Singer, Songwriter

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: Recently I've been mostly focused on my own music (although I'm now trying to get into the session game again), so I've got to say that it's my own music that I'm most proud of, and think is the most fun working on.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Right now I'm working on several of my own singles together with producers in Sweden.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Don't have any affiliates on SoundBetter at the moment!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Would love to work only with analog, but unless you're a millionaire or a high-end producer, it's hard to always do it that way. on the other hand why not work with the best of both worlds?

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: Vocals done by a professional with a vocal signum and attention to detail.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: It's not a job. Music is an addiction, religion, way of life, romance, and a lifelong friend through hell and high water.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Can you do this? Yes, probably :)

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: I never "tune" my vocals. Clients are free to do it themselves or hire somebody. But to me, it just pulls the life out of the music doing so.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are your expectations for this project? Is it a demo or are you going to release it?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Think a bit before where you want the song to go. It'll save a lot of time in communication and you won't throw money in the pond when you realize the provider your working with can't give you what you actually want.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: Bringing a laptop won't do any good on a desert island, so I'll go with my Tanglewood guitar, a thinwhistle, my djembe, a Marshall JVM410H and a strat, just in case I find a place to plug it in so I can play Hendrix all over the pacific.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I've played music since I could walk. I was born in Gothenburg in Sweden. My earliest memories of music were when my mom took me to her classes in Balkan ring dances. I remember loving sounds of Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Romania. I was also taught Swedish folk music on violin and clarinet at an early age, but from what I recall I mostly dug Bob Marley and Habib Koité at the time. After high school, I traveled for many years playing music in the streets of Europe, Australia, and New Zeeland. Then went on to become a father almost four years ago, settling down in my native Gothenburg, in Sweden. Since then I've been working locally as a singer and musician devoting most of my time to my own music, writing, producing and recording.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I guess it's dynamic, but not for the sake of just being that. It's just a way of singing that I've grown used to. I love singing the old soul tunes of Etta James, Rya Charles, and Aretha Franklin, but I'm grown up listening to the great singer-songwriters of the last century: Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, The Beatles.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Alicia Keyes would be so surreal to work with. She's in my opinion this century's most gifted singer-songwriter.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't use open headphones when you lay down vocal tracks.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Singer-songwriting, soul, pop, rock, folk.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Hmm, a hard one! But I have to say that it is that I can interpret a wide range of styles and still keep the integrity of my own voice and feel.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I always try my best to give everything I do character, new dimensions, and intensity that lasts.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I just get on the ball. I do my best work when I can isolate myself for at least 6 hours or so, to really be able to deep dive. However, we all know what it's like to start at 8 am and end up working 19 hours in a row.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I most often use a Sure Sm7b through a Cloudlifter into an Apogee Duett and Logic X. Very standard, but extremely reliable and great-sounding!

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Sting, Alicia Keyes, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, John Fogerty, Frank Zappa, Coldplay...

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Most often I lay down vocals and harmonies for demo productions, but now and then the songs are for releasing as well, which is always fun!