When Mari and Tor Egil Kreken started Darling West back in 2013, the project was intended as a way to give the married couple an opportunity to spend more time together. Tor Egil was one of Norway’s most critically acclaimed studio/live musicians, and he frequently toured the world with some of Norway’s biggest artists. Mari was hardly idle at home, and although she didn’t play any instruments at the time, her beautiful voice landed her gigs as a backup singer for artists such as Marit Larsen, Stein Torleif Bjella and Maria Solheim.

After a few years of practicing the guitar, harmonica and other instruments behind closed doors, Mari was ready to enter the stage as the frontwoman of Darling West. In creating Darling West, Mari and Tor Egil combined their fascination for American songwriting traditions and their ability to write catchy and memorable melodies.

Discography:

«Winter Passing» (2014)
«Vinyl and a Heartache» (2016)
«While I Was Asleep» (2018)
«We’ll Never Know Unless We Try» (2020)

Other:

2017 & 2018 – AmericanaFest Official Showcase Artist, Nashville, TN
2017 & 2019 – SXSW Official Showcase Artist, Austin, TX
2018 – Folk Alliance International Official Showcase Artist, Kansas City, MO
2018 – Eurosonic Official Showcase Artist, Groningen, NL
2020 – Folk Alliance International Official Showcase Artist, New Orleans, LA