Norwegian Identity in Music: Norwegianness is the New Loud Awakening Norwegian Musical Identity in a Globalised Era Damon Wai Cheung Chan Master s thesis in Media Studies De"artment of Media and Communication $ni%ersity o# &slo 9 May ()*( Master s +hesis ,MEVI+.)'*/ !u"er%isor: Arnt Maasø ,!"ring ()** – !"ring ()*(/ Abstract This thesis deals with the ostensibly downplayed, diluted national musical identity existing in this highly globalised internet epoch in which geographical origins seem obsolete. By using focus group as a research method that studies the everyday aspects of musical national identity, rather than using textual analysis to study the meaning embedded in the music per se, the relationship between national identity and music is illuminated by problematising the mundane, everyday encounters between Norwegian music and the Norwegians, and analysing the empirical data within the conceptualisation of several theoretical frameworks. The findings give us various thought-provoking perspectives to examine how the Norwegians identify their musical Norwegianness, and to inspire us to consider musical national identity as a site of complexity of the interplay of language, nation- building, musical behaviours and ideologies. Proposing a three-level model of identification and three flexible lenses to investigate musical national identity that stress the importance of language, locality and dialectical relationship between modernism and essentialism to conclude the results, this thesis aims to enlighten and broaden the current academic discussion on national musical identity. Keywords: National musical identity, musical identity, national identity, globalisation, locality Acknowledgements This thesis is dedicated to my late father Chan Kam Ka (2 April 1942 –18 June 2010) First and foremost, please excuse me for being extremely emotional and personal – this thesis has been executed in an extreme emotional state, with a lot of personal struggles, and therefore I would like to use this text to serve as a record for this study period. Soon after having started my study in Oslo, I was informed that my father was diagnosed with having cancer for his second time. After knowing this, I, completely in terrible turmoil, had difficulties in concentrating on my study. In the end, I had to go back to Hong Kong before the first semester finished, and therefore I had to postpone my study for one further year. Despite the downside and emotional difficulties, by postponing my study, I was able to do extra extensive reading so that I made a decision to work on an unpopular yet difficult topic, Norwegian music and Norwegian identity. The fact that relevant, similar researches are seriously lacking made the research not only difficult to start with, but also gave me a colossal sense of insecurity. Now, I am eventually in the last stage of this thesis. I am simply grateful for everyone and everything that makes my study in Oslo possible and pleasant. To express my sincere gratitude, I would like to name all the people who have helped and supported me during this period. First, I have to thank my supportive supervisor Arnt Maasø. Second, I have to thank my friends I met in Oslo who have cheered me up, namely Thale, Olav, Nichlas, Tim, Seidi, Christiane, Gerda, Elisabeth, Ursina, Nazanin, Magali, Anders, Caitlin, Kreetta and littleoslo. Third, I have to thank my fantastic kindred spirits in Hong Kong, namely Daniel, Yvonne, Yutsz, Monica, Jolene, Lilian, Cheryl, Kim, Janice, Chow-yik and inspiring professor Linda. Thank you. Last but not least, I have to thank my family – I could not have even started my study in Oslo without my family's support. My gorgeous sisters – Jessica, Alice and Mimi, my brother, my lovely mother and my great father, you make this thesis true and complete. Oslo, 28 april 2012 Damon Chan Table of Content 1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………...……………………..1 1.1 Prelude: Sound of Norway …………………………………………………………………….…………………….1 1.2 Preface: Structure of the Thesis …………………………………………………………….……………………..1 1.3 Music in a Globalised Scenario ……………………………………………………………………………………2 1.4 Background of Norway …………………………………………………………………………….………………..4 1.4.1 Norway is... musically speaking …………………...………………………………………………………..….4 1.4.2 Norway is... Ideologically speaking ...……………………………………………………..….5 2. Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………...……..8 2.1. Overview …………………………………………………………………………………...……..8 2.2 Break down of the Procedures …………………………...………...........................................8 2.3 Respondents .............................................................................…………………………….9 2.3.1 Demographics: Constitution of the Groups …………………………........................……..9 2.4 Focus Groups as a Research Method …………………………………………….....................……….10 2.5 Evaluation of the Methodology …...............................................................................……….11 2.5.1 The Sample ..........................................................................................................................11 2.5.2 Credibility: Validity and Generalisability …..........................................................................12 2.5.3 Conclusion ………………………..............................................................................................14 3. Language ................................................................................................................................16 3.1 Prelude …........…......................................................................................................................16 3.2 Theoretical Framework ………................................................................................................16 3.2.1 Language and Borders .........................................................................................................16 3.2.2 Music with Words ……….......................................................................................................17 3.2.3 Place, National Identity and Music .………..............................................................................18 3.2.4 Norwegian Language and Norwegian Music ...……...............................................................21 3.3 Analysis and Discussion ……………............................................................................................22 3.3.1 Language dilemma: Norwegian and English ……..................................................................22 3.3.2 Globalisation and English: Is Norwegian Losing the War? .................................................24 3.3.3 The Myth of the Language Power ………………………………….................................................28 3.3.4 Unnatural Norwegian: Is it Norwegian? ………………………….................................................29 3.3.5 Inauthentic persona: The Norwegian You Speak is Unnatural ……….................................31 3.3.6 Dialect: Social Grouping and Hierarchy …………………………................................................32 3.4 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….................................................35 4. Identity Discrepancy ……………………………………………………….................................................36 4.1 Preface …………………………………………………………………………................................................36 4.2 Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………….................................................36 4.2.1 National-global Dialectic and Postnational Musical Identity ..............................................36 4.2.2 Globalisation and Locality ………………………………………….................................................37 4.2.3 National-global in the Sense of Music Industry …………….................................................38 4.2.4 Glocalisation: From Institutional level to Personal Level .................................................40 4.2.5 Nation-building and Identification .…………………………….................................................41 4.2.6 Introducing the Concept of Identity Discrepancy ………….................................................42 4.3 Analysis and Discussion ………………………………………………...................................................43 4.3.1 Insider or Outsider? …………………………………………………...................................................43 4.3.2 International Pressure; a-ha or Metal? …………………………..................................................44 4.3.3 Quality of Music or Distinctiveness of Norwegian Culture? ...............................................47 4.3.4 What is the Sound of Home? ……………………………………...................................................51 4.3.5 Language: English or Norwegian? ………………………………...................................................52 4.4 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….................................................53 5. Norwegianness ……………………………………………………………….................................................55 5.1 Prelude ………………………………………………………………………...................................................55 5.1 Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………….................................................55 5.2.1 The Catalysts for Norwegianness ………………………………….................................................56 5.2.2 Musical Identification: Beyond Personal Level ……………….................................................57 5.2.3 Music and Nation; Personal Narrative and National Recollection .....................................57 5.2.4 Authenticity: A Key to National Identity ……………………….................................................59 5.2.5 From Musical to National Musical Authenticity …………….................................................60