A Conversation with Jesper Lindell.
By: Corduroy Soul
Tags: Interview Questions, Music, Sweden, Conversations

Jesper, for those who might not know much about you or your musical career, please introduce yourself.

Well, I guess I’m a singer/songwriter, though I really don’t like that term. It sounds like the guy who plays “Wonderwall” at parties though no-one asked him to. I’m from the province of Dalecarlia in the middle of Sweden, a place that has gifted the world with music acts such as Mando Diao and The Tallest Man on Earth. When I was 13 years old, I started playing bass and singing in a rock’n’roll band, and since then I’ve basically continued to make and play music. I started this solo thing in 2017 when I released my debut EP “Little Less Blue”. I got lucky enough to have the sister-duo First Aid Kit to do the harmonies on my songs, and their father and former producer Benkt Söderberg to produce the songs. I’ve been playing all over Sweden since then, opening for American acts like Andrew Combs and Justin Townes Earle — which has just been a fantastic experience.

I initially came across your work through Zach Anderson’s account. From my understanding, you recorded your newest single with him, correct? Talk about how your relationship with him? How did you two meet and how describe the recording process?

Zack Anderson and I met about eight years ago, when we lived in the same city, Örebro. We shared a rehearsal space for a little while, and then the drummer from my band also started playing with Zack’s band, Blues Pills. While the recording of my debut EP was a relatively quick affair, I wanted to do something different for my first album. So Zack and I got together and kind of just locked ourselves in the studio for what felt like forever. We recorded and experimented and brought in the musicians that we needed, although I try to play as many instruments as possible myself. The recording process was completely analog, which I like because gives you boundaries — only a certain amount of tracks, for example — that challenge you creatively. And, also, I just like the analog sound a bit more than the digital.

What would you say is your favorite part of the recording process? The writing, recording, or post? Why?

That’s really hard to answer because I’m not sure I like any part of the process. I’m my own worst critic and I don’t like the stuff I do much. It’s just this thing that I feel like I have to do, or I’ll burst. But then again doing it is the best thing I know. Conclusion? I’m a hypocrite.

“Stormy Waters” was the first song I listened to out of your body of work and to be completely honest… I fell for your voice. It’s so soulful! Talk about “Stormy Waters” — Do you recall where you were in life when you wrote it?

Thank you! I remember all to clearly where I was when I wrote “Stormy Waters”. Back then I was signed to one of the larger record labels in Sweden, and I had just been to a meeting with the head of the company. I had played him some demos from my upcoming album, and he didn’t like any of them. And I remember feeling like a shipwreck when I got home, and that’s when I wrote “Stormy Waters”. It took me about five minutes. It all turned out for the best, though: I feel that much of the corporate music industry today are saying one thing, while doing another. They promise their artists creative freedom, to let them develop their own unique sounds and allow them to be bold, but really, they’re just chasing some new hit single that they can commercialize the hell out of. Now, I’m flying solo and I have my creative freedom, and I’ve never been happier.

Do you recall the moment in which you realized that being a musician was the career path for you?

No, but music has been all I’ve been thinking about since I was 13 and first started playing.

Aside from your new music that’s to come, what else can we expect from you in the near future? Any tour dates in the states?

I don’t have anything planned for the States, but I really hope I’ll be able to come over in the foreseeable future. I’m gonna have to play the shit out of Sweden and Europe, first though, I guess.

If you could recommend three albums to readers that have inspired you which ones would they be?

1. The Novelist by Richard Swift

2. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

3. Break Mirrors by Blake Mills

Also: check out the band Holy Hive. Just do it!

Last words?

The song I’m releasing today, “Whatever Happens”, is about long distance relationships–and everything that comes with them. About how hard it can be for us humans to stay together when we’re at completely different places in the world, but that– in the end –we’ll do it for the right people. When my team and I started brainstorming about creating the music video for the song, we wanted to do something really simple. Almost hypnotic, you know. One camera, one take. We created a movie that follows a lonely man who’s eating dinner, while he’s dreaming about other places in the world. Every bite he takes transports him somewhere else. Somehow, I think that connects to the theme of “Whatever Happens”. We all long for something else, to get away from our dull everyday lives– to the people and places we love. We dream that things are gonna work out for the better, and we don’t give up. Whatever happens.”

Socials?

Would be super happy if you followed me @jesperlindellmusic on Instagram and Facebook.