Can you share your musical journey with us, from when you first discovered your passion for music to where you are today as an independent musician?
I’ve always loved music and singing for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first songs when I was 12 and remember singing in front of a big crowd for the first time and the joy it brought. I started to take part in different talent shows and my first major steps towards music as a career was when I was 19 years old and got chosen to participate with my original songs in World Championship of Performing Arts in Hollywood. From that onwards I released my music, started my own label, collaborated with music producers, music publishing labels and got my music on international radio. It’s a lot of hard work and a hard road being an independent musician but I’m very blessed for everything and excited for what the future holds.
What motivates you to create music, and how do you stay inspired to continue making new and unique music?
I love to express emotions through music, songwriting and singing. Experiencing life and everything that comes with it, all sorts of strong feelings that moves me is like fuel and inspiration to create new music.
As an independent musician, you wear many hats – from composing to marketing. How do you balance these different aspects of your career, and what challenges do you face in the process?
Yes, there truly are many hats to wear. The main challenge is to make an equal good job with all hats, some things come very natural like composing and performing of course, while others are more challenging and not your top expertise from the get go so to speak, like marketing for example. However I have learned to manage many things that comes with being an independent musician like legal matters, marketing, distribution and for that I’m very grateful to have that knowledge as an advantage.
Could you tell us about your creative process? How do you come up with new ideas for songs, and how do you go about turning those ideas into finished tracks?
It usually always starts with a strong emotion of some kind, the first seed and spark. I usually create melodies and lyrics at the same time based of that emotion, and feel my way through it, many times I feel like the song is writing itself. Then I create demos with vocals and guitar, it’s the core of the song and then I take that to production with a producer.
Independent musicians often face financial challenges. How do you manage your finances to sustain your music career while also covering your personal expenses?
Yes, that is very true, I remember struggling a lot with that, these days things are much better off but it sure has not always been like that. I have diversified my musical incomes and have always tried to be mindful of my expenses.
Can you share a particularly memorable or challenging experience from your journey as a musician that has had a significant impact on your career and personal growth?
Well, there are many one that comes to mind is being a part of the World Champhionship of Performing Arts in Hollywood and going to Los Angeles for the very first time. That had a profound impact on me and was a key moment for the beginning of my musical career. Coming from a small town in Sweden and all of a sudden being in the show biz mecca, Los Angeles was huge and an experience that contributed to a lot of personal growth.
With the rise of digital platforms, the music industry has changed significantly. How do you navigate the digital landscape, including streaming services and social media, to promote your music and connect with your audience?
It’s an everchanging digital landscape to navigate in, and there are much useful information and knowledge online and experts in the fields that I’ve had help from to promote the music. There are different ways to connect with the audience, of course on live shows, but also through radio, podcasts, as well as digital platforms such as Spotify and Youtube and on social medias.
Collaboration is a key part of the music industry. Have you worked with other musicians or producers, and how have these collaborations influenced your sound and career?
I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with many talented and well renowned music producers, and musicians. Like for example working with Kevin Jarvis in L.A that I’m so thankful for having the chance to have worked with twice, and shaped my first commersial pop/rock sound (Spiderweb, Cry For Me) that was the start of radio airplay and so forth. Another collaboration that I’m very thankful is Swedish music producer Amir Aly, who produced my song Stranger that made it to the national final for Eurovision back in 2017. The most recent collaboration was with Ventura based music producer Dave Jenkins on my latest single Echoes, thanks to the songwriter and musician Mark Watts, where I had the pleasure of working with world renowned musicians like Kenny Aronoff, Doug Pettibone and Jorgen Carlson, adding their unique touch to the production, that production has opened many new doors and soundwise a blend of Americana, country and pop/rock sounds.
Your music likely reflects your unique style and perspective. Could you describe your musical identity and what makes your sound stand out in a crowded industry?
I’ve always loved strong, direct and simple melodies. I always strive to create heartfelt melodies and lyrics. Love and freedom as recurring themes that I care much for, in songwriting and music I have my voice and ways to I evoke those feelings and emotions.
What role does live performance play in your music career, and how do you approach planning and executing your live shows, especially in light of recent challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic?
Live shows are of course major in terms of developing as an artist and it plays a huge role. There is nothing that beats the live music experience in my opinion. Depending on the venue I can have a scaled down setting or for a bigger show like a festival, a full band. Of course the Covid-19 pandemic was an unprecedented hit for live music. It was very hard, however some silver linings came out of that too, like new ways to experience live music online, creating more inclusion, no matter geographic borders. I try to have a mix of both bigger smaller and online shows.
Many fans are interested in the stories behind the songs. Could you share the backstory or inspiration behind one of your recent tracks that holds special meaning to you?
Sure, my latest single Echoes is about missing someone you love that’s no longer with you, we all carry memories of someone dear to us that has left a huge impact in our lives. Echoes is a song about time, memories and making the most of the time that we have.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals and aspirations as an independent musician? Are there any upcoming projects or exciting developments in your career that you’d like to share with your fans and the audience?
Some of my future goals are to do a world tour with full band, release new great music reaching many new audiences and having my music in films. I have some exciting collaborations and new music in the making, so stay tuned ☺
