Danish Synthpop Band Softwave: Rising Among the Stars
Softwave is a captivating tale of fans aspiring to become like their idols and a subgenre within Danish music that’s making waves on the international stage.
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Formation and Early Days
In 2014, Jerry Olsen and Catrine Christensen crossed paths at Culture Box, an electronic venue in Copenhagen. A mutual acquaintance encouraged them to form a band, and with Jerry’s exceptional keyboard skills and melodic sensibility paired with Catrine’s stunning voice and charismatic presence, a powerful partnership was born. Their shared passion for electronic music drove them to take the plunge into the music world.
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Of course, it is the music that serves as their core drive, and the duo swiftly began crafting one stylish song after another. Their debut performance took place at the local Herlev Library, where the very first Elektroland festival was held. Since then, Elektroland has blossomed into an international electronic music festival, held annually in Herlev.
At Softwave’s inaugural performance, they caught the attention of Gaffa’s reviewer, Hansen Hansen, who encouraged them to send their demos to the editorial team. The positive reviews that followed fueled their momentum, affirming their place in the music scene.
Rising to International Fame
Catrine’s adept use of social media, coupled with the duo’s infectious energy, has propelled Softwave deep into the heart of the synth-pop genre. As they themselves put it, “We’re not trained musicians—it’s all powered by raw energy and will, just like the many ’80s bands that laid the groundwork for the genre. We had no network; we built everything from scratch. But we’ve been fortunate to meet only good people in the industry—those who genuinely want to help us.”
In 2017, Softwave performed in London for the first time, a city recognized as a Mecca for electronic music. There, they encountered artists and audiences united by their shared genre, supporting one another as colleagues rather than competitors. Catrine hopes to cultivate this familial atmosphere within the Danish scene, actively working towards it as vice-chair of the association Elektronisk Musik Danmark, which boasts over 4,000 members.
By 2018, Softwave returned to London, witnessing a growing fan base from around the globe, particularly in Germany, England, and Sweden, where their music was frequently streamed. This exposure led to an invitation to tour with legends OMD. The tour was a resounding success, prompting Softwave to record their first cover: OMD’s “Souvenir.” Following their 2020 tour with OMD, the duo gained considerable attention back home in Denmark, with long lines at Vega for record sales and merchandise after packed concerts.
However, the pinnacle for Jerry and Catrine came when their idol, Erasure’s Andy Bell, posted a photo of himself wearing a Softwave t-shirt on social media. Erasure’s music has been a fundamental inspiration for Softwave, especially Andy Bell’s electrifying stage presence, which the duo aspires to emulate. To have their idol notice them was surreal, made even more thrilling when they received an email inviting them to participate in one of Andy Bell’s music projects: Club Torsten – Andy Bell is Torsten. This collaboration resulted in two cover versions: “Lead Me” and “Society, Society.” Andy Bell’s reaction to Softwave’s rendition was a dream come true:
“I’ll let you into a secret: ‘Lead Me’ was not a favorite track of mine until I heard what Softwave did with it for ‘Club Torsten!’ It quickly became one of my favorite ‘Andy Bell is Torsten’ remixes!”
To have their idol appreciate their cover version is an achievement in itself.
The entire experience with Andy Bell has also inspired a new song titled “Supernova,” which embodies the spirit of reaching for one’s idol. Softwave hopes that this track will motivate others to set goals and strive for something greater. “Supernova is also about breaking free from negativity, which can be abundant,” Catrine shares. During the lockdown, the negative energy was palpable, but that didn’t deter Catrine and Jerry; instead, they went into the studio, allowing us to enjoy the fruits of their labor. With the new EP, the future looks bright for Softwave and hopefully for the entire electronic music scene.
