Girl in Red

Biography

Girl in Red is the alias used by Marie Ulven Ringheim, a singer and songwriter from Horten, Norway. Known for tracks like “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend” and “We Fell in Love in October” that soundtrack the LGBTQIA experience, Marie has been hailed as a queer icon by Paper Magazine. She’s also earned praise from a wide array of other outlets, including The New York Times. She’s also racked up multiple Gold and Platinum certifications in the US, making her one of the biggest Norwegian exports in the music industry right now.

Get to know Marie and the Girl in Red project by reading below.

instruments played

Guitar

Piano

synthesizer

Vocals

Associated Acts

Clairo
Conan Gray

Genres

Indie pop
lo-fi
bedroom pop
indie rock
dream pop
alternative

Labels

AWAL

Occupations

Singer-songwriter, music producer

Website

worldinred.com

Years Active

2017 - present

Wiki Link

Marie Gets Into Music

Marie's earliest songs were recorded using a Blue Yeti USB microphone that she received as a gift from her father. She also taught herself how to play guitar and piano after receiving her first guitar from her grandfather in 2012. Using this mic, she started recording music and releasing it on SoundCloud, but it would be a few years before the idea for Girl in Red took root. In November of 2016, Marie released her first song as Girl in Red – "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend." The track was originally posted exclusively to SoundCloud, but it got picked up by a Norwegian music blog, which blew up the song's popularity and convinced Marie to upload the song on other platforms.

Gaining Traction in 2018

After uploading "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" to Spotify and other streaming platforms, Marie released two more singles – "Girls" and "Summer Depression" in early 2018. "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" was named one of the best songs of the year by The New York Times, and Marie's platform in the music industry continued growing. That year, she opened for American singer Clairo, then released "We Fell in Love in October" shortly after. That track became one of her biggest hits yet, and she followed up its release with a North American tour opening for viral sensation Conan Gray. Marie quickly gained a reputation for her lyrical honesty and vulnerability, with her lyrics exploring topics like romance, mental health, insecurity, and the queer experience. "We Fell in Love in October," a self-produced single, was released via AWAL on November 21, 2018. The track went Platinum in the US and was accompanied by a music video featuring Marie and Mina Rodahl. The single was paired with the B-side track "Forget Her." Tracks like "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend," "Summer Depression," and others were all featured on Marie's first Girl in Red EP, Chapter 1. Released on September 14, 2018, via AWAL and Human Sounds Records, the EP was produced entirely by Marie, adding to her status as a young Scandinavian phenomenon. Shortly after the release of her debut EP, The New York Times named Marie "one of the most astute and exciting singer-songwriters working in the world of guitar music."

2019: A Big Year for Girl in Red

Girl in Red started 2019 with several singles that would later be featured on her second EP, Chapter 2. These tracks included "Watch You Sleep.," "I Need to Be Alone.," "Dead Girl in the Pool.," "I'll Die Anyway.," and "Bad Idea!." Shortly after the release of these singles, Marie scored a deal with AWAL, a British label that subsequently re-released all of her previous material. Meanwhile, Marie continued her rise to prominence with her relatable homemade bedroom pop songs. Before turning 21, she'd been signed to a major label, earned millions of streams online, and been profiled by one of the most important newspapers in the world.

2020: Marie Continues Her Meteoric Rise

Throughout 2020, Marie released singles that were later featured on her 2021 debut studio album. Retaining the DIY style of her early EPs Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, these singles included "Midnight Love," "Rue," and "Two Queens in a King Sized Bed." During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Marie's music went viral on TikTok, leading to a dramatic increase in Girl in Red's overall monthly listeners on Spotify and other platforms. Asking "Do you listen to Girl in Red?" became a way of determining whether a TikTok user was a lesbian.

2021: Marie Releases Her Debut Album

After several years of successful singles and two hit EPs, Girl in Red released her debut studio album, If I Could Make It Go Quiet, on April 30, 2021. The record features production from Marie, Matias Tellez, and Finneas, the latter being the brother and constant collaborator of superstar Billie Eilish. Singles on the album include "You Stupid Bitch," "Serotonin," "Body and Mind," and several others. Marie used her debut album as a platform to discuss her personal struggles with mental health. The track "Serotonin" explores her battle with depression and intrusive thoughts, and it was accompanied by a public confession from Marie that she suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. After the album's release, Marie appeared as a musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Two music videos were subsequently released for songs on the album – one for "Serotonin" and one for "Body and Mind." Stay on the lookout for more music from Girl in Red—she’s recently said that she’d love to collaborate with King Princess and Taylor Swift.