Introducing Emerging Danish Artist Soleima
Bursting onto the scene in 2015 with her single My Boi, Danish pop songstress Soleima is an artist that is catching the attention of listeners everywhere! With a unique sound that mixes the electro-pop and R&B genres, Soleima creates her own music lane, unlike any other. Her 2017 album No. 14 – a lively and unabashed body of – gained praise from music critics and the fashion world . Later that year, she snagged the Talent of the Year at Danish award show P3 Guld, solidifying her status as an artist to watch. Since that impressive year, she has continued her upward trajectory with a release of her 2018 EP Bulldog and latest singles STFU and Cheers for the Tears.
We were able to chat with Soleima about everything from her latest singles, upcoming album and more…
Cheers for the Tears and STFU are two tracks that have strong messages, what inspired you during the writing process of both songs?
There is definitely an attempt to let go of something bad or unhealthy in both songs. They are about the moment that you realize you have been in something that wasn’t good for you, or around something that just isn’t working, and now that you see that, you have to let go or chance it. In that way, they are both empowering songs to me.
You wrote Cheers for the Tears with an impressive set of writers, what was that experience like?
Great! They are amazing writers and producers and I enjoyed writing with them very much. Actually, it was kind of a weird day of writing; we had been working for a week at this camp, and we had reached the last day. All of us were kind of tired and we couldn’t really get anything done. We just talked for the first part of the day, which is sometimes just what you have to do, then in the second part of the day, suddenly the song just came into place in an hour or something – the melodies were there.
What’s the best part about writing music?
I think the interactive-ness of music. There is nothing better than seeing people react to something that you have put so much heart into making. It doesn’t really matter what people actually get out of the songs, even if it is something absolutely different than what I had in mind or felt when writing it. The fact that people are able to take it, and make it in to something that matters to them is an amazing power in music. I feel very blessed to get to do what I do.
You have an album coming out soon? Can you give us a sneak peek at what to expect?
I am very excited to share it with everyone. It has very much been a self-healing process for me writing this album – one of the main themes of the album is learning about self-care and self-love. I have realized that, to me at least, that is where everything else starts.
Your music’s production is so unique, how would you describe your sound?
Someone once described my music as garage-pop – I really liked that description haha 🙂 I imagine staying in the garage kind of drumming on pots and pans trying to get something to work. That is also how I like to think about production when collaborating – trying out 100 different things and seeing what works the best.
In 2017 you won Talent of the Year at P3 Guld, what were your initial thoughts when they announced your name?
That was absolutely insane. I felt honored and very proud; being acknowledged for what you do means a lot to me. However, I would say that in this business it is very important to be happy about what you do, even without the acknowledgment, and that is something I practice. I want to be able to do what’s right for me, no matter how it is received – hopefully people respond well to it.
Along with a career in music, you also have a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology? What was that experience like?
Anthropology is my second passion definitely. I used to live in Tanzania and I think that is where my interest for culture and culture exchange started. I think anthropology brings something important into a more and more divided world of nation-state; and that is the possibility of understanding each other better. Understanding that differences, no matter what they are, are beautiful and necessary.
Does that part of your life ever influence your work and artistry?
I think it influences everything – it’s made me into
who I am and therefore it is in my music as well. I hope one day maybe I will
be able to combine the two more directly than right now. I do make movies a
little bit as well. Right now, we are working on a film about European
influence on fishery in Dakar, Senegal. That is writing itself into a
postcolonial context.
Who were some of your musical influences growing up?
I listened to a lot of R&B and hip-hop growing up: Ray Charles, Stevie wonder, Aretha Franklin. On the hip-hop side of things, it would be Wu-Tang and People Under The Stairs. We were definitely looking backwards and not forwards, me and my friends :). Later on, The Beatles were always a big inspiration for me too.
Since your debut release to now, how have you and your music changed?
I think it has become a little more experimental, and a little more organic. I have been experimenting more and more with recording actual instruments, taking the music out of the computer before putting it back in. That has definitely meant something to my sound and my process. It’s wonderful how your way of working will constantly evolve – I always try to remind myself to reclaim that process.
Soleima’s new single, “Cheers for the Tears”, is out now HERE.
