Fragrance and Music: Jenny Hval’s Creative Voyage

Serge Lutens’ Iris Silver Mist is described as a luminous and elegant fragrance. For Norwegian artist Jenny Hval, it evokes “the ghost of a flower.” This perfume played a pivotal role in her creative process for her upcoming album, set to release on May 2 under 4AD. Hval’s renewed interest in fragrance blossomed as she toured her 2022 album, Classic Objects, reigniting a fascination she had in her youth.

Musical Inspirations from Scent

Incorporating her olfactory experiences, Hval’s new album includes tracks that reflect her interpretation of smells. The second track, “To Be a Rose,” features the lyric, “A rose is a rose is a rose is a cigarette.” This line intertwines the scents of roses and cigarettes within a soundscape characterized by steady rhythms of drums, vibrant guitars, and synth strings.

Scent Memory and Creative Exploration

Hval draws from a breadth of smells—such as burgers, birthday candles, burnt resin, spilled beer, and perfumed skin—further enriching her lyrical narrative. Yet, the aromas of flowers and cigarette smoke consistently surface in her work. In a conversation with The FADER, she elaborated on her journey back into the world of fragrances, reflecting on her sensory memories and the allure of the “normcore” rose scent.