Musician Sondre Lerche to make stop at Meow Wolf

May 7—Sondre Lerche knows his way with words.

For the past 20 years, the Norwegian musician makes music that resonates with audiences all over the world.

He is back with his studio album, "Avatars of Love."

"I needed this album to be this chaotic mess," he says. "During the summer of 2020 to summer of 2021, I felt a very heightened awareness. I've never written or recorded like this. Everything exploded out of me."

Lerche's current tour will make a stop on Tuesday, May 10 at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe.

"It's so good to be on tour again," he says. "I've yearned to have the connection with a live audience again."

Lerche spent time back home in Norway to record the album.

After living in America for many years, he reunited with collaborators back home.

"I was able to start a lot of different processes," he says. "I spent two weeks writing. During that time, I wrote 16 songs. I wanted them to all be on the (two) records. If not, it would be a triple album and that felt excessive. It got cut to 14 (songs). I was quite exhausted at the end of the album process."

The album felt like a culmination of decades of hard work.

"So much of this is chasing a feeling of what it could be," he says of his career. "This album feels like a breakthrough lyrically. The lyrics and the sounds exploded out of the typical structures of songs. It's not something I though I was going to do."

One thing Lerche has learned over the years is to trust himself.

"I was able to articulate my emotions with greater precision,"he says. "That opened up new doors inside the studio. I could linger there longer with each vibe."

Growing up in a Bergen, Norway suburb, Lerche is heavily influenced by 1980s pop and fascinated by bands such as the Beatles, A-ha, the Beach Boys and Prefab Sprout. He began formal guitar instruction at age 8. At 14, Lerche penned his first song, "Locust Girl."

Lerche will turn 40 in September and he's been making music professionally since he was 19.

He finally feels like he's hitting his stride when it comes to life and music.

When he comes to Meow Wolf, he'd like to sit with the audience and perform "Avatars of Love."

"I'd like to play the entire album because I want to connect to it with an audience," he says. "I also know that my last album, 'Patience,' I didn't get to tour because of the pandemic. It's tricky, but I think we've got a good set for the audience to enjoy."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Sondre Lerche with mmeadows

WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 10

WHERE: Meow Wolf, 1352 Rufina Circle, Santa Fe

HOW MUCH: $19, plus fees at meowwolf.com