Grammy-nominated multi-platinum recording artist Lukas Graham chatted about his new music, which included his upcoming album “4 (The Pink Album).”
Graham will release his long-awaited full-length record, “4 (The Pink Album),” on January 20, 2023, via Warner Records. The 11-song set details the Danish soul-pop singer-songwriter’s journey of self-discovery over the years, making this his most authentic and reflective work to date.
On the song selection process for the album, he said, “I hate selecting songs for albums because songs you like don’t always necessarily make the album. For an album, everything has to come together from start to finish.”
“A lot of people don’t listen to albums anymore, but I do and I like to release an album from track one and let it roll all the way through. For me, an album is an experience, and the songs need to fit together in a certain way,” he said.
He noted that he was not going for a certain theme. “I just write songs and I write a lot of songs,” he said. “The theme of this album ended up being more hopeful and uplifting than the previous album, and I am very happy about that. I am glad I was able to make such a personal album.”
“I had a fear that I would run out of personal subjects to write about but this was completely the opposite. The older I get the more cool things I could write songs about, and that’s a blessing,” he added.
“Most of my childhood dreams have come true,” he acknowledged. “I get to travel the world, I am still writing songs, I get to perform them around the world, and I am doing interviews with outlets in North America, which is completely crazy. I also have my kids, my wife, and my family at home. It can’t be any better than this.”
Graham released the official video for his single “Wish You Were Here” featuring Khalid, directed by Blythe Thomas. Co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder, the anthem to best friends is steadily rising on the Hot AC charts. “That was a dream come true,” he admitted.
“I’ve always wanted to write a song with Ryan Tedder. He asked me if I wanted to make a feature of this song. He told me he would call a friend, he didn’t tell me who initially, but when he told me that Khalid wanted to hop on, I was completely amazed. Khalid insisted on finishing the record in Copenhagen and that was a really cool collaboration,” Graham said.
After enduring the loss of his father, becoming a father himself, and weathering the ups and downs of an unimaginable rise to fame, he found himself stuck in a cycle, self-medicating and in a creative rut.
In 2020, he made the decision to get sober and focus on his family and music. He revealed that his songwriting is inspired by the life that he lives and the experiences that he has. “I also love writing with other people. Most of my songs are written in collaboration with other artists, writers, producers, and musicians. I like feeding off other people’s energies and hearing what is going on in their lives and mixing that with what is going on in my life,” he said.
“I don’t play any instruments or produce music, I just write lyrics of melodies so for me, it’s fun to write with other people and be challenged in that sense,” he added.
Returning to his songwriting roots, Graham wrote in the same old rehearsal space, a 10-minute bike ride from his house in Copenhagen, crafting his new full-length offering. On “4 (The Pink Album),” he finally takes stock of everything that happened during that time, not only reflecting, but also evolving into just who he’s meant to be. It ultimately represents everything he’s been working towards—and more.
“My favorite part of my job is definitely the creation process of writing a song but I also love performing them; however, if I were to choose just one, I would just be the songwriter,” he said.
Regarding his new album, Graham said, “It is pure self-reflection. I’m not saying I’ll never have a drink ever again, but I went clean. It had gotten to the point of self-medicating, so I stopped. Over the past couple of years, it became fun to write songs again, go to rehearsal, and work with music. I embraced the art of it. I’m not trying to be a professional anymore, because all I want to do is be a happy amateur.”
Graham listed the closing track “One By One” as his personal favorite tune on the album. “It’s a song written for my kids and it’s about how life evolves. One day, my kids are going to break my heart for moving away, and I am going to break their hearts by not being there anymore. To me, it’s a very special song,” Graham said.
2022 marks seven years since Lukas Graham put his hometown of Christiania, Denmark on the map and enchanted and engaged audiences worldwide with a string of anthems that resonated around the world.
With a soulful signature sound punctuated with pop relatability, his hit songs “7 Years” and “Love Someone” garnered him three Grammy nominations, billions of streams, and widespread critical acclaim as he also sold out shows across Europe, North America, and beyond. His music video surpassed one billion views on YouTube. “That is pretty crazy,” he said. “It’s weird that it was seven years since that song was released, to me that was a lifetime ago.”
Graham recalled performing at The Paramount in Huntington, New York, back in July of 2016, when Bebe Rexha opened for him. “That was a fun show,” he admitted. “That was a good night.”
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Graham said, “Just Chilling.”
He listed Adele as his dream female duet choice in music. “A big love ballad with Adele would be amazing,” he said.
For young and aspiring singer-songwriters, Graham said, “Write something every day and then, stop looking to please everyone. Write songs that touch yourself, and release songs that you want to do since you will be performing these songs, possibly for the rest of your life.”
Lukas Graham: The dad
In his personal life, he is also a husband and a father to two kids (a six-year-old and a 2.5-year-old” “Fatherhood is a wonderful thing. After I tour and do my career work, I come home and go to my real work, I’m a full-time dad and I am trying to be the best husband that I can be. Sometimes, I don’t even want to tour or travel, sometimes I just want to make porridge and pack lunch boxes,” he said with a sweet laugh.
On his favorite mottos to live by, he shared, “Hope for everything, expect nothing.” “There is only one me, I don’t want to be anybody else. I would encourage everybody to be the lead character in their own movie, if they wind up playing a supporting character or role, then switch the movie up,” he said.
Graham revealed that he has visited Greece years ago. “I always love it there, and I’ve read too much Greek mythology to not go there more. I remember being in Delphi and Acropolis when I was in school and it was such a massive experience seeing history in front of you. I would love to celebrate my 35th birthday in Greece next year,” he said.
He defined the word success as the “progressive realization of a worthy idea.”
His new album “4 (The Pink Album)” is available for pre-order by clicking here.
“I want to make people laugh, dance, and cry while making an album. I hope that will happen again in this album,” he said. “At the end of the day, I love it when people connect with my music and make it their own. Once I release my songs to the world, they are not mine anymore, and that’s really life-affirming.”
To learn more about Lukas Graham, check out his official website and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
