Just after finishing her first set of demos in 2009, Birkenes decided to adopt the Mr. Little Jeans moniker, which is taken from a bit role in Wes Anderson's 1998 film Rushmore. When her cover versions of well-known Beyoncé and Arcade Fire songs launched her into the public eye via YouTube and SoundCloud, Mr. Little Jeans turned to her own music, landing successful spots on popular TV shows like Gossip Girl and movies like Celeste and Jesse Forever and Iron Man 3. Drawing on a synth-based dance-pop style that recalls artists like Kylie Minogue and Lykke Li, she inked a deal with EMI's Harvest Records imprint in 2013. After relocating to Los Angeles to write and record her first album, she released the Good Mistake EP in February 2014, quickly followed by her debut LP, Pocketknife, a month later. Working with collaborator Tim Anderson, Birkenes returned in 2016 with a follow-up EP Fevers, this time on the Nettwerk label. ~ Timothy Monger