SPOP: BELLA SWARTZ TALKS NATTKLUBBEN
"You can have off days, but that disappears"
Daniel John
What is 'Nattklubben' about?
'Nattklubben' is a real party song about feeling an instant chemistry with someone you see at a nightclub but who will most likely only be a romance for the night, something I think many people who like to party and go out can relate to.
What was the vibe in the studio like when you made this?
I went up to Stockholm a week after I had written the song and recorded it so I was really excited, and my producer and I really vibed a lot when we recorded it.
How excited do you usually feel ahead of a new release or gigs, is it only joy and positive anticipation, or can it vary?
I’m always excited before gigs, the stage is where I feel the most at home and where I feel the best! Of course, you can have off days, but that disappears as soon as I go up on stage and start singing. The older I get, the more I enjoy it too and appreciate every second on stage.
There was a release gig at Potatisen in Gothenburg, did you manage to create a bit of a nightclub atmosphere there?
It absolutely was just like that! It was my first gig in Gothenburg, and people from Gothenburg really know how to party, wow! It was sing-alongs until the very end, and a real nightclub vibe.
I imagine those moments when you get to share it with others like that are very inspirational?
It means everything! It’s such a powerful feeling to get to share something you have worked on for so long, especially when you see that people have learned the songs. Then it feels a little extra warm in the heart. My favorite way to express myself is through music, and writing lyrics so getting the chance to share that is so incredible.
Today you write songs from the perspective of someone in their twenties. But you were already on stage as a very, very, young girl. You have lived a life that truly seems to have always been surrounded by music, dance and theatre. How did it come about to live life as an artist early on?
The first time I ever stood on stage was in a school production in preschool class, and since that was so early I have a bit of a hard time remembering, but I must have fallen in love with the stage immediately! I have always been very shy but I think that loosened up a bit as soon as I got to be on stage where I felt completely comfortable. My then music teacher took me along to gigs around my hometown, and I simply got hooked after that. I can probably also thank Disney, a lot, considering I grew up with all the musical films from them and the magical music, which I still love to this day
In theatre and musicals you can play roles very different from yourself, how do you see your own artistry in that context. Is your own pop a place that has to be personal for you, or can you write from a third-person or fictional perspective?
Fun question! What I got hooked on with theatre specifically is getting to let go of myself a little and actually get to be someone else and it is also a very good way to find inspiration for lyrics. I can see someone on the street, or in my surroundings or see how friends of mine are doing in life and feel inspired to write about that too. So it doesn’t have to come from personal experiences, it’s also really fun to be able to write as if I were someone else. Then the stories are endless and the thoughts never stop, but I also want to say that it’s very nice to be able to write things out using your own feelings too, then you kind of get an outlet for the things you don’t always dare to say.
Are there any other exciting things happening right now. Whether that is songwriting, theatre, musicals, or club gigs…
Right now I’m studying to become a musical theatre performer at the Ballet Academy in Gothenburg for three years, I’m in my first year now. It takes a lot of time and focus, and I’ve chosen to put my focus there because I think it’s worth it and really fun. I continue with music on the side, of course, but maybe not a hundred percent like before. But I go to Stockholm now and then and record to keep it going anyway! Of course I’m still writing new music all the time. That's what I do when I’m bored. I have a few gigs here and there, and it’s really fun to break up everyday life with that sometimes too! This summer I’m going home to Valdemarsvik to work, and there you'll be able to see me perform on home turf. Among other places in Grännäs on National Day!
