Apart (album)

## Singles

1. "In a Stranger's Arms"
Released: 7 February 2020
2. "Who You Lovin"
Released: 17 April 2020
3. "And It Breaks My Heart"
Released: 26 June 2020
4. "Chasing A Feeling"
Released: 7 August 2020
5. "Head And Heart On Fire"
Released: 18 September 2020

***Apart*** is the sophomore album by Swedish pop singer LÉON. It was released on 30 October 2020 under LÉON Recordings.

The album was preceded by five singles: "In a Stranger's Arms," "Who You Lovin," "And It Breaks My Heart," "Chasing A Feeling," and "Head And Heart On Fire."

## Background

Apart marked the first major collaboration between LÉON and longtime friend and producer Martin Stilling, who previously worked with the singer on "Body," "No Goodbyes," and "You And I." Other collaborators include Madelene Eliasson, Fanny Hultman, Amanda Cygnaeus, and Jerker Hansson. Work on the album began as early as 2017, with "Who You Lovin," all the way to two days before the album was submitted in 2020 with "Apart." It was mostly written and recorded in Stockholm.

In a 2019 interview, LÉON revealed that she had already written at least 30 songs for her second album. In a November 2020 Instagram live, LÉON said about choosing which songs made the cut: "The songs that I wrote for this album, I think everybody made the cut that I really, really felt had to be a part of it."

Although the album was partly written during the COVID-19 pandemic, the composition of the album was more affected by LÉON's personal life and relationship, with LÉON stating that 2020 did not "start out on a high" after she returned from her 2019 tour. She explained how creating most of the album with Stilling was helpful: "One of the biggest comforts was that I got to make this new album with one of my best friends here in Stockholm. It was such a good thing for me to just go to the same place, his studio, everyday. [...] So working with someone that really knows me and what I'm going through was really nice." LÉON stated that she was grateful for the "consistency."

LÉON decided to work with Stilling on a whim; one night when at bar she told him, "Okay, I’m just going to decide to make this album with you." Then the COVID-19 pandemic began, and LÉON felt lucky she chose to work primarily with Stilling, stating: "If it hadn’t, if I had felt the need to be somewhere else or work with other people, I know I would’ve felt very stuck. So I’m very happy about how it turned out and that I could be here at home and just work with one person." Because of this, LÉON explained that writing *Apart* was similar to how she wrote before entering the music industry. Instead of working with multiple writers and producers, she was able to write by herself and then bring the songs to Stilling. And he never asked questions, according to LÉON: "Martin knows me so well, way too well, and he won’t ask any questions because he already knows what’s going on in my life. So the way we made this album was like a dream of mine."

LÉON explained the inspiration behind the album's sound: "I really wanted big string sections and that was inspired by old songs from the '70s and '60s, like The Mamas and the Papas and Big Star. Big Star is one of my favorite bands. But it was more that I wanted the album to be a bit more organic, so I wanted it to have those big choirs and big strings."

LÉON described the album as a whole as "very honest" and also "depressing," explaining: "All the songs were pretty emotional to make for me. It's very personal." In a separate interview, she light-heartedly admitted that "a lot of these songs were written during late nights when I was going home in the middle of the night a bit drunk and sad." About the relationship that *Apart* revolves around, LÉON said: "It sounds corny but this year gave me the time to reconnect with myself, learn to be apart from the person that I’m singing about on this album, and figure out how to cope on my own for the first time in years."

The album's title came from Stilling's mother. LÉON revealed in a 2020 interview that she had been stuck on a name, so she asked Stilling's mother for her opinion. After looking through the lyrics and titles, Stilling's mother suggested "*Apart*." LÉON recalled: "She said, ‘That’s what it’s all about, right?’ And we were like ‘Oh my god there it is.'"

When discussing the cover of the album, LÉON revealed that she wanted it to feel as if it was a picture taken right out of a movie, citing the "cinematic feel" and "summer nights" quality that the album's production evoked.

In April 2021, it was announced that *Apart* was nominated for Alternative Pop of the Year at the Grammis Awards, marking LÉON's first time ever being nominated at the ceremony.

## Singles

The era began with the lead single "In a Stranger's Arms," which was released on 7 February 2020.

"Who You Lovin" was officially released as the second single on 17 April 2020 alongside an official lyric video. It marked the first release during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June 2020, "And It Breaks My Heart" was released as the third official single alongside its official music video.

"Chasing A Feeling" was released on 7 August 2020 as the fourth official single alongside its official music video and the album's pre-order.

The fifth and final single, "Head And Heart On Fire," was released on 18 September 2020 alongside its official music video.

## Awards

*Apart* was nominated for Alternative Pop of the Year at the 2021 Grammis Awards in Sweden. This marked LÉON's first time ever being nominated at the ceremony.

## Track listing

### Official music videos

LÉON - And it Breaks My Heart (Official Video)"And It Breaks My Heart" (2020)LÉON - Chasing A Feeling (Official Video)"Chasing A Feeling" (2020)LÉON - Head And Heart On Fire (Official Video)"Head And Heart On Fire" (2020)LÉON - Seventeen (Official Video)"Seventeen" (2021)
### Official audios

LÉON - Head And Heart On Fire (Official Video)1. "Head And Heart On Fire"LÉON - And it Breaks My Heart (Official Video)2. "And It Breaks My Heart"LÉON - Crazy Stupid (Audio)3. "Crazy/Stupid"LÉON - In A Strangers Arms (Audio)4. "In a Stranger's Arms"LÉON - Chasing A Feeling (Official Video)5. "Chasing A Feeling"LÉON - Falling Apart (Audio)6. "Falling Apart"LÉON - Who You Lovin (Official Lyric Video)7. "Who You Lovin"LÉON - Seventeen (Audio)8. "Seventeen"LÉON - Tell Me (Audio)9. "Tell Me"LÉON - Die For You (Audio)10. "Die For You"LÉON - Apart (Audio)11. "Apart"

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Sahai, Fred. “LÉON Faces Isolation on ‘Apart.’” *PAPER*, 30 Oct. 2020, www.papermag.com/leon-apart-2648552455.html.
2. ↑ Lundberg, Simon. “Prata inte över Léons huvud.” *GAFFA*, 5 Apr. 2019, gaffa.se/artiklar/2019/april/prata-inte-over-leons-huvud.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ablondi Olivo, Lauren. “LÉON’s New Album Is for the Drunk And Sad.” *Notion*, 30 Oct. 2020, notion.online/leons-new-album-is-for-the-drunk-and-sad.
4. ↑ “Léon.” *Back to the Music with Ingrid*, 27 July 2021, open.spotify.com/episode/68WCZl0XfjqlOxHjqG207o?si=RxIfA3wxTU2gKfYatvA2AQ.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Barnes, Kelsey. “LÉON.” *1883 Magazine*, 26 June 2021, 1883magazine.com/leon.
6. ↑ Crone, Madeline. “LÉON Gets A Lot Off Her Chest On ‘Apart.’” *American Songwriter*, 30 Oct. 2020, americansongwriter.com/apart-leon-album-interview.
7. ↑ Hafström, Theo. “LÉON on Summer Nights, Sentimentality and Her Second Album.” *Kult Magasin*, 30 Oct. 2020, www.kultmagasin.se/intervju-leon-om-sommarnatter-sentimentalitet-och-sitt-andra-album.
8. ↑ Golden, Michelle. “Swedish Grammis Unveil 2021 Nominations.” *The Daily Rind*, 21 Apr. 2021, dailyrindblog.com/swedish-grammis-unveil-2021-nominations.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 “2021 Archives.” *Grammisgalan*, grammis.se/nominated\_year/2021. Accessed 9 Aug. 2022.