Itâs a strange day to have a birthday in many ways. Thank you for all the greetings đ Amidst global political drama, I need to focus on everything Iâm grateful for. Iâm spending the day on snow-covered slopes in Northern Norway. The morning started with ski school for the little ones, and the best gift was seeing how the girls share our joy for skiing. They throw themselves into it, fall, and try again. Iâm fully aware of the privilege of being able to give them that experienceâthe experience that something can feel so difficult but can suddenly be mastered.
I received an extra birthday gift in the form of snow and an adult ski run, where I found myself alone in a snowstorm with only 10 meters of visibilityâwhich also meant I had the entire slope to myselfâwhile listening to Marie Sahbaâs fantastic album âA Billion Years Too Soonâ here on the platform, racing down in rhythm - go check her out! Iâm grateful for my pregnant Sofia on the slopes and the fact that we have the opportunity to build a family together, thanks to living in a country that respects LGBT rights. This is clearly not a given when you look at the rest of the world.
Iâm grateful that we are slowly opening the floodgates on Sleeve. That people are actually trying it out, giving us feedback, and helping us grow. That the first payments to artists have gone through. It feels amazing to have built something that already has a life of its own and will hopefully make a difference for the many musicians, artists, and composers who have reached a breaking point and need a new model. A model where music is at the center. Where musicians can dive deep, connect with their fans, and be assured that their message reaches them. Where they, in turn, can secure a stable income. And where they can be confident that the platform is built for them.
So thank you to everyone out there. Shall we agree that weâll need music more than ever to get through the unpredictable years ahead of us?