Ivar Loe Bjørnstad was born in Surnadal, Møre og Romsdal, Norway.
[citation needed] Bjørnstad studied jazz at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo together with Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen[1] and Even Helte Hermansen (guitarist of Bushman's Revenge).
With an origin as a rock musician, Bjørnstad mentions the guitarist Bill Frisell as one of his inspirations, along with Norwegian drummers Audun Kleive and Per Oddvar Johansen.
He has collaborated with artists like Bjørn Kjellemyr, Jon Eberson, Karl Seglem, and Ken Stringfellow.
In 2013 he was playing with Hedvig Mollestad Trio, the Hilde Marie Kjersem Band, and Cakewalk.