedom Is Really An Absence Of Fear'

Ane Brun's new album is called <em>When I'm Free</em>.
Courtesy of the artist
Ane Brun's new album is called When I'm Free.

Late 2012 was a difficult time for Norwegian singer Ane Brun: Health problems related to lupus landed her in the hospital, forcing her to cancel a North American tour with Peter Gabriel. But as she tells Weekend Edition Sunday, the break from the rigors of the road led to a burst of creativity.

The result is her latest album, When I'm Free, which comes just a little ahead of her 40th birthday. Brun says she's been thinking a lot about what that milestone means for her as an artist.

"Of course I can get some panic, sometimes, but I think that the panic is just society's expectations," she says. "I fill my life with things that matter to me, and I am true to myself. I don't really mind that time passes by. So I guess that's what my goal is: to keep on being true to myself, and keep developing my music. And that's what I did on this album. I felt I really was playing around with it, and just pressing my limits and seeing what happens."

Ane Brun is now visiting the US, and spoke with NPR's Rachel Martin about re-learning how to dance, writing an homage to feminism and letting go of fear. Hear more of their conversation at the audio link.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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