Ida Laurberg

Laurberg grew up in the town of Helsinge,^[2] Denmark, where she attended a private Christian school during her youth. She attributed developing anxiety as a result of her time there due to bullying from classmates, as well as teachers.^[3] However, one teacher did encourage her to pursue becoming a musician after hearing her play, which she cited as an influence.^[3] After graduation from school, she moved into an apartment in Copenhagen, which led to her first solo performance at a local outdoor venue, Byhaven.^[3]

At age 16, Laurberg released her first single "Puppy Dog Eyes" on 8 November 2016.^[3][4] Four years later, she released her debut EP titled, Phase Five.^[5][6] Released on her own record label, the EP received positive reviews and drew comparisons to Billie Eilish,^[7] whom Laurberg cited as an inspiration for her own music.^[8]

Her debut studio album was released on 21 August 2020, entitled Bænkevarmer.^[9] The first single from the album, "Terrier", reached number six on the Danish charts.^[10] The song covered topics surrounding mental health, including self-harm.^[9] The second single released from the album "Jeg ka' rigtig godt li' dig" further increased her profile in the music scene,^[11] ultimately receiving an award for "Danish Hit of the Year" at the Danish Music Awards, alongside Andreas Odbjerg who featured in the song.^[12][13] The song has reached number two on the Danish charts,^[10] and the duo has performed the song at several festivals, including Roskilde Festival in 2023.^[14][15] In addition to the awards, the song reached double platinum-certification by IFPI Danmark.^[16]

Laurberg has been diagnosed with both anxiety and depression, and has stated on several occasions that both play a factor in her creative process for writing music.^[3][17] In 2023, she was diagnosed with ADHD. She sought out a diagnosis following conversations with her then-boyfriend, as well as trying ADHD medication.^[17][18] She has stated that she wants to use the platform afforded to her through music to create openness about mental health.^[9]