Hello everyone, it’s your host Faithfulness, and today I have with me Grey & Purple Songbook from Oslo, Norway. Grey & Purple Songbook is here to share more insight into their musical journey while diving into their latest original single, “Once Upon a Time,” released on 8th May 2026. Inspired by an ancient Norwegian folk tale about greed and its consequences, the release transforms timeless storytelling into a compelling modern musical experience. Through vivid lyricism and immersive melodies, the duo presents the story of a humble farmer, a magical grinding mill, and a greedy brother whose dangerous cravings ultimately lead him to tragedy beneath a fjord. As the lyrics warn, “Greed has a prize, be careful with your cravings,” a powerful message wrapped inside an engaging sonic atmosphere. “Once Upon a Time” raises fascinating questions about human desire, ambition, and the consequences of always wanting more. Are listeners simply hearing a beautifully retold folk tale, or are they being challenged to reflect on the cravings and greed that still shape modern life today? Let’s find out.
Welcome, Grey & Purple Songbook. Before we begin our interview, here is what you need to know about this creative musical project. Grey & Purple Songbook is the artistic collaboration of two brothers from Oslo, Norway, operating under the label Grey & Purple Inc. Known for producing harmonious and thought-provoking text-based musical stories, the duo has cultivated a unique approach that blends meaningful narratives with groovy, inspiring melodies across various genres. Their mission centers around creating songs that resonate equally with both the mind and the heart while ensuring that every “musical costume fits the story.” With releases available on Spotify, Bandcamp, and other streaming platforms, Grey & Purple Songbook continues to develop a distinctive voice through immersive storytelling, emotional authenticity, and carefully crafted compositions that place narrative at the center of the listening experience.
For Grey & Purple Songbook, “Once Upon a Time” stands as a quintessential representation of everything the project embodies. By breathing contemporary life into an old Norwegian legend, the duo demonstrates how traditional folklore can still connect powerfully with modern audiences through music. The single showcases their ability to transform meaningful stories into captivating sonic experiences while preserving the emotional and moral weight of the original tale. Rooted in creativity, brotherhood, and a passion for storytelling, Grey & Purple Songbook continues pushing artistic boundaries with music that entertains, inspires, and leaves listeners reflecting long after the final note fades away.
Having this brief Introduction, I’m sure new and current fans must be excited about our Interview today.
INTERVIEW
Faithfulness: Grey & Purple Songbook feels deeply rooted in storytelling rather than conventional songwriting. At what point did you realize narratives would become the heart of your musical identity?
Grey & Purple Songbook: Grey and Purple Songbook was from the start a project where the text and the story would always be the central part. Our starting point was to write thought-provoking texts as a basis for songs/melodies, and then the storytelling form came naturally to us.
Faithfulness: Being brothers and creative partners can create a very unique artistic chemistry. How has your relationship shaped the emotional depth and imagination behind your music?
Grey & Purple Songbook: Well both of us in the creative team, are committed and politically interested individuals. With that starting point, the framework conditions for our collaboration were well defined, but also the fact that we know each other provides a natural dynamic in the work with content and texts.
Faithfulness: Your work blends thoughtful lyricism with genre-spanning musical arrangements. How do you decide what “musical costume” best fits each story you choose to tell?
Grey & Purple Songbook: The creative work always starts with a brainstorming session to clarify and define the theme and message of the text. Then the actual writing of the text begins, which forms the starting point. We then set/create the music using beats and instrument prompts. Next, the process begins with selecting which drafts musically support and reinforce the text’s content. This is probably the most resource- and time-consuming part of the creative process. But having said that, we must emphasize that the entire result always constitutes a whole, where text and music should complement each other, the text carries the content, while the melody becomes, in a sense, the mediator of the text.
Faithfulness: Oslo has a rich cultural atmosphere filled with history, folklore, and natural beauty. In what ways has growing up in Norway influenced the worlds you build inside your songs?
Grey & Purple Songbook: Growing up in and around the city of Oslo has probably influenced our cultural background, both in terms of how we view the world, what we think are important themes and messages, and the local musical setting also plays a certain role. But just as important is that we both grew up with a mother who was a librarian, and who every evening during our upbringing picked out new books and stories that were retold in the evenings. This meant that we have a very close and natural relationship with literature, stories and the form of storytelling.
Faithfulness: Grey & Purple Songbook creates music that speaks to both the mind and the heart. What do you hope listeners emotionally carry with them after experiencing your stories?
Grey & Purple Songbook: Our humble ambition with our lyrics and our songs is perhaps first and foremost to start the process of reflection, that the listeners will be left after hearing the song and think a little about the theme and message. We always write first and foremost with the aim of starting thought processes and reflections.
Faithfulness: “Once Upon a Time” transforms an ancient Norwegian folk tale into a modern musical experience. What first drew you toward this particular story about greed and consequence?
Grey & Purple Songbook: When it comes to the work on the folk tale about greed that forms the basis for the song “Once Upon a Time”, our starting point was reflections we made by observing and recording much of what happens around us in society. The issue of greed and not being satisfied with a share of the economic dividend is something that has existed at all times, and never becomes obsolete. Being able to address this social challenge by writing a text and creating a song based on an old folk tale was an excellent way for us to get the message across.
Faithfulness: The imagery in this release feels cinematic, from the magical grinding mill to the sinking boat beneath the fjord. Which scene was the most exciting or emotionally challenging to bring to life musically?
Grey & Purple Songbook: It must be the sequence where the greedy brother steals the magic mill and tests the mill after taking it from his brother, and is unable to stop it and thus goes down with the boat. It is the sequence that constitutes the core of the message, the lyrics and the song. To bring out in both the lyrics and music what the chorus expresses: “Be careful with your cravings, how you take your share, The limits of desire can lead you unaware,…”.
Faithfulness: Folk tales often survive because their lessons remain timeless. Why do you think the theme of greed still resonates so strongly in today’s world?
Grey & Purple Songbook: As previously mentioned, greed is a human trait and behavior that has existed at all times, and will not disappear as long as there are goods that are scarce. It is an eternal theme and also contains a universal human message.
Faithfulness: The lyric, “Greed has a prize, be careful with your cravings,” feels both poetic and haunting. Did that line arrive early in the writing process, or did it become the song’s emotional centerpiece later on?
Grey & Purple Songbook: It was a phrase that emerged along the way in the creative process, but it was quite clear early on that these were expressions and phrases that were both natural in terms of the message, but also very natural in terms of the content of the folk tale in question.
Faithfulness: One of the most fascinating elements of the story is how kindness rewards the humble farmer while greed destroys the brother. Were you intentionally exploring morality through contrast when writing this release?
Grey & Purple Songbook: Well, an element of morality and values is implicit in all old folk tales, so with an old folk tale as a starting point, it was almost inevitable not to touch on morality and values. But that said, the starting point for the lyrics and melody was not morality in the sense of giving admonitions, but rather telling a story that exemplifies the message in a simple way and thus initiates reflections.
Faithfulness: There’s a strong sense of atmosphere throughout the story. While composing the music, did you imagine specific colors, landscapes, or emotions connected to the fjord and the folklore itself?
Grey & Purple Songbook: Both of us who make up the creative team in the project have a very visual expression when we work creatively, a lot is seen in inner images. So that’s why images of landscapes and also feelings and emotions were an important part of the creative process. In addition, the fairy tale is quite descriptive of a farm landscape among fjords and mountains, where, for example, the use of a boat is a completely natural part of everyday life. In addition, it also became quite clear that the characters’ feelings, intentions and behavior to a large extent also set a template for what mood we had to try to convey in the song.
Faithfulness: Your project emphasizes making sure the “musical costume fits the story.” What specific production or songwriting choices helped “Once Upon a Time” feel authentic to its Nordic roots while still sounding contemporary?
Grey & Purple Songbook: It was clear from the start that we wanted to stay true to the mood and message of the folk tale, when we wrote the lyrics and created the melody for “Once Upon a Time”. It was clear that the lyrics had to be narrative in form, as if someone was sitting next to you by the fireplace and wanted to tell you something important, but at the same time personal. In addition, it was quite clear early on that the lyrics would be about everyday life as was known in the fairy tale, the toil and everyday life of a farmer.
Faithfulness: Story-driven music requires listeners to slow down and truly absorb the lyrics. In an era dominated by short attention spans, do you see storytelling becoming your artistic rebellion?
Grey & Purple Songbook: You might say it’s a bit of a rebellion against the usual way of doing things in the music world today, but our natural starting point was to create meaningful lyrics with a message, combined with good sound images/melodies to make the lyrics and message as accessible as possible.
Faithfulness: If listeners could take away one emotional truth or life lesson from “Once Upon a Time,” what would you hope stays with them long after the song ends?
Grey & Purple Songbook: If there’s one thing we hope our listeners take away from listening to the song “Once Upon a Time”, I think it would be to stop and think/reflect on the world we live in. Don’t let everything go on autopilot, but give your own thoughts about the themes we address in our songs a voice.
Faithfulness: Grey & Purple Songbook already feels like a universe filled with meaningful tales and vivid imagery. What kinds of stories are still waiting to be exlored in future releases?
Grey & Purple Songbook: It’s a very good question that’s hard to answer in a concrete way, but we have a lot of material both in our heads and on paper, so there are plenty of themes and messages we want to convey. But specifically, we are working on releasing some concept albums that address themes around human characteristics, pemotions and relationships, but also themes within international politics and philosophy and themes related to working life. However, we will continue to produce lyrics and songs about stories and fairy tales and in a narrative form.
Finally, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to share some of our thoughts about our music project, working methodology and a little about what we are thinking about going forward.
CHECK OUT THE RELEASE OF ‘For Once Upon a Time’
HAVING LISTENED TO ‘For Once Upon a Time’, HERE ARE MY HONEST THOUGHTS
Grey & Purple Songbook’s “Once Upon a Time” is a hauntingly elegant composition that transforms folklore into an emotionally immersive musical experience. Built around delicate piano melodies, atmospheric synth textures, and subtle string arrangements, the song creates a dreamlike sonic landscape that feels both intimate and cinematic. Rather than relying on dramatic climaxes, the track unfolds through gradual emotional progression, allowing its reflective storytelling to breathe naturally. The bittersweet chord progressions and fluid transitions mirror the cautionary themes embedded within the Norwegian folk tale that inspired the piece. Vocally, the performance thrives on sincerity and restraint, with soft phrasing and vulnerable delivery adding emotional weight to every lyric. The production remains beautifully balanced, using space, reverb, and understated percussion with remarkable sensitivity. “Once Upon a Time” succeeds because of its patience, proving that subtlety and emotional intelligence can leave a deeper impact than spectacle ever could.
~ Faithfulness (Dulaxi Team)
Finally to our audience, I urge to listen to “For Once Upon a Time“, add it to your playlist and be Inspired by it and on behalf of Dulaxi I like to appreciate you all by saying thank you everyone, See you on our next interview.
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