FELICIA HAY TALKS GOLD SHIVERS

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

You’ve been called a local answer to Zara Larsson, but you obviously have the talent to go much further than that. Is it pop stardom on the glittering international, non-local, stage that you're aiming for?

How great of you to think so! Then maybe my goals aren’t completely impossible. Of course, I want to share my music and take it beyond the west coast of Sweden where I come from. Right now, Sweden overall is my main focus since I really enjoy working in the Swedish music industry, but when the time comes, I’ll probably be eager to go international. My goal is to become a Swedish pop-icon.

Did you always know you wanted to make pop?

Music has always been a part of my life since I was a child and I started early in choir, singing, and piano, and I’ve also tried many instruments, but I never really felt that any of them were “my thing” until I became interested in how songs are actually created. I would say that the whole EDM era, when Avicii and others were at their peak, inspired me to start producing music as writing has always come fairly naturally to me, after spending days and nights in LOGIC on the school’s desktop computer, I quickly realized that this was my thing and that creating music is my whole life.

You do a lot of it on your own, is that simply the effect of not having a producer near, or has that independence been something you consciously value in order to stand on your own and maintain creative control?

That’s right, I do a lot myself. All my previous music I’ve created on my own, from idea to release, as well as my entire brand, from marketing to visuals on Instagram. I come from a small town where nobody makes pop music, so it was hard to find someone to work with. It came naturally to do everything myself, even though I would have liked to collaborate with others. Plus, I genuinely enjoy both producing and writing music, and I don’t want to be dependent on anyone. I often get very clear ideas in my head, and I want to be able to release them whenever and wherever I want, maybe a touch of control freak tendencies too, I won’t lie. (Laughs) But I’m working on it.

What tends to come first for you, lyrics or the melody?

I want my music to be an experience, both in headphones and live on stage, so the most important thing for me is to create a feeling in my music, just like I can feel with an ABBA song for example. I consider melodies priority number one, and that’s usually what I start with before building the arrangement. The lyrics usually come based on the feeling of the song, and the message often comes from the period of life I’m in and how I’m feeling.

Which icons hold a special place in your own popheart?

My idols have always been ABBA. I’m also inspired a lot by the big pop wave of the 1980s because I think the music felt more alive back then. Michael Jackson’s rhythms, Madonna’s cheekiness, combined with ABBA’s slightly melancholic melodies, form the foundation of my entire sound, which you will hear in my next single, marking a fresh start for me.

What is this new song about?

'Gold Shivers' is mostly about my longing for love and passion in life. I wanted it to feel desperate and romantic, yet dramatic and bold, with a story about having long searched for the person who simply brings colour to your life, it should feel cinematic. This song also represents a fresh start for me, where I truly feel I’ve found my sound. It’s actually the first time I’ve really explored who I am as an artist, and through the process, I got to know my creativity and found a good balance between simple pop and some interesting chords and melodies.

As amazing as it sounds in headphones, it is only natural to want to experience your music live. After the tour last year, will this summer be just as full of gigs?

Thank you so much for the kind words! There will be slightly fewer performances this summer since I’ve been up in northern Sweden all winter, writing a lot of music, which has been very intense, but I’m so excited to get back on stage with my amazing dancers. In early June, I will be doing my first real festival performance in western Sweden which will be absolutely magical with a completely new set and both released and unreleased material.