Swedish pop star Tove Styrke spoke about her new album “HARD,” being an artist in the digital age, and Doja Cat.
On the song selection process for the album, she said, “It was important to me, for this project, that every song possessed a few specific qualities. I wanted each song to reference or pay homage to older music that I like but at the same time sound modern. Show Me Love is a good example, where I used classic 60s pop songs as a reference, but the lyric is still contemporary. Bruises is another one where I was drawing inspiration from indie bands that I listened to as a teenager.”
When asked about her personal favorite song on “HARD,” she said, “It’s hard to pick one cause they’re all so different. I love the production in ‘Hardcore.’ I love ‘Bruises’ for a stage. And I love ‘Show Me Love’ as a song.”
She shared that her music and songwriting are inspired mainly by people, conversations, and just living.
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, she said, “It’s an interesting time to be an artist right now I think. There are so many ways for people to find your music today but there’s also such hard competition for people’s attention span. I’m excited to see what the next big shift in how we consume music is gonna be.”
She listed Doja Cat and Sam Fender as her dream collaboration choice in music. “Doja Cat could do whatever she wants on any song of mine. I think everything she does is perfect,” she said.
“Also, Sam Fender. I loved his voice since the first time I heard Hypersonic Missiles,” she added.
For young and aspiring artists, she said, “Don’t stress. Live your live and make music that you enjoy. And don’t feel like life owes you anything, cause it doesnt. You need to be happy with or without making it.”
On her definition of success, she said, “Success means succeeding with what I set out to do. In my case I wanted to live off my music and be able to tour around the world in front of an audience that cares about the music. I get to do that, so I would definitely consider myself successful.”
“HARD” is available on digital service providers by clicking here. “A good song is like a friend. A friend in your headphones, a friend at the club, a friend in your car. The right song at the right moment makes you feel seen and like your experiences are valid,” she said.
“This music on ‘HARD’ has been my friend for the past three years and helped me through so many different stages in my life. And if I can pass that forward and offer something to somebody else with this music, I’m really happy,” she concluded.
To learn more about Tove Styrke, follow her on Instagram.
