It’s a good time to be Swedish. Like a new wave of all-conquering Vikings, the Swedes are tearing up the literary, film and (of course) music charts, coming a long way since the relatively tame days of Pippi Longstocking and ABBA. When announced earlier this year that Robyn would release not one, but three albums in 2010 (following five years out of the studio), her fans must have felt a sense of the proverbial bus: ‘you wait for one, then three come along at once’, and then eagerly awaited this titillating musical trilogy. Body Talk Part 1 was released back in June, and Part 2 was out last week. Part 3 remains TBC. Rollacoaster is fortunate enough to have stolen some time from the diminutive pop star between photo shoots (she’s in the UK for another promotional whirlwind), before she hops back on a plane to return to her homeland to continue work on the third title.
A surprising amount of music in the world originates from Sweden. with your three albums this year, are you looking to single-handedly increase
that percentage?
[Smiles] I’m not thinking in the terms of Swedish music or taking over the world – I’m just making music. I’ve been making records for about 15 years and the scenario of releasing an album, then touring, and not making an album until maybe every fifth year just felt boring. So it’s not a conceptual idea or any kind of attempt at breaking a world record or anything – it’s just a new way of working.
Do you have a travelling recording studio that goes everywhere with you?
No, I go back to Sweden regularly to record with the people I work with there – which is nice for me because I get to be home a bit as well.
What’s the best thing about Sweden?
It would probably be that you get free dental care until you are 18.
Excellent! Although not if you’re too old for that…. other prominent Swedish exports currently include films and books, such as Let The Right One In and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – are you a fan of any of those?
I’m more inclined to read, Let The Right One In.
Are you a fan of vampires?
Not really a fan of vampires, but I think that writer [John Ajvide Lindqvist] is interesting. He’s made a couple of books – not only about vampires but zombies and all kinds of scary stuff.
Do you find you are patriotic?
As I’m growing older it is easier to appreciate our social system and how people are taken care of in Sweden. And I appreciate that there are not a lot of people – you can go out into the woods and really be alone. There is a lot of nature. It’s a calm and good place to go back to when you’ve been touring!
Out of Alexander Skarsgård, Freddie Ljungberg or Benny Andersson, who would you choose?
Um… Benny Andersson, I would say.
Is that the musical connection? or do you think he is desirable?
Oh, you mean like that!? [Laughs]
Well, whatever!
Well, yeah for me it’s Benny. I think ABBA is the most admirable accomplishment out of those three, for me.
If you could make a Swede super group, who would be in it?
Neneh Cherry, Karin Dreijer from The Knife and one of the girls from ABBA.
How did Snoop Dogg get on board for the track U Should Know Better on body Talk Part 2?
I did some vocals for one of his remixes [2008’s Sexual Eruption] and we just decided to say “Hi” when I was in LA and hook up. He’s a really interesting person – he loves music, he’s very smart and funny.
Are there other people you would want to work with?
I don’t keep a list... I work with a lot of people who are not generally known.
Are there any unsung champions you would like to highlight now?
Well there is Klas Åhlund – he has a band called Teddybears who some people know about – we make most of the music on my albums together. There is also a guy called Patrik Berger who produced Dancing On My Own. There are lots of people in Sweden that are amazing.
You’ve been touring with Kelis for the All Hearts Tour in America. We’ve heard that her milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, but is her milkshake better than yours?
[Giggles] We have different types of milkshake. I think hers is more strawberry, mine is more liquorice.
Did you enjoy touring together?
We loved touring together and I think our fans really liked us touring together as well – it felt like it, at least. She’s a really cool chick, she’s really down to earth, really nice.
Will that same tour be coming to the UK?
Maybe. We haven’t talked about it yet, we’ll see. We’re already booked doing different things so it’s more about organisation than the actual will – we’d both love to do it.
How is Body Talk Part 3 going?
It’s going really well. It’s very early. I’ve just started writing again so it’s very hard to say. But I have some things I’m working on with Klas, Patrik Berger, Kleerup and Diplo. Hopefully it’ll be done this year, but it might take a bit more time. It could take until next year. We’ll see.
Do you shop in Ikea?
Of course! Doesn’t everyone?
[Originally published in Rollacoaster Issue 1, September 2010. Photography John-Paul Pietrus.]
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