Umami Tsunami puts Asian pop on the MGP map – NRK Culture and entertainment

– K-pop music is an interaction between several things, and there is a lot happening at the same time. We are three guys who will have the energy of a hundred people on stage.

These are the words of praise for Kyle Alessandro (16), Kristian Haugstøyl (20) and Magnus Winjum (17) who will represent Umami Tsunami with the song “Geronimo” in Melodi Grand Prix’s first semi-final.

Carl-Henrik Wahl is one of the songwriters behind the song, and together with a number of producers, songwriters, artists and designers, he has produced music for the Umami Tsunami project.

– The songs we make are a hybrid between western boy bands and K-pop, which we hope can work well in Norway. The guys who represent us with “Geronimo” are three talented young guys who want to enter the stage with an energetic bang, says Wahl, who has helped write several songs for former MGP artists.

Handpicked boy band

Kyle, Kristian and Magnus have had their first run-through with the dancers at Screen Studios in Nydalen when NRK meets them.

– Right now we are so tired that we can’t feel our nerves. But we are really looking forward to Saturday. This means everything to us to be able to participate in this. We get to spread both the Umamu Tsunami name and our own names, says the relatively new trio.

Magnus and Kyle met a few years ago, while Kristian was handpicked just a few days before they were told about their participation in MGP.

– We got to know each other very quickly, and I feel like I’ve known them forever, says Kristian, who became part of the group largely thanks to his talent for high notes.

– Did you have any knowledge of K-pop before?

– No, it’s new for us, with the exception that the dances for my concerts have been inspired by K-pop, says Kyle.

The three young artists enter the MGP universe with different experience and backgrounds.

Magnus Winjum has previously participated in MGPjr and has taken part in, among other things, “BlimE” and “Allsang på grensen”. He has held several concerts, and had the lead role as Troy in “High School Musical”, worked as a voice actor and was an actor in “Klassen” on NRK.

Kyle Alessandro charmed the Norwegian people with his singing talent in “Norske Talenter” in 2017. Later, he has performed on “Allsang på grensen” and collaborated with renowned artists and producers.

Kristian Haugstøyl comes from a musical family and had his first singing performance as a 4-year-old. In 2020, he tried his hand at “Idol”. Now he goes to Folkehoyskole to immerse himself in music.

A different music collective

The Umami Tsunami concept was started in 2020 with an intention to release demos and produce new songs for new voices.

– So many good songs are written that never see the light of day, often because the song does not suit the artist it was written for. But many of these songs are very good, we just haven’t found the voice to sing them. That’s why we came up with the idea of ​​starting a creative music collective, says Wahl.

– What is the advantage of this collective?

– We have great respect for the songwriters, and we think it’s a shame that the work they put in should be slowed down by a certain artist. With Umami Tsunami, more songs can find their way out. Music consumption has increased so intensely, so we keep up with the pace and make more songs, says Wahl and adds:

– Now we have received recognition from the music industry as well, so we will organize a songwriting camp for Umami Tsunami. It’s incredibly fun.

Was made for a Chinese fighting game

Wahl has worked with Kyle and Magnus in the studio before, and knows what they are good for. Together with Kristian, they have the right combination of voices that they needed for this song.

The song “Geronimo” was produced a few years ago and was originally pitched to a large game company in China. The song was not selected and was therefore put on hold for two years – until now.

– “Geronimo” was written for Asia, so Asian elements have been extracted for how they build their songs. K-pop is the inspiration for all the songs Umami Tsunami makes.

The K-pop genre is South Korean pop and has become very popular in Asia, but it has gained an increasingly large foothold in the West and in the United States.

– How do you think the MGP audience will receive Asian-inspired pop?

– We hope that the Norwegian people are ready for something different. K-pop has a small community for now, but I think we are at the forefront of a development.

Dreaming of a solo career

For Kyle, Magnus and Kristian, MGP is the start of a music career. Because the hope is that this experience will open new doors for them.

– Everyone wants a place where we can only make a living by writing our own music, having concerts, talking to people and having fun, the boys say.

Watch Umami Tsunami fight for a final place in MGP’s first semi-final on Saturday at 19:50 on NRK1 and NRK TV.