Eline Noelia Myreng (Courtesy of Eline Noelia Myreng)

Norwegian singer-songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng was working part-time as a bartender in Oslo, Norway, when she co-wrote K-pop girl group Ive’s hit single, “I Am,” for their 2023 studio album, "I’ve Ive." That success transformed her dream of becoming a full-time music producer into reality -- at just 25 years old.

“I co-produced this track (‘I Am’) with Audun (Agnar Guldbrandsen) and Kristin (Marie Skolem). We wrote it in a basement under an oyster bar in Oslo, right before I had a night shift as a bartender. I was hustling, writing songs with the hope of doing it full-time,” Myreng said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Oct. 8. “Now, I’m fortunate enough to be doing songwriting full-time.”

Myreng has already worked with a variety of K-pop artists, including Kiss of Life, Hyo from Girls’ Generation and Miyeon of (G)I-dle. However, her career didn’t start in K-pop. Before diving into songwriting, she performed as an event vocalist at over 500 concerts. It wasn’t until she decided to focus on writing music and studied at Limpi, a Norwegian school affiliated with the Los Angeles Academy of Artists and Music Production, that she found her niche in K-pop.

Eline Noelia Myreng (Courtesy of Eline Noelia Myreng)

“I didn’t initially plan to write for K-pop, but a mentor at Limpi told me that the music I was making for myself had a lot of similarities with K-pop. They encouraged me to give it a try, and that’s how it all started,” she explained.

Myreng didn’t consciously set out to write K-pop music; she just wrote what she loved -- big sounds, cool production and high-energy tracks. Her style, rooted in dance-pop and synth-pop popular in the 2010s, naturally aligned with the K-pop sound.

“I grew up listening to a lot of dance-pop in the 2010s -- big vocals, creative concepts and bold styles. My favorite pop stars were Beyonce, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera. They were daring and colorful, which is similar to what K-pop stars are doing now,” she said.

Myreng said she’s always admired K-pop from afar, appreciating its complexity, and was fascinated by the blend of elements in each song.

“It’s a whole new world in music. K-pop always keeps you entertained, and that inspired me to dive deeper into it," she said.

One of the things she loves most about producing K-pop is the collaborative, team-driven process -- much like being in a K-pop group itself. When writing songs, the team often records the demo as a group to mimic the feel of a multimember K-pop act.

“The fun part about writing for K-pop is capturing all the different voices and attitudes in their music. When I’m in the studio, I get to rap and sing with different techniques to make each part sound distinct. It’s important that every member of the group has their moment to shine,” she said.

Eline Noelia Myreng (Courtesy of Eline Noelia Myreng)

Myreng also emphasized that K-pop songwriting isn’t just about creating catchy tunes — it’s about crafting songs that pair well with choreography. She often dances around the studio to ensure the tracks feel right for a performance.

“When I recorded the demo for ‘I Am,’ I didn’t know how (Ive) would manage to dance while singing it. It’s really impressive how much work K-pop idols put into their performances,” she said.

As K-pop evolves and incorporates more mainstream pop elements, Myreng believes the genre still stands out because of its unique blend of styles and cultural influences.

“There are so many great K-pop writers and producers from Scandinavia, and I definitely hear a lot of Scandipop, ABBA and Eurovision elements in some K-pop tracks. But it’s still so versatile. I love how K-pop songs can incorporate so many different genres in one track,” she said.

“K-pop breaks the rules of traditional pop. Even if it moves closer to mainstream pop, it will always stand out because of the culture and the fans.”

Looking ahead, Myreng hopes to continue building her career as a hitmaker in the K-pop world. She’s eager to work with more groups, mentioning Nmixx, Le Sserafim and aespa as her dream collaborations.

“I also want to focus on my own artistry. I love writing for others, but I also love singing. I hope the future holds a mix of both,” she said.

This article is the first in a special interview series exploring the journeys of key K-pop industry professionals: a songwriter, trainer, producer and newly debuted K-pop idol. They discuss their roles, the competitive nature of the industry and the business mechanics behind K-pop’s global success. -- Ed.