INTERVIEW
Many times, when we interview an artist, we get to know their personalities better, and we end up admiring them even more. Well, this time, we broke any record, in that sense: SE! had the pleasure of talking to one of the biggest sensations of Swedish pop music, and her answers made us absolutely fall in love with her. These are our 10 questions for Elin Bergman:
Sounds European!: You come from a musical family. Your father and grandfather are musicians. What are your first memories with music? Who were your idols during your childhood? How have your experiences with music at a young age influenced the songs you produce nowadays?
Elin Bergman: I really think the fact that my father has been really into music has made me want to go for it too, and inspired me in a lot of ways during my childhood. The first really strong memory I have was when I was six years old, and my dad and I went to a music store for the first time. He bought me a keyboard and also a lot of MIDI files, so I could sing to a lot of different songs. And ever since, I've basically lived behind the keyboard singing. Since I've never really been taught "how to sing", I guess you can say that it's kind of thanks to that moment that I'm still singing today.
My dad listened to a lot of soul and blues when I was a child, so I think that soul is such a big part of me and what I've been listening to since forever. I always want to keep a bit of soul in my music too. I don't think I really had any big idols, you know. I kind of enjoyed everything that sounded good. I know that I danced a lot to Michael Jackson and one of the first albums I bought, that I remember, was Justin Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds"!
SE!: When did you start singing? And when did it become a profession for you?
EB: I've been singing for as long as I can remember. And that's a funny question, because I don't think that I'm there yet. I still have a lot to learn and experience before I can take that on.
SE!: You come from Umeå, which is a very musical city in Sweden. But, later in your career, you moved to Stockholm. How would you compare working with music and developing a career in Umeå and in Stockholm?
EB: Well, I lived a totally different life in Umeå. So it's kind of hard to compare it with Stockholm. In Umeå, I went to school and studied music with my friends. All I listened to was blues, '60s and '70s rock. We had a few gigs in some trashy places and I just did it all for fun in my free time. Shortly after, I discovered hip hop and that I've been living five minutes away from a studio my whole life (yeah, that's a bummer), so I started going there too. And out of nowhere, I hopped on the Idol-train [taking part of the reality show Idols] to Stockholm. It all happened really fast. Here in Stockholm, it's a lot more serious for me. All of my friends that are producers and writers live here, so I just came here to write some damn good music. But I think you can make it anywhere if you have the right people around you and a strong will.
SE!: You took part of the Swedish Idols in 2013, being the show's runner-up. How was your experience with it? How did you deal with being constantly judged by the audience in a competition? How did it contribute to your career?
EB: Going through all of that nervousness, new perspectives and being judged at the same time could really mess with your head. But in the end, I would say it made me more mature and grown-up. I would also say that being judged all the time made me care less about what other people think. And that's a really important thing to be able to do. Just being confident gives you so much, you know.
SE!: During the show, you explored music of very different genres: Ace of Base, George Michael, Rihanna, White Stripes, Miley Cyrus, Bob Marley... Do you really enjoy all of this variety of genres, or do you identify with some more than others? What kind of music do you prefer working with the most?
EB: I really like variety in music over all, but performing so many different genres isn't my thing. I can understand why they're trying to make it a challenge, entertaining and also letting us experience some new styles. But when I first came to Idol, I knew what I wanted to do, and that was soul/hip hop. So that was a frustrating moment for me when I didn't have a say in what to perform.
"Being judged all the time made me care less about what other people think. And that's a really important thing to be able to do"
(Picture: official Facebook page)
(Picture: official Facebook page)
SE!: Differently from most artists who have positive results on music reality shows, you took a break from everything before releasing a new work. Why did you decide to take this stop? And what did you do in between Idols and your comeback single?
EB: Music is something valuable to me, it's my life. And I don't want to work with music while being so extremely sick of it. Instead, I traveled with my friends, worked and just lived a quiet life in Umeå. Basically just kept on waiting for the time to come when my fingers started itching again and I just couldn't stay away anymore. The Idols show really got the best of me at that time, and I just felt that if I didn't take a break then, I don't know how long I'd be gone. And that's a scary thought. I think you have to know yourself very well and be confident to just put all of your opportunities aside and focus on your well-being instead. And in a matter of time, I guess you could say that I relit my fire and found the passion for music again.
SE!: We are huge fans of Swedish pop. And we feel you add a different edge, a unique power to your music. Is it your intention to mix the kind of pop Sweden is greatly known for, but adding something new to it? How would you like your music to be seen by critics and audience?
EB: Thank you! For me, it's important to bring something new to the table. It's really exciting to find new sounds and I think it's also important for me as an artist to feel that I can express myself in a refreshing way. I just want to get my stories and emotions out there for people to love and relate to.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Swedish and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
EB: Oh wow! Tough question. There are so many great artists out there! But I think some international artists would be Maverick Sabre, MØ, The Weeknd, Jai Paul or Sia. I love their music. There's really no Swedish artist that pops into my head right now, but I think Miike Snow or Teddybears would be badass. Probably Tove Lo or Tove Styrke, too.
SE!: We are sure your fans would like to know: What can we expect from you in 2016?
EB: Actually, I got a new exciting release just around the corner. So keep your eyes and ears open! I can't tell you much more than that, but I'm really looking forward to what 2016 has to offer.
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
EB: Of the ones I've released, I think it has to be "Gasoline dream". That's one of the first songs I recorded in a studio, where I also felt that this is the kind of music I want to be doing. So that song means a lot to me.
