Agnes Obel On Feminism And The Power Of Secrets

‘I’m a private person.’ Agnes Obel says this a lot during our chat over the phone. The Danish singer, who now lives in Berlin, is so obsessed with privacy, she even wrote an album based around the concept of not having any.

Citizen of Glass, a collection of haunting, delicate tracks, explores the idea of transparency in a world obsessed with over-sharing through selfies and social media.
We catch up with Agnes ahead of her show at London’s Roundhouse on Sunday evening.

Culture Trip: What themes were you trying to explore on your latest album Citizen of Glass?
Agnes Obel: I was looking for a theme. Then I came across this German idea that you can describe an individual as being made of glass when he or she has lost all their privacy. I worked with that image in mind to get that feeling across – of being seen from the outside.
CT: What exactly was it about this idea that intrigued you?
AO: I was interested in the whole idea of transparency and what you do when everything is transparent, especially with your secrets. There’s a track on the album called ‘Mary’ that is about destructive secrets and how to let go of them. But there’s a great power in having a secret. Maybe that’s also why I’m quite private, because I like to feel like something is important.

CT: Talking about transparency, how do you feel about social media?
AO: I feel good and bad about social media. Obviously if you’re interested in culture, it’s important you have platforms. Everyone potentially has a big audience and there are no editors. That’s great and democratic but you’re essentially looking at yourself like an object. I know women have been doing that for years – looking at ourselves from the outside – but now everybody is doing it. It’s not necessarily a good thing. It’s nice to be in the moment.
CT: Are you on Facebook?
AO: Yes, but I keep forgetting my password! I also have an Instagram account. I post a few things, but I don’t really expose anything. I’m a private person. I can’t force myself to do it; I feel like I’m exposed enough in my music.
CT: Who are your musical heroes?
AO: Roy Orbison and Scott Walker. I really love it when the production reflects the songwriting and the music’s state of mind, so I’ve been looking for songs that do that. Scott Walker is the master of this – you feel like you’re in his head when you’re listening to his tracks. Also, I love the voice of Liz Fraser from Cocteau Twins, and similar things.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.