SPOP: HERMAN SILOW TALKS SOM I EN DRÖM

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

Considering it hasn’t been that long since you last released an EP, what was the process like with this new one?

I write a bunch of songs, listen to them, pick out a few that are fairly clear and finished, and record them! It goes quickly and is the most fun both for me and Simon Karlsson, producer and co-writer. We have written an endless stream of songs over the past year and a half and 'Allting förändras' and 'Stanna upp' were written early on, while 'Lasse & hunden' and also 'Från & med nu' are very fresh. 'Dominos' was actually this chorus that originally existed in English and only fairly recently got Swedish lyrics.

What do you want to inspire with the five songs on the EP?

We live in a culture that in many ways has stopped believing in itself and I want to revive the dreamlike, dreams in the literal sense, but also the dream of a better world, dreams of who you want to be as a person and allowing yourself to drift away in your imagination the way I feel we might have been better at in the past!

Experiences and opportunities have fallen like dominos for you these past couple of years?

The strange thing is that it’s happened so gradually and through such hard work that I have barely noticed the difference. Which is nice, since I keep working in similar ways, but also a bit scary because you so quickly become greedy and accustomed to getting to do fun and unusual things.

A lot has happened, but it wasn’t necessarily a short journey to that viral breakthrough. Along the way, there's been different occasions where we got to know you. How long have you really been writing music for?

I have been writing music since I was about five years old but almost always as a hobby and just because I thought it was fun. I do not think it’s a good idea to break through as a teenager or young adult. You often end up paying emotionally for it later in life. I’m surprised by how many people seem to think child-labor is totally fine when it comes to music. It’s damn demanding enough as an adult!

From what I understand, you have quite a few siblings. Is creativity something unique to you, or is there a lot of creativity among you?

My siblings are creative in different ways and to varying degrees, but it’s probably not something we’ve shared or done together. Apart from a few occasions when I wrote music with one of my brothers. But we’re always happy to share thoughts, knowledge, and ideas with each other.

In trend culture, it’s easy to see everything as temporary. With everyone chasing quick fixes having trended doesn’t guarantee people will stick around. But you come across as someone who’s managed to touch hearts in a way that will last. If you follow your own EP’s advice and dream big without cynicism, what do you hope your music will mean, for yourself and for your listeners?

That’s beautifully said, thank you. I usually say that when one of my songs resonates deeply with someone, that person owns the song much more than I ever could. I hope the listeners gets a little window of time to listen with focus, undisturbed and carefully to the EP, and actually pause and stay inside a feeling. Or several. I offer the chance to listen to new music in an old-fashioned way.

There can't be a wandering troubadour without a stage or an audience. You’ve been on stage quite a bit this spring, but what about the summer time?

I have around ten shows planned and hopefully there's more to come! Everything from bigger stages to someone’s living room! I'm neither too big nor too small for anything! At least that’s what I want to believe!