Einar Selvik (born 18 November 1979), also known by his stage name Kvitrafn… Read Full Bio ↴Einar Selvik (born 18 November 1979), also known by his stage name Kvitrafn, is a Norwegian musician known for being the drummer in the black metal band Gorgoroth from 2000 to 2004, and for fronting the Nordic folk project Wardruna, founded in 2003 and also including Gorgoroth's ex-vocalist Gaahl. Selvik and Wardruna's soundtrack work for the History Channel television show Vikings has earned him international prominence, and he also appeared as an actor on the show.

On 1 March 2016, A Piece for Mind & Mirror by Skuggsjá, a collaboration between Kvitrafn and Enslaved's Ivar Bjørnson, was announced and streamed. Prepared for the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution, the album tells the history of Norway, and was released by Season of Mist on 11 March.

Selvik has also recorded with other projects including Det Hedenske Folk, Bak de Syv Fjell, Jotunspor, Sahg, Dead to this World and Faun. Furthermore, he has worked on the soundtrack for Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Skuggsjá
Einar Selvik Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

tid er å teie
til togna tru seg
i spegelen spyrje
i spegelen sjå

høgt me har klatra - i rotlaust tre
høgt me har timbra - på grunnlaus voll

Tåka tetnar - alt er kvitt
Tåka tetnar - alt er svart

Skuggsjá - eg ser deg i meg
stien klarnar
i atturljom - du visar veg
togna talar
Skuggsjá - eg ser deg i meg
viljen vaknar
i atturljom - du visar veg
hugen hugsar

tid er å tale
tre ut or tåka
for sanninga stride
for sanninga stå

hugs han som tvinga si tru
med kross og kniv
hugs han som tvinga si tru
med sverd og svik

med tusen års styrke - eg seier
med tusen års styrke - eg syng

Skuggsjá - eg ser deg i meg
KVIL I NID
i atturljom - du visar veg
KVIL I NID
Skuggsjá - eg ser deg i meg

i atturljom - du visar veg
KVIL I NID

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Einar Selvik & Ivar Bjørnson's song Skuggsjá is a call to action to find the truth and take a stand for it. The opening lines, "tid er å teie til togna tru seg i spegelen spyrje i spegelen sjå," which translate to "it's time to be silent, to trust oneself to the tongue, to ask oneself in the mirror, to see oneself in the mirror," sets the tone for a moment of reflection and introspection. The song urges the listener to climb out of the fog of confusion and find clarity and direction. The lyrics also refer to the history of religion being imposed on people by force, with the lines "hugs han som tvinga si tru med kross og kniv hugs han som tvinga si tru med sverd og svik," which translate to "remember the one who forced their faith with cross and knife, remember the one who forced their faith with sword and deception." The song calls for a reclamation of power, with the lines "med tusen års styrke - eg seier med tusen års styrke - eg syng," which translate to "with the strength of a thousand years - I say, with the strength of a thousand years - I sing."

Line by Line Meaning

tid er å teie
It is time to be silent

til togna tru seg
To believe in oneself

i spegelen spyrje
To ask the mirror

i spegelen sjå
To look in the mirror

høgt me har klatra - i rotlaust tre
We have climbed high - on a rootless tree

høgt me har timbra - på grunnlaus voll
We have built high - on a foundationless rampart

Tåka tetnar - alt er kvitt
The fog thickens - everything is blank

Tåka tetnar - alt er svart
The fog thickens - everything is black

Skuggsjá - eg ser deg i meg
Reflection - I see you in me

stien klarnar
The path becomes clear

i atturljom - du visar veg
Inwardly - you show the way