At 25 years old, Sigrid Raabe is already a Scandipop stalwart. The Norwegian singer-songwriter, who goes by her first name, makes buoyant songs with lyrics that bite back at the fickle pop machine. Take her first international single, 2017’s “Don’t Kill My Vibe,” which was a takedown of a songwriting session where collaborators had undermined her, or her 2022 collaboration with rising British star Griff, “Head On Fire,” which explores their experiences as young women in the music industry.

Despite being a bold presence behind the mic and onstage, Raabe is often painted as being shy and reserved in person. When we talk in early spring, ahead of the release of her second album, she says that these expectations are something she’s still grappling with.  

Tara Joshi: I read t...