It shouldn't be much of a surprise, but Ida Maria is coming to Austin for SXSW in March.

Ida Maria has signed with Sony/BMG.

Check out Ida Maria's new video for "Drive my heart away": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hokjw86Dk8

Updated Ida Maria tourdates:

01/10 - Eurosonic Groeningen (NL)
01/15 - Dublin Castle, London (UK)
01/16 - 229, London (UK)
01/19 - Student House, Sør-Trøndelag (NOR)
01/22 - Live Session John Kennedy XFM, London (UK)
02/22 - By:Larm Festival, Oslo (NOR)
05/03 - Hemsedal Skibakken, Hemsedal (NOR)
06/05 - Lunde Sluseamfi, Lunde (NOR)
06/06 - Rjukan Rock Festival, Rjukan (NOR)
08/06 - Øyafestivalen/Oya Festival, Oslo (NOR)
08/16 - Steinkjerfestivalen, Steinkjer, Sør-Trøndelag (NOR)

Musikknyheter's favorite Norwegian albums of 2007:

01. Superfamily - Warszawa
02. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
03. The Grand - The Grand
04. The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy Kiss
05. The Moving Oos - Peace and Love
06. Monomen - Monomen LP
07. King Midas - Sorry
08. Skambankt - Eliksir
09. Shining - Grindstone
10. Truls and the Trees - Ailanthus

And their favorite Norwegian songs:

01. Superfamily - The Radio Has Expressed Concerns About What You Did Last Night
02. Moving Oos - Romancer
03. King Midas - West End Boys
04. Ida Maria - Oh My God
05. The Disciplines - Best Mistake
06. Monomen - Drum of glass
07. Raga Rockers - Aldri Mer
08. The Grand - Remedy
09. Lukas Kasha - Love Abuse
10. Susanne Sundfør - Walls

Ida Maria will be filming a new video this week for the song "Drive away my heart" with director Magnus Renfors (Tiger Lou, Säkert!, Familjen, etc.).

The first five acts are already confirmed for next year's Øyafestival: http://www.musikknyheter.no/news/3220
Norwegian names include Ida Maria ('natch), Sigh & Explode, Silje Nes and Diskjokke.

Ida Maria's new Andreas Nilsson-directed video for "Oh my god" is streaming at NME: http://www.nme.com/mediaPlayer&function=player&playlist_id=1386&track=0
She is definitely an artist to keep an eye on.

The winners of this year's Alarm Awards, Norway's Grammy alternative:

Newcomer of the year: Moving Oos
Video of the year: Tungtvann - 2 uka
Song of the year: Superfamily - The radio has expressed concerns about what you did last night
Alarm award: Ida Maria
Pop: Marit Larsen - Under the Surface
Electronica: Kim Hiorthøy - My Last Day
RiksAlarm: Ungdomsskulen
Jazz: Shining - Grindstone
Rock: My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
Metal: Dimmu Borgir - Insorte Diaboli
Live: Superfamily
Hip-hop/rap: Karpe Diem - Rett fra hjertet

PopMatters lists Ida Maria as their favorite CMJ discovery: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/50120/belles-of-the-ball/
Also listed are Datarock, New Violators and Slaraffenland.

Ida Maria will support Good Shoes on tour in the UK in November:

11/11 - Academy 2, Birmingham
11/13 - Academy 2, Manchester
11/14 - Met University, Leeds
11/15 - ABC, Glasgow
11/18 - Junction, Cambridge
11/19 - Waterfront, Norwich
11/20 - Concorde, Brighton
11/21 - Astoria, London

Ida Maria will be shooting a video for "Oh my god" in Williamsburg, New York on Saturday with director Andreas Nilsson (The Knife, José Gónzalez, etc.). Also check out her CMJ showcase at Galapagos on October 19.

Ida Maria will be performing the song "I like you so much better when you're naked" at the upcoming Alarm Awards ceremony with a little help from Norwegian burlesque group The Fleshoticas. The event takes place October 27 at Centrum in Oslo.

MIC Norway profiles Ida Maria, an artist I'd highly recommend you keep an eye on: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2007100416082756417944

The nominees for this year's Alarm Awards have been announced:

Rock:
120 Days - 120 days
Big Bang - Too much yang
My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
King Midas - Sorry
The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy kiss

Pop:
Marit Larsen - Under the surface
Rockettothesky - To sing you apple trees
Superfamily - Warszawa
Magnet - The simple life
Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør

Metal:
Dimmu Borgir - In sorte diaboli
Satyricon - Now diabolical
Audrey Horne - Le fol
Mayhem - Ordo ad Chaou
Keep of Kalessin - Armada

Jazz:
Supersilent - 8
Shining - Grindstone
Håkon Kornstad - Single engine
Tord Gustafssen Trio - Being there
Hanne Hukkelberg - Rykerstrasse 68

Electronica:
Kim Hiorthøy - My last day
Lindstrøm - It’s a feedelity affair
Pleasure - Pleasure 2
The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
Bjørn Torske - Feil knapp

Hip-hop/Rap:
el Axel - It is what it is
Karpe Diem - Rett fra hjertet
Darkside of the Force - El dia de los puercos
Tungtvann - Siste Skanse
Samvirkelaget - Musikk

Newcomer:
Susanne Sundfør
Moving Oos
Ida Maria
Rockettothesky
Elvira Nicolaisen

Live:
Big Bang
Superfamily
King Midas
The Grand
Samvirkelaget

Go here for more details or to vote for your favorite: http://www.alarmprisen.no/2007/index.php/og-de-nominerte-er/#more-76