From metal band to electronic solo career

The sound of muted bass rhythms from the stage vibrates through the walls backstage at Roskilde Festival.

Cables lie in small piles along the floor, and the air is thick with anticipation. In a few minutes, almost 3000 people will be standing in front of the stage, ready to move to the beat of the music.

In the middle of it all, Andachan stands with his headphones resting around his neck. He takes a deep breath, feels the tension in his body and looks at his minimalist setup – proof that you don't need a large and expensive studio to create something great.

For Andachan, the journey began somewhere else entirely. He was once in a metal band, surrounded by powerful amplifiers and heavy guitars.

But when the band broke up, he was left alone with the desire to still create music.

Instead of giving up, he found freedom in electronic music, where he single-handedly built entire sound universes from scratch - from his small apartment above Akiki in Sisimiut.

His success has since taken him to big stages, including Spot Festival and Roskilde Festival in Denmark.

In a few moments, he will step out in front of the audience. His motto is simple: if you dare to be yourself, you can achieve anything.

Perhaps that is precisely why his music touches people, because it comes from someone who knows that we all carry something heavy, and who wants to make that burden a little lighter through sound.

Behind the artist name is a musician whose journey began in Qasigiannguit, where his interest in music slowly developed into the project that is today called Andachan.

Cold winters and Nintendo 64

Anda Otto Schmidt was born in Qasigiannguit on April 8, 1995.

- When I was about three years old, we moved to Ilulissat, says Anda Otto Schmidt.

For a boy like him, Ilulissat became the setting for his first impressions of the world: First day of school, friends and very cold winters.

- We rode in a dog sled because my father had sled dogs back then. I remember it almost as a little trauma - it was so bitterly cold that my cheeks were completely frozen, he says.

Everyday life was characterized by school, friends and games on the Nintendo 64. His parents had many games, and it often became the gathering point when friends came over after school.

The lessons passed with shared laughter, concentration and the special atmosphere that arises when competition and community merge.

Anda Otto Schmidt's parents are Johan Pele Schmidt and Karoline Storch.

- My mother is a cleaner at the elementary school in Sisimiut and my father is a handyman and self-employed fisherman. He is the brother of the singer Mariina. So Mariina is my aunt, says Anda Otto Schmidt.

When he was about 11 years old, the family moved to Sisimiut.

- I usually say that I am sisimiormioq, he says.

It is also here that he meets his best friends.

- I went to school almost only because of them. School has never been for me, it was always a challenge to keep up with the lessons, he says.

Ashamed of being different

Anda Otto Schmidt dreamed of becoming a firefighter as a child. Not because it appealed to him, but because everyone else thought it was cool.

- That's how I was. I was ashamed of being different, he says.

This early feeling of being ashamed and feeling different gave him a special sensitivity - an ability to feel and reflect on both his own and others' feelings.

That sensitivity became even more evident when his little sister committed suicide.

The grief left a hole that changed his perspective on everything. He learned how important it is to live honestly and express oneself – both through music and in encounters with other people.

Since then, his music has not only been about beats and rhythms, but also about bringing light into others' dark moments, because he knows how it feels to carry something heavy.

Anda Otto Schmidt has a total of eight siblings, three of whom are from his mother's side.

- I grew up as the oldest, he says.

It was not until elementary school that Anda Otto Schmidt became absorbed in music. He spent hours listening to bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Trivium, Slipknot, Korn and System of a Down, and he enrolled in evening school to learn guitar.

It was here that his first active steps into the world of music took shape, a passion that still follows him.

- We formed a metal band, and we played at the very first Arctic Sounds festival, recalls Anda Otto Schmidt.

Manager in Pisattat

After primary school, he completed upper secondary education in Sisimiut. A graduate with a cap, he took a gap year and got a job in the Pisattat store.

- I wanted to raise money for new music equipment, says Anda Otto Schmidt.

Before he knew it, Anda became manager in the store - because of his electronic skills.

- I've always been like that. As a child, I would take apart all the parts of a remote control or an old computer to find out what was inside, he says.

The metal band went their separate ways when some of the members had to continue their education in other cities, and their shared musical dreams were shattered. It was at this time that Anda switched from heavy metal to electronic music.

- I had a small apartment upstairs from Akiki with a shared toilet and bathroom. It was from here that I produced my first release, he says.

Although the setting was modest, the apartment became his creative laboratory. Here he learned that you don t need a large and expensive studio to create quality music - the most important thing is the idea, passion and the will to explore the sounds yourself.

And it is here, in the small apartment with shared toilet and bath, that the artist Andachan is born.

- It was actually Martin, who is one of my best friends, who usually calls me Andachan. That's where it comes from, he says.

And from here it escalated quickly. Andachan formed the band Finni and released an EP as a solo artist.

The mobile phone rang constantly with inquiries and praise from acquaintances and music fans.

The band Finni has received the “Price of the Year” at the Koda Awards, and Andachan has created hits such as “Kisivit” together with Tûtu and several other collaborations, including Ivaana. He is also behind the music catalogue in Air Greenland's new transatlantic aircraft, Tuukkaq.

His music has not only made a mark in Greenland - Andachan has played concerts at festivals both nationally and internationally, and his sound has shown that even from a small apartment you can reach the world. Last year he played at both Spotfestival and Roskilde Festival.

Living the dream

When Andachan is not producing music, he loves to be at home in Sisimiut. This is where he recharges. Something that unfortunately doesn't happen very often.

- I have always dreamed of travelling. I definitely won't complain. But when you are constantly on the move, it can be quite tiring for the body. I was home for maybe three months last year, he says.

Sisimiut functions as a quiet space where he can gather energy, reflect on his life and let his creativity rest before it explodes again in music and performances on both national and international stages.

In his free time, he also disappears into Japanese culture and anime, a space that gives him peace and inspiration in other ways.

Andachan dreams of creating something new on Greenland's music scene, which according to him has been the same for many years. He wants to combine music with visuals on stage and bring new energy to the live performances - a vision to challenge the established and inspire both the audience and upcoming artists.