Biography
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Years Active
2009 – present (15 years)
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Founded In
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden
Be The Bear is the nom de plume of Swedish artist and producer Christina Wehage. She is also the founder of the record label Loud Attic Records. Wehage is a true one-woman music machine with a bubbly yet clever pop sensibility and an avant-garde persona reminiscent of Björk and AURORA.
Her debut single “Erupt” was released last year and scored success right off the bat, landing placement in an international TV commercial for Volvo and climbing the iTunes charts in Sweden. Her sophomore release “I Don’t Want To” was released in early August and was instantly added to Spotify’s highly-coveted New Music Friday US as well as Apple Music’s Future Hits and Best of the Week.
The alias Be The Bear derives from Wehage’s childhood fear of bears and recurring cold-sweat nightmares. “I used to dream about them every night, chasing me up old wooden staircases. When dreams come back again and again, I think it’s because you’re trying to deal with something. I wasn’t facing my fears and challenging myself”. Christina adopted the totem of the wild bear, creating a powerful musical persona for herself.
When asked about Erupt, Christina states: “Erupt is my ode to new places in life and an invocation to the fearlessness in all of us. It’s about the learning experience of transporting strong emotions into something physical”.
Be The Bear is a fiercely independent Swedish artist. From her base in Gothenburg the pop talent is able to conjure all manner of wonderful sounds, obeying no rules other than the ones she herself lays down. The results are quite curious. Allowing different genres to sluice into her work, Be The Bear isn't afraid to tackle the dramatic. New single 'Erupt' could be her finest release yet. Out now, it's a stunning return, opening in hushed tones before leaping into the cinematic. Reminiscent of Björk in its sheer free-wheeling creativity, 'Erupt' is a beautiful, wholly inspired return.
- Clash Magazine
The sweeping orchestral arrangement and minimal electronic touches have garnered comparisons to Aurora and Florence and the Machine; artists similar not only in sound but in the fairytale feel of their various works. Wehage has year of songwriting experience already in the bag, and her confidence shines through in “Erupt”’s resplendent feel. Choosing to release under a name that stems from a desire to face her own fears, “Erupt” seems an apt name for the artist’s almost volcanically dramatic arrival on the pop scene. “Erupt” is out now, via Wehage’s own label, Loud Attic Records.
- Line Of Best Fit
Cinematic and stunning, 'Erupt' is the goosebump inducing debut single from Be The Bear. A one-woman powerhouse, Be The Bear’s fierce independence and uniqueness is beautifully shown in this track. Expect more greatness to follow.
- Wonderland Magazine
The track feels like a Norse alt pop epic, and builds from a whisper into an inspiring vocal performance that is matched in power by an accompanied, 60-piece string orchestra. Vocally, Christina’s lyrics are intimate, passionate and cathartic, with an honesty reminiscent of some of Björk's earlier, more Lo-Fi records.
- Earmilk
The Swedish talent explains…”I used to dream about them every night, chasing me up old wooden staircases. When dreams come back again and again, I think it’s because you’re trying to deal with something. I wasn’t facing my fears and challenging myself.”
When asked about ‘Erupt’, Christina Wehage, better known by the stage name Be The Bear, says: “Erupt is my ode to new places in life and an invocation to the fearlessness in all of us. It’s about the learning experience of transporting strong emotions into something physical”.
- Fame Magazine
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