Meet Nanna – Icelandic singer and songwriter. 2023 saw the release of Nanna’s solo album „How to start a garden“, previously she released multiple albums with her band „Of Monsters and Men“ winning platinum records and awards for songs like „Little talks“ and „Dirty Paws“. Nanna has gone full circle, originally starting solo as Songbird, to then finding bandmates and ultimately creating one of Iceland’s most known indie pop bands to returning to sing and create solo again. She shows such vulnerability and emotions in her lyrics, that touch deep into the heart.
Nanna kindly agreed to let me ask her some questions about wine – as it didn’t go passed me that Nanna has been spotted drinking the occasional glass of natural wine.
J: So Nanna, lets talk wine and music. Do they pair? Is it a myth of winemakers trying to flatter themselves with having matching songs or albums with their wines or do you think there is actually something to it?
Nanna: I can definitely see how that that makes sense, although I don’t have a distinct memory of pairing a certain albums or songs with specific wine. I think we pair things together all the time whether we know it or not. I have books and songs that feel like they belong together, and then i will hear a song and it brings up an image in my head of landscapes, houses and places that I’m not sure exist, but are made up from reading that book.
I find that its very helpful to attach something visual to when I’m working on music. if I’m working on a song I like listening to it in a car or on my headphones somewhere in nature with my dog, it creates a totally different experience when you have a view or a mountain or are driving home late at night in the dark. I find it’s very helpful if you are working on something for a long time to pull you out of your head and back to the original spark of the song. Lately I’ve been working on an album with my band and Ghibli movies have been playing in the background, certain scenes feel like they belong with the music now
Food and music to me go very well together, pairing cooking and an album that keeps you moving and bouncing between tasks. I’ll be sure to think about this the next time when it comes to wine.. I just got Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane on vinyl, which i’m excited about and i think it’s a perfect album for this experiment
J: What would you pair with „how to start a garden“?
Nanna: ohh, i wonder! maybe something you would have after dinner, to be enjoyed on it’s own. Earthy, moss, mushroom , some Icelandic fjallagrös, but citrusy in the end! A secret layer you can’t quite put your finger on?
J: What’s in the bus? Do you have any favorite wines? What would someone find in the fridge of your tour bus?
Nanna: When we were touring How to start a garden in America my good friend Rachel was really excited about having the bus fully stocked with good natural wines. I’m lucky that my friends know much more about wine then i do and i get to tag along and drink in their knowledge.. and wine. To be honest, we mostly got really into tequila on that tour. fun!
J: For anyone who would like to travel to Reykjavik, do you have some hot spots that you can recommend for natural wine drinkers?
Nanna: i’d say vínstúkan is always a solid choice! Nice and cozy, good wine, happy hour with the bread and anchovies! yes please
J: I used to have a colleague who had at the age of 19 her favorite wine tattooed. What wine or drink would you have tattooed at 19? (e.g. for me it would have sadly been Jaegermeister or some shitty supermarket Asti)
Nanna: I wish I would have been cool enough to have a taste for good wine at 19, but i definitely did not. I’m very happy i didn’t have a tattoo of my favourite drink at that age, I’d probably have a bottle of tópas shots. Pretty questionable liquorice flavoured shots
J: What do you like about natural wine?
Nanna: I like sharing a good bottle with friends, I think what I enjoy that most about drinking wine in general, when someone brings over a bottle that they are excited about and doesn’t hurt if paired with a good meal! With natural wine, i love the environment in which it is created and the organic sustainable way of living and making things. I like the idea of handpicking each grape, it just feels purposeful and human.. I also just like the taste I guess… 🙂
Thank you so much Nanna! Have you listened to her latest solo album yet? How to start a garden? Why not – my pairing suggestion would be something southern, deep dark red, something with a bit of grip and soft and smoothness. Something that will make you reflect and touch your soul. Merlot innit.
