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Smerz

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Smerz
OriginOslo, Norway
GenresElectronic
Years active2016–present
LabelsXL Recordings, Escho, Shopping
MembersCatharina Stoltenberg
Henriette Motzfeldt
Websitesmerz.no

Smerz is a Norwegian music duo consisting of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt.[1] The duo splits their time between Oslo, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark.[2] Their debut studio album, Believer, was released in 2021.[3]

Their name comes from the German word herzschmerz, meaning "heartbreak".[4]

History

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Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt met at high school in Oslo and moved to Copenhagen in 2011.[5]

Smerz released their first single "Because" on SoundCloud in 2016. Later the same year, they released the EP Okey on Escho in Denmark and HardUp in the UK. The following year, in 2017, Smerz signed to XL Recordings and re-released the EP Okey. In 2018, Smerz released the EP Have fun on XL Recordings. Their debut studio album Believer was released in 2021, also on XL Recordings. Later the same year, the duo released the mixtape Før og etter on their own label Shopping on Bandcamp.[6]

Smerz have been hosting a monthly radio show on NTS Radio since 2017.[7]

Smerz have played concerts at Tate Modern in London, MoMA PS1 in New York, Mutek in Mexico City and Montreal, Berghain in Berlin, Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, Roskilde Festval in Denmark, and Volksbühne in Berlin.[8]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Year Record label
Believer 2021 XL Recordings
Big City Life 2025 Escho

EPs

[edit]
Title Year Record label
Okey 2016 Escho, HardUp
Okey 2017 XL Recordings
Have fun 2018 XL Recordings
Allina 2024 Shopping Records

Mixtapes

[edit]
Title Year Record label
Før og etter 2021 Shopping[9]

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Label Album
"Because" 2016 Self-released
"Because" 2016 Escho, HardUp Okey
"Blessed"
"Sure"
"Oh my my" 2017 XL Recordings Have fun
"No harm"
"Half life"
"Have fun"
"Før og etter" 2020 Escho Escho 15 år: Burgers for my new life
"The favourite" / "Rap interlude" 2020 XL Recordings Believer
"I dont talk about that much" / "Hva hvis"
"Believer" 2021
"Flashing"
"Remember"
"My Producer 2024 Shopping Records Allina
"You got time and I got money" 2025 escho

Commissioned work

[edit]
Title Year Artist(s) Type
Øy 2020 Carte Blanche Music for dance performance
Miss france 2021 ALL-IN Studio Soundtrack for runway show[10]
Debutante 2022 ALL-IN Studio Soundtrack for runway show[11]

Sampled on

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Title Sample of Year Artist(s) Album
"If U Ever" "I don't talk about that much" 2021 Overmono If U Ever
"Stop Playin" "Flashing" 2022 Lil Baby and Jeremih It's Only Me
"Good Lies2 "No Harm" 2023 Overmono Good Lies
[edit]
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Guess What" 2017 Code Walk Guess What
"Verdens smarteste person" 2022 Cezinando Samtidig

Remixes

[edit]
Title Year Artist(s)
"Friendly (Smerz Remix)" 2021 Erika de Casier
"Say you love me - Smerz EDIT" 2024 Astrid Sonne

Songwriting and production credits

[edit]
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Verdens smarteste person" 2022 Cezinando Samtidig
"ASAP" 2023 NewJeans Get Up EP

References

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  1. ^ Moen, Matt (13 January 2021). "Smerz Makes a 'Believer' Out of Us". Paper. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  2. ^ Renshaw, David (26 February 2021). "Smerz: meet the Scandi-pop duo who can read each other's minds". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Believer by Smerz". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  4. ^ Hess, Liam (24 May 2025). "Smerz Are the Norwegian Duo Making Off-Kilter Pop Music for the Ages". Vogue. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Smerz Make Uncanny Electronic Pop That Sounds Like a Secret". Pitchfork. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Før og etter". Bandcamp.
  7. ^ Radio, N. T. S. "Smerz". NTS Radio. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Smerz | Outer Agency". outer-agency.com. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Før og etter". Bandcamp.
  10. ^ "Miss france". SoundCloud.
  11. ^ "Debutante". SoundCloud.
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