Wellington Songwriter Hanne Jøstensen Releases Her Otherworldly Single, ‘Polar Nights’

Haunting Nordic, Aotearoa/Norwegian songwriter, Hanne Jøstensen’s music draws you into a sonic landscape with space to breathe and connect. ‘Polar Nights’ is the second single off her forthcoming sophomore EP, ‘The Lighthouse’, now confirmed for release on April 18th 2026.

‘Polar Nights’, released on November 28th, delivers a contemplative celebration of love and an acknowledgement of spiritual dimensions that we might not grasp but deeply feel. Of being truly present in the moment.

I wanted to take people with me on a sensory journey. To show them the vast, snow-covered landscapes that I had in mind when I wrote the song. The sense of space, the cold. How intense and clear things sound in the context of that stillness. Magic.

The intricate self-produced single & forthcoming EP were recorded and mixed by the multi-award winning Lee Prebble at The Surgery in Wellington. On ‘Polar Nights’ the vocals and piano were recorded simultaneously, leaving us with a captivating, raw performance. Composed with numerous elements, to be both joyous & celebratory, the song draws on the talents of some specific collaborators. The viola parts are performed by Susan Fullerton-Smith (Orchestra Wellington), who also played on Hanne’s debut EP. Longtime collaborator, the talented Steph Casey, also rejoins the fold, on backing vocals and on the single & EP’s graphic design. Alongside Jane Dalley (Orchestra Wellington) on cello, leaving us hanging in the icy otherworldly universe.

I pictured the characters in the song dancing, just like the northern lights dance across the winter night sky.

This latest release follows the stunning atmospheric, first single, The EP’s title track, ‘The Lighthouse’. Connecting her Norwegian heritage with her Aotearoa home, the bilingual song opens in Norwegian before the story unfolds in English. It is a delicate yet dramatic arrangement with the cello (Jane Dalley) and electric guitar (Jim Walmsley) embodying the forces at play. The lighthouse of the song & the EP’s title, holds profound personal meaning for Hanne, with it located on the tiny island of Sula (Norway) where she grew up, and where her grandfather was the lighthouse keeper.

Growing up on both a remote island and later in the city, Hanne played music in many forms alongside singing with numerous choirs. In 2004 she moved to Aotearoa for what was supposed to be three years.

I met my partner here, and Wellington became my new home. I love the roughness of the south coast, the rugged rocks, the ever-changing colour of the sea.

After honing her songwriting skills for over a decade, self-producing and composing much of her upcoming EP, and drawing in a plethora of both old and new collaborators to perform alongside her, Hanne is ready to share the next step on her beautiful, multilayered sonic journey with the world.

This next instalment, single ‘Polar Nights’ is released via all digital retailers and is the second single off Hanne Jøstensen’s sophomore EP, ‘The Lighthouse’ due for release on April 18th 2026.

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