Faroese artist, Heiðrik, released his debut album, An Invisible Gun, back in 2007. This was the year Patrick Wolf released The Magic Position and it’s striking how these two albums share a very similar Folktronic soundscape, which - listening to them with today’s ears - makes them come across as sibling records. Not unlike Patrick Wolf, Heiðrik's artistic talents span across many different genres and mediums.    Musically, he collaborates with a variety of Nordic artists including Helena Brimheim, Sigmund and Leah Kampmann, and his releases straddle folk, jazz, country and electro-pop. Outside of creating music, you’ll find him directing music videos (he’s recently directed Brimheim’s excellent new music video, Literally Everything) and, rather impressively, he also spends his time making fine art.    He’s been nominated for and won quite a lot of awards, including the ‘Best Male Singer' accolade at the Faroese Music Awards in 2017 as well as the 'Best Music Video' award for the single, Monster, in 2018​​.    Sharing his time between the Faroe Islands and Denmark, this past year, Heiðrik released a tribute album to Björk, reinterpreting some of the Icelandic icon’s tracks and giving them a whole new apparel. He has also recently put out an album with Leah Kampmann - together they release music under the name Einangran - and this album, although released in the autumn, makes for a perfect soundtrack to winter hibernation. In addition, as part of his duo with Faroese buddy, Sigmund, which is called Koboykex, Heiðrik has recently released a country-style cover version of Kylie Minogue’s Padam Padam.    In our interview, Heiðrik reflects on how he and the Faroe Islands have evolved since 2007 when his debut album came out; he talks about some of his artistic influences and also sheds some light on his ways of working.    Very graciously, Heiðrik has also shared with Melody A.M. an exclusive live version of a beautiful unreleased track called Island Fever, which you can catch during our interview.   Over on the Heiðrik page on the Melody A.M. website there's a Heiðrik playlist with a selection of his best tracks. Head over to www.melodyam.com/heidrik.

Elias Kapari has been making music for over two decades - in the early days he had his own bands and he subsequently got involved in production and writing for other artists, working with some of the biggest names in the Swedish music industry including: Icona Pop, Molly Sandén, Linda Sundblad, Veronica Maggio, Oskar Linnros, Ana Diaz, Maja Francis, Cherrie, Victor Leksell, Charlotte Perrelli and previous Melody A.M. guest, Stefan Storm from The Sound of Arrows.   One of the defining chapters of Elias’s career has been his collaborations with Swedish star, Miriam Bryant. Their work together has resulted in a slew of chart-topping mega hits, including ‘Passa Dig’,  Miriam’s duet with Viktor Leksell, 'tystnar i luren' and 'Ge upp igen’, a track she recorded with Yasin. These three songs elevated Miriam’s status in the Swedish music scene and to say they were radio hits would be a huge understatement - you couldn’t get away from them on Swedish radio for months after their release.  In 2022 Elias and Miriam’s work together was recognised at the Swedish Grammys with the album, PS jag hatar dig, clinching the Album of the Year award and ‘tystnar i luren’ winning the award for Song of the Year. ​Elias’s reach is not limited to Sweden. He’s got a credit on the last Stormzy album after Stormzy heard a song called ‘Nu Till Livet’, which Elias co-created with Daniela Rathana on a Swedish television programme called Helt Lyriskt. Stormzy’s song, ‘My Presidents Are Black’, is built around the main melody from Elias and Daniela’s original. Elias has also worked with Danish success story, Christopher, the star of the Netflix hit film, “A Beautiful Life”, and he is also helping Christopher craft his next studio album. There is also a Kylie Minogue connection - sort-of-kind-of - but you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out more about that. Earlier this year, the Swedish broadcaster SVT, brought an American TV format called SONGLAND onto Swedish screens and Elias was part of the expert panel on this brilliant show, which is essentially dedicated to the art of songwriting and production. His place on the panel is testament to Elias's esteemed position in the music industry.  In our interview, we discuss his involvement in SONGLAND, his creative partnership with Miriam Bryant and his forthcoming solo project, allowing him to step from behind the mixing desk and onto the limelight with his own voice taking centre stage.  On our website, at www.melodyam.com/elias you will find our Elias Kapari playlist with highlight moments from Elias’s career, to date.

This episode brings Melody A.M.’s attention back to Norway with singer-songwriter, Ane Brun, who this year celebrates a very special anniversary: 20 years since the release of her debut album, Spending Time With Morgan.  To mark the occasion, Brun has recently released a new retrospective record, Songs 2013-2023, highlighting peak points from her studio recordings in the past 10 years, as well as another collection, Portrayals, which collates some of the best-loved cover versions she has recorded, including her portrayal of Beyonce’s 'Halo', with Linnea Olsson, which has had over 65m streams on Spotify alone, to date.  Spending Time With Morgan came out when Ane Brun was 27 year-old. After flitting and flatting between her Norwegian hometown of Molde and Barcelona, Oslo and Bergen for several years, she eventually settled in Sweden. The album was recorded in Stockholm and Uppsala and its recording was financed through Brun's salary from working at a record store, academic scholarships she’d been awarded and loans from friends who wanted to help her out in return for a future percentage of sales.  When the album was done, Brun really loved the songs and the recordings. She presented a sampler of the album to 4 or 5 record companies and also to some other music business people, but their response was slow and unenthusiastic and she was so hungry to get started, that she decided that it was better to release the music herself, instead of waiting around for anyone else’s permission to do so. In the 20 years since that album’s release, Brun has made her mark not only on the Nordic music scene but all over the world, with an initially folky twist on pop and, in more recent years, an underlying rhythmic and electronic feel to the production.  Speaking with Melody A.M. from her studio, Brun reflects on her two decades in the music business, she shares some details about her next studio album, which she is hopeful to release in 2024, and we also explore the impact of A.I. on musicians and creativity.

Melody A.M. is sticking around in Sweden for this latest episode, with guests Anna Levander and Leopold Nilsson, who make up the Swedish duo, Dolce. Part of the uniqueness of Dolce’s sound is perhaps due to the fact that the production and arrangements hark back to much older Swedish folk music. The more decisive element at play, though, is Anna Levander’s voice. It’s something else. It’s deep, it’s warm, it grabs you and it makes you pay attention. Underpinning that voice are melodies that are surprising and exciting to come back to. Anna and Leopold are originally from Umeå, a university town in the east of Sweden, and they started releasing music 9 years ago, when their first song, ‘Hand i hand’, came out ahead of their debut EP’s release the following year. They’ve had two, much praised, albums after that and are in the process of finishing off work on their third (due in 2024). The Dolce playlist on the Melody A.M. website includes our recommended highlights from the band’s discography and Anna and Leopold have also generously shared with an exclusive early demo version of a song called ‘Skrapsår’, or ‘Scrapes’, with us, which you can hear during our interview. which is included on their forthcoming new album. A studio version of ‘Skrapsår’ will be included on the band's next record.

We’re heading back to Sweden on this, the 7th episode of season 2, with a musician who is so good and so charming that we can’t wait for you to hear our interview. Alma Caroline Cederlöf, who goes by the nom de plume GRANT, is already a big, big name in her homeland - so much so that her latest album, Truth & Consequences, was recently shortlisted for the Alternative Pop of the Year award at this year’s Swedish Grammis.    A Stockholmer through and through, the majority of GRANT’s music has come out in English and her command of the language results not only in great lyrics, which shy away from cliches and offer an interesting twist on both familiar and less commonplace themes, but also some pretty fantastic song titles. She has that tricky-to-define star power that rests on a trio of strengths: incredible voice, charisma by the bucketload and a real knack for songwriting.   In our interview, Caroline tells Doron about the very 2023 way she found out about her Grammis nomination, she very kindly explains the whys and wherefores of 3 quintessentially Swedish (and rather popular) music shows on Swedish television – all of which she has previously performed on - and we talk about her joining the band MOR last year and how they came to record a rather impactful cover version of David Guetta and Kelly Rowland’s monster hit, "When Love Takes Over". As usual, for every guest artist on the podcast we have a special playlist featuring some of their best tracks. On the GRANT playlist on our website - at www.melodyam.com/grant - you can listen to highlights from her discography, including that fantastic cover version and other collaborations with MOR.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been held annually since 1956 – with the only exception being 2020, when the competition had to be cancelled due to coronavirus. It has been the longest-running yearly international music competition on TV and one of the world's longest-running TV programmes overall. Since 1956 there have been 14 victories by Nordic countries at Eurovision.   The biggest success story in terms of wins at Eurovision, among the Nordic five who take part, belongs to Sweden. To date, Sweden has won 7 times, most recently in May 2023 when Loreen's "Tattoo" pipped Finland to the post. There were three Nordic countries in the top 5, with Finland coming 2nd and Norway coming 5th. Despite sending some 10/10 bangers to the contest, Iceland is the only Nordic country to remain without a win, yet.    To geek out about the role that the Nordics have at Eurovision, Doron is joined for this special episode by the host of the Official Eurovision Podcast and former BBC radio 1 presenter, Steve Holden. Steve is not only a fellow long-time Eurovision fan but has also got to meet and interview many Eurovision legends over the years, so it’s been great to hear some of his insights and find out about important issues such as which acts he’d like to see return to Eurovision in the future and which historic obscure national selection entries he thinks were robbed.    On our website at www.melodyam.com/eurovision you will find a playlist with suggested Eurovision-related tracks from years gone by including some of the songs that didn’t quite manage to make it to Eurovision but perhaps should have.

Norwegian trio, KEiiNO, has been making Northern Lights-style waves in the world of pop since winning Norway’s pre-Eurovision selection competition, Melodi Grand Prix, and subsequently representing their country at the song contest in 2019.   Fred Buljo, Alexandra Rotan and Tom Hugo wowed audiences around the world with their entry, "Spirit in the Sky”, and the song has brought them a loyal fanbase, which – in turn – means that they’ve had plenty of exciting opportunities to tour around the world.   KEiiNO’s sound, which mixes pop, dance and traditional Sámi joiking really stands out so that, even when they are covering other people’s songs, their distinct approach to crafting an impactful pop production is instantly recognisable (A-Ha’s “The Sun Always Shines On TV”, being a prime example). Their debut album, OKTA, offers no dull moments.   Building on their Eurovision success, KEiiNO returned to Melodi Grand Prix in 2021 with the song "Monument". The group delivered an electrifying performance that earned them second place in the competition, solidifying their status as one of Norway's most beloved musical acts.   The group's dedication to highlighting Sámi culture through their music is an important part of their identity and, in our interview, it emerges that some KEiiNO fans have been learning Sámi after discovering the language and its cultural background through the music.   Fred, Alexandra and Tom generously took time away from recording new music whilst in a remote cabin in Trysil, in the East Norway, to chat to Melody A.M. They talk about how they create music together, the importance of taking a jacuzzi break, the superiority of Norwegian cow’s milk and tap-water and –importantly – we explore the possibility of a KEiiNO return to Eurovision in the future.   Check out our KEiiNO playlist at www.melodyam.com/keiino, for some of the triumvirate’s discography highlights.

With a frenetic twist on electronic pop, ALMA has over the past 7 years become one of the most exciting pop artists in the world.   ALMA first rose to fame a decade ago when she took part in the Finnish version of the popular singing competition, IDOLS. Her powerful voice and energetic stage presence quickly caught the attentions of the judges and audiences alike and she went on to place fifth in the competition. Her enviable career trajectory following the show, however, shows that it’s not all about winning competitions. ALMA’s debut single, "Karma", came out in 2016 and she has, since, collaborated with some of the biggest names in pop, including Miley Cyrus, Charli XCX, Tove Lo, Tove Styrke and MØ.   Our interview coincides with the release of ALMA’s highly anticipated new album, Time Machine, which showcases her growth and development as an artist. It also sees her building on her songwriting prowess, penning lyrics that, at times, come from a very personal, honest place.   With a bold style and a daring, unapologetic attitude, ALMA is a role model for many in the LGBTQIA+ community, her music speaking to the struggles and triumphs of everyday life, with a message of self-acceptance and individuality, which resonates with fans of all ages.   Listeners who have been following Melody A.M. for a while may recall that season 1 of the podcast ended with a special episode looking at the tremendous work of song-writing and production powerhouse, Max Martin. Having worked with Max Martin’s team on her new album, ALMA tells me about the sound advice and the steer which the man himself offered, in order to help make Time Machine the big pop moment that it is. We also talk politics, what with the recent Finnish elections making it impossible not to and I find out a bit about Helsinki as well as what ALMA loves most about her home country. On our website, at www.melodyam.com/alma you can also find a playlist dedicated to some of ALMA's finest pop moments.

Ásgeir became a huge star in Iceland just as he was turning 20 years old. His debut album, which came out in 2012, ended up being the fastest-selling debut album in Icelandic history. We’re talking even more successful than Björk!   Originally performed in Icelandic, the songs were subsequently translated into English with the help of John Grant, and released internationally under the title In the Silence. The leading single from it, “King & Cross”, has - to date - had just under 60 million streams on Spotify alone.   What is it that makes Ásgeir’s music so attractive to the ear? It is, essentially, about the combination of the poetic lyrics (some of which were, in fact, written by his father), Ásgeir’s soft and soothing voice and the melodic richness that shines through both those of his songs that are layered with many dimensions of arrangements and those that are more stripped back.   Ásgeir’s most recent record, Time On My Hands, released in 2022, took the sound he had developed over the preceding decade and incorporated an additional, electronic aesthetic into the production, creating a beautiful blend of folk and pop.   For this episode of Melody A.M., Ásgeir has very kindly given us two acoustic recordings to share with our listeners. One is an Icelandic version of his song “Eventide”, which originally appeared on his 2020 album, Bury The Moon. The second recording is a stripped-back revisit of his 2019 single, “Youth”.   In our interview, Ásgeir tells Melody A.M. about the harsh winter they’ve had in Reykjavik, he talks about the evolution of his writing and his sound, he gives an insight as to how he sometimes likes to pass the time when he’s on tour and shares his dream of where he’d like to one day perform live.

For fans of cutting edge pop music, there is currently one particularly exciting Norwegian record label making a real impact. It’s called GEMS and this episode of Melody A.M. is dedicated to one of its key signings, DØSSI. Being raised near the fjords on the West coast of Norway, Ingrid Døssland grew up on 90s pop - Shaggy’s ‘Mr Boombastic’ and the music of the Spice Girls being just a couple of examples of her early childhood inspirations. Her own music is something completely different, however. Being something of a virtuoso - she’s been playing piano and cello since she was very young and she’s also sung in choirs - DØSSI’s music has a tender, gentle and folky slant on pop music. At the heart of it is her beautiful voice, which was recently on display, as it were, at London’s St Pancras Old Church, where DØSSI performed together with fellow Norwegian musician, Inger Nordvik.  DØSSI’s debut album, “love, let go and love again”, came out at the very end of 2022. It offers emotional songwriting and beautiful melodies, including the absolutely mesmerising title track as well as the Melody A.M. favourite, ‘wildflower’, which DØSSI has recorded a special acoustic version of for the podcast.  In our interview, DØSSI also speaks about how she very nearly went down the path of becoming an opera singer, we discuss cinnamon buns as an innovative approach to selling gig tickets and we hear about what the Bergen-based musician loves about the city that is now her home. Make sure you also check out our DØSSI playlist on our website at www.melodyam.com/dossi which features ten of her best tracks (to our ears!).

This, the first episode of Season 2 of Melody A.M., is dedicated to Icelandic musician, Emilíana Torrini, who began her music career in the mid-1990s, contributing vocals to the debut album by Icelandic band, Spoon. She went on to release her own debut, a covers album, in 1995. Having subsequently moved to London, she signed a record deal with One Little Indian, home to the likes of Björk, Chumbawamba, Skunk Anansie, Sneaker Pimps and the Sugarcubes. In 1999 she released her breakthrough album, Love in the Time of Science, which soon established her reputation as a talented singer, songwriter and live performer. The album featured electronic beats, introspective lyrics and Torrini's powerful vocals, which some compared to Björk and Kate Bush. Throughout her career, Torrini has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Belgian duo, The Colorist Orchestra, with whom she has worked on her new album, Racing The Storm, as well as pop icon Kylie Minogue. 'Slow', the chart-topping hit Torrini wrote for Minogue with long-term musical partner, Dan Carey, celebrates its 20th anniversary in Autumn 2023. With a career spanning over nearly three decades, Torrini continues to make music that piques the listener's interest. Talking to Melody A.M. about her work with The Colonist Orchestra, Torrini says: “It’s the circus I always wished to run away with as a kid”.  In this interview, she also reveals that she's been working on two additional new albums, the first of which is due out in 2024. She also recalls what it was like working with Kylie Minogue and what inadvertent sonic quirk might have made 'Slow' the timeless hit it is. Check out www.melodyam.com/emiliana where you can find an Emilíana Torrini playlist with some of our favourite tracks from this artist.

Even if you don’t know his name, there can hardly be a human alive who hasn’t heard at least half a dozen songs by Max Martin, who’s done more to shape today’s pop music landscape than almost anyone else. He’s launched the careers of legends, and been the go-to guy for anybody whose career needed a surefire hit.  Born in Stockholm, he learnt the skills of the trade under Denniz Pop, one of the most successful songwriters and producers of the ‘90s, and quickly became his own pop powerhouse. He’s achieved success beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, with, to date, 25 number ones on the US Billboard charts.  In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Polar Music Prize by the King of Sweden himself. And now there’s even a jukebox musical, & Juliet, featuring some of his most beloved songs. If you’re still not sure who he is, how about a roll call of some of the talent he’s worked with? There’s Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, Robyn, Backstreet Boys, Adele, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Lady Gaga… need we go on?  So we couldn’t have a Nordic music podcast without discussing this titan. We invited brilliant music journalist, Michael Cragg, who is also the founder of Maxopedia, the one-stop shop for all things Max Martin, to join us on the podcast and share his thoughts on the Swede and his greatest achievements, those Max Martin tracks that you didn’t even know were Max Martin tracks, and his take on what the future holds.  Don’t forget to check out our Max Martin Playlist at https://www.melodyam.com/max where we took on the painstaking task of whittling down his hits for your delectation.

After persistently pursuing Britney and Madonna collaborator, Guy Sigsworth, to work with her, Norwegian singer-songwriter, film & tv score composer and multi-instrumentalist, Kate Havnevik, produced one of the most spectacular debut albums with 2006’s Melankton. As a simplistic soundscape comparison point, think Björk’s 'Jóga'. And then some. She has since gone on to become one of the most successful synch artists, with no less than ten of her songs being used on American television drama, Grey's Anatomy. Moreover, producer Shonda Rhimes subsequently invited her to write and record a new track especially for the show and the song in question, 'Grace', has now appeared for the first time on a reissued 15th anniversary version of Melankton. 2022 also saw the release of Kate's latest long-player, Lightship, in partnership with Sigsworth and also including a track with percussionist and composer, Talvin Singh. In this interview with Melody A.M. Kate tells Doron and Chris about baking cakes to fund her music releases, what her creative process with her collaborators looks like and about the time David Bowie came up to her and said "Hi, are you Kate?". Check out our Kate Havnevik playlist at www.melodyam.com/kate with some of our favourite tracks by this Norwegian talent.

Boy bands are a cultural phenomenon. Whether they’re slowly rising from stools or wanting it that way, they are an inescapable force of nature within pop music.  And Oscar Enestad knows better than most, having cut his teeth in one of Sweden’s biggest ever boy bands, FO&O, who won hearts - and awards - before going their separate ways in 2017. The three main members (a fourth left the band) have all gone on to big things: Omar Rudberg has a pop career and stars in Netflix’s huge hit, Young Royals. Felix Sandman has taken a similar route, simultaneously releasing music and acting in popular shows in Sweden and Norway. And Oscar Enestad, star of this episode, has just launched his debut album, Drömmar.  The album offers wall to wall melodic pop, with echoes of some of his big influences, The 1975 and Troye Sivan. Falsetto vocals blend with personal lyrics and catchy tunes to create a strong impression and launch him onto the Swedish music scene.   We chatted with him about life in the band versus life as a solo artist, explored whether he might soon be putting his acting chops to the test, and found out what it was like going to a music school in Stockholm surrounded by future world stars…  Check out our website at www.melodyam.com/oscar where you will also find an Oscar Enestad playlist with some of our favourite tracks by the Swede.

Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and filmmaker Jonna Lee started her music career as a fairly unassuming folk musician. Her big international breakthrough came when, in 2009, a series of mysterious videos started appearing on YouTube - and quickly went viral. Speculation as to their creator was rife - was it Christina Aguilera? Could it be Goldfrapp? - but it eventually turned out to be iamamiwhoami, Jonna’s electronic music and audiovisual project in collaboration with Claes Björklund. Jonna founded her own record label, to whom it may concern, and three beautiful electronic albums followed, with iamamiwhoami’s music ranging from glacial soundscapes to pounding electronic beats and pop behemoths, all accompanied by spectacular visual counterparts. Long before anyone had heard of covid-19 and lockdowns, iamamiwhoami were at the cutting edge of online concerts, creating immersive experiences which fans all over the world could enjoy. 2010’s In Concert, the first iteration of their live shows, was not only a musical art installation but also an effective way for a new act to perform to fans internationally, through an online shared experience. In 2017, Jonna embarked on a solo project under the moniker ionnalee, although she maintained the same ethos, releasing a visual film alongside the album Everyone Afraid to be Forgotten. The follow-up, Remember the Future, featured collaborations with Röyksopp, Zola Jesus and fellow Swede Jennie Abrahamson. And now, in 2022, Jonna is back with Claes as the pair release their latest iamamiwhoami album, Be Here Soon. We caught up with Jonna just a couple of weeks before its release - due on the same day as the birth of her first child - to discuss this latest project. Check out our artist playlist with a selection of (a modest) twenty of our favourite iamamiwhoami and ionnalee tracks at www.melodyam.com/iam

Danish band Efterklang formed in Copenhagen in late 2000 and have been bewitching audiences with their blend of atmospheric pop and lush orchestral rock ever since. No strangers to worldwide critical acclaim, as well as commercial success in their native Denmark, their career has seen them form their own record label, start several side projects, as well as travel to an abandoned Russian settlement near the North Pole to record sounds in and around the decaying industrial sites. In 2021 the trio - Casper Clausen, Mads Brauer and Rasmus Stolberg - released their sixth studio album, Windflowers. The isolation of recent years allowed them to refocus on the essential, reconnecting with each other and nature, and embody change through the symbolic titular flower, resulting in one of the most beautiful records to come out of the collective trauma the world endured thanks to the pandemic. We caught up with Casper to look back on two decades of Efterklang, reflect on the band’s illustrious live career, and discuss his own recent critically-acclaimed debut solo album, Better Way. ​Check out our Efterklang-inspired playlist at www.melodyam.com/efterklang

The Sound of Arrows are a Swedish electropop duo - often compared with Pet Shop Boys at their dreamiest - comprising of Stefan Storm and Oskar Gullstrand. They broke through in 2011 with the album, Voyage, which quickly became a cult hit for the Popjustice generation with its hopeful lyrics, soaring melodies and euphoric hooks. They followed this eventually in 2017 with the album Stay Free, which built on their sound and added a stellar cast of supporting characters, including Annie and Niki and the Dove. With Oskar focusing on work in film, it’s fair to say that Stefan is the lead player in The Sound of Arrows and he has his fingers in multiple musical pies, having written with the likes of British legends Richard X and Xenomania, and, in 2020, co-writing and producing Norwegian icon, Annie’s long-awaited comeback album, Dark Hearts. We caught up with him to chat about his work with The Sound of Arrows and Annie, as well as the many other collaborations he’s done or has in the pipeline. We’ve also built a playlist of his top tunes, which you can find at www.melodyam.com/stefanstorm

ABBA need no introduction. Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anni-Frid are four of the most famous Swedes of all time and one of the world’s biggest bands ever, with hundreds of millions of album sales and their ubiquitous Greatest Hits collection, Gold, having spent more than 900 weeks in the UK charts. No one will have missed their recent comeback after 40 years, with the album Voyage and their upcoming Abbatar residency in London. But ABBA haven’t always been viewed with the reverence they are today, though, often being sniffed at by critics and forgotten by audiences until a resurgence in interest in the 1990s, spearheaded by Erasure, Australian films Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Muriel’s Wedding, and the group A-Teens, led them back to where they are today - helped in no small part by the show and film Mamma Mia, of course. So it makes perfect sense that, in Stockholm, the place where it all began, these pop behemoths should eventually get their own museum, which opened in 2013. It quickly became a staple part of any tourist’s visit and has maintained its huge success ever since. We wanted to find out a little bit more about this cultural Mecca and in this episode we Are speaking to Museum Director, Caroline Fagerlind, not only about the museum itself, but also about ABBA’s Stockholm, their new music and the ABBA VOYAGE shows. www.melodyam.com/abba

Faroese musician, Janus Rasmussen, has many strings to his bow and, alongside his own solo music and a multitude of collaborations with other artists (as producer, engineer and songwriter), he is also famous for his highly-celebrated work with Ólafur Arnalds as KIASMOS. Now based in Reykjavik, Rasmussen’s discography has spanned multiple genres. The electro-pop elements of his early career with the band Bloodgroup have evolved into a rich, predominantly instrumental techno-tingle soundscape and his prowess as a producer has also brought about a successful side-career as a host of a series of production tricks videos on Youtube. Rasmussen’s debut album, Vin, was nominated for the Nordic Music Council Prize and we’ve included tracks from that record together with other highlights on our Janus Rasmussen playlist which you can check out on our website at www.melodyam.com/janus

What do you get when you combine two of Sweden’s hottest songwriters and performers in a duo? Musical magic, of course. And magic is something which Pure Shores, made up of Ji Nilsson and Marlene, provide with everything they release. The pair have always worked together behind the scenes, co-writing and producing on each other’s solo hits. Both burst into the scene around 2014, with Marlene’s instantly iconic Bon Voyage, and Ji’s Heartbreakfree. They continued releasing gorgeous solo hits throughout the years, but it’s when they duet together that they truly shine. First up came a one-off release for International Women’s Day, Love You Anyway. The pair then treated us to a couple more duets over the years, until they decided to make things official in 2019, launching Pure Shores - yes, they are named after that legendary All Saints song. Each pop nugget provides three minutes of sugary joy, always recognisable with the “Pure Shores” tag at the top of the track. 2022 sees them release their first EP, as well as continuing to work on music for other artists. We caught up with Marlene and Ji to geek out over our collective love of pop music and get their guide to the coolest hangouts in Stockholm. We’ve also put together a playlist of some of their choicest jams, so check it out on our website at www.melodyam.com/pureshores