Amanda Winberg/AMWIN
Amanda Winberg, aka AMWIN, is genuine and filled with energy. She contributes to the music scene with something fresh, new and powerful. This past summer, she did some live shows, something that has clearly got her buzzing: “I’ve been kind of on the low for a little while, as I’ve been focusing on developing my music and sound, so it was great to go out and meet the audience again!”

Winberg’s voice is clear and filled with poise: when she sings, you listen. She is daring in her lyrics and unapologetic about who she is – just take a listen to her debut single, Uber, or Living Mistake, released earlier this year. She describes the music as “a mix of all things I love – and sometimes don’t love. As I release more of it, it’s going to become even more clear who AMWIN is.”

Her artistry has grown over the years and is still evolving, taking on new shapes and expression. “I’m still growing as I’m getting to know myself and what I like even better,” she says. “I meet new people and learn new things every day, both in music and in life. It’s my goal to keep learning and growing, but I don’t think I’ll ever change.”

When it comes to fashion, Winberg reveals she is “obsessed” with FKA twigs – both her style and her artistic expression. Winberg also feels that need to express herself, to communicate and create. “To me, fashion is a tool for doing that. My style changes a lot, depending on the mood I’m in when I wake up. I’ve always been like that,” she admits. “I could show up at school as a punk girl one day, and in a preppy look the next. Fashion helps me connect and express all my different sides.”

Clearly, fashion and clothes work like an extension of her personality and mind, and she is a firm fan of Whyred’s edgy clothes. Their combination of being daring, stylish and wearable is something that suits her well. “I actually first fell in love with the brand for real a year ago, when I found this beautiful mint green suit with puff arms and oversized pants,” she says. “It’s the perfect oversized suit – I love to wear things oversize – with the perfect mix of cute and bold, two of my favourite things.”

It’s clear that the visual aspects of life are important to her: she is a visual person who sees by hearing. “I sometimes live more in my head than in the real world. So when I hear a song I immediately start thinking things like, ‘What does this song look like?’ To me, one of the most intriguing parts of working with music is making a song come alive,” she says. Of the process, she is a 100% involved, not just in the visual side of things – it goes for every part of her artistry. “I enjoy creating – it makes me calm and stimulated. I love seeing visions come alive, even though, like most creators, I always find at least a hundred things I want to improve.”

To challenge everything that is comfortable and neat is something that is important to her in order to evolve, even the seemingly small things. “It’s easy to set up rules for who you are and what you’re capable of, which are rarely true,” she says. “It’s important to challenge yourself with little things in your everyday life, or just change a routine you’ve gotten stuck in. I also think you just need to stop sometimes and take in your surroundings as well. I find myself sometimes stuck in my own mind, with my own thoughts, and when that happens I find the people around me to be a huge source of inspiration in a lot of different ways.”

Fortunately, there’s more to come from AMWIN soon – her new single is due to be out in October. Make sure to keep your eyes and ears open.

Mapei
In 2013, Mapei made the world fall in love with her with Don’t Wait, her single that became an instant hit. Now she’s back to make us fall in love with her stunning voice and sound all over again.

She recently moved back to Sweden from Los Angeles, although she’s always seen the world as her home – “like a true global citizen”. But right now, Sweden is the place where she works best. “Plus it’s where most of my friends are,” she says. “It started with me doing one gig here two years ago and ended up with me staying. You never know where I will end up. As with most immigrants who come to Sweden and work hard, their dream is to build a house and go back to their motherland. My dream is to reside by the beach in Monrovia, Liberia, or somewhere, and open a small juice bar of some sort. I think I was built to chill and do art in some remote place, in order for me to come back to metropolitan areas and put my canvases on display, whether that be of art, music or theatre. Sweden is a place that uplifts artists without them having to live by a standard of not eating or sleeping.”

Living in cities all around the globe and the experience of meeting people going the distance with their thing has taught her a lot and influenced her sound and creativity. “Living in New York from the age of 18 taught me a lot about life. Watching artists on television from afar in Sweden left me in the dark about how the industry really works. It really is an industry, and when you conform to that, your art will be a product. I met artists doing their own thing, and that made me believe that I could, too. I think I brought a sense of independence to the table in Sweden. I’m definitely an explorer when it comes to music. A heavy bass never hurts, though. I grew up hearing music like Stevie V or Latin freestyle blasting out of cars, only to find myself in Stockholm, in a very melancholic setting, so I would say I am a mix of that.”

Being an artist has many sides to it – it offers the opportunity to express yourself but also demands a lot of hard work. And being a musician and artist is something that has changed over the years, Mapei feels. “Not only are you a artist nowadays, you are a model and an influencer, with the gab of a mayor,” she says, laughing. “Jokes aside, it takes balls to say you’re an artist and do what you love at the same time as keeping business afloat. It is such an abstract field that has existed for decades and there really is no blueprint.”

Mapei’s voice is powerful, timeless and warm, with that certain old-school glamour that is hard to pinpoint. It was when she noticed that she could hit the “Mariah Carey note” that she knew she could sing. “That’s when I was like, ‘Mom, I wanna be a star.’ Throughout the years I have learnt that being a star is not everything. It is the creativity that counts, and luckily I am gifted with writing songs, visual art, and so on. I am still learning, though… ”

Over the years, her sound has changed and gotten closer to her aesthetic. By creating pictures in her music of feelings and things she has gathered up seems to work as an outlet for her. “Music is like the love partner I cannot leave. It always calls on me, so I have accepted it’s love and I nourish it and make sure it reflects me,” she says.

Whyred has been a favourite of Mapei for some time now and, besides being in love with the name, she thinks their clothes and design always are on point. “Whyred is a legendary brand,” she says, although fashion is something that comes and goes in her life. “But there is no escaping the fact that everything is fashionable in or out of its context, which means anything can be fashionable. If we see a runway with naked people, nude will be the way to go. I hope… ” Mapei says, demonstrating her seemingly uncomplicated relationship with clothes.

Later this autumn, you’ll find Mapei on stage in both Copenhagen and Stockholm. While currently in the phase of working with new material, it’s hard for her to choose between the studio and being on stage. “The road is an external adventure and the studio is an internal one. I can’t choose between the two. I love sharing, so touring is the best way to do that.” He new single will be released soon, so get ready to welcome home one of Stockholm’s coolest voices.

Team credits:

Words by Amanda Båmstedt
Talents: Amanda Winberg, Mapei 
Photography by Dan Sjölund
Styling by Pejman Biroun Vand
Hair & Make-up by Lillis Hermansson
Special thanks to Whyred

Fashion credits: 

#1 Trouve Paisley Jacket  
#2 Francoise Jumpsuit, Showpiece Shoes 
#3 Showpiece Shirt and Shoes, Ruth Heavy Stone Jeans 
#4 Trouve Paisley Jacket, Babette Lux Trousers and Paul Shoes  
#5 Showpiece Jacket, Jeans and Shoes 
#6 Showpiece Dress
#7 Showpiece Jacket, Karolina Cherrie Shirt 
#8 Vincent Jacket, Showpiece T-shirt, Margaux Hat 
#9 Showpiece Jacket, Trousers and Shoes, Karolina Cherrie Shirt 
#10  Mills BD Paisley Shirt, Jeanne Trousers, Göthberg Shoes, Elroy Hat 

All looks by Whyred 

Dead Vibrations

Consisting of Christian Jansson, Elmer Hallsby, Josefin Ahlqvist Lyzwinski and Louise Erdman, Dead Vibrations break the sound barrier with their heavy tunes. Just listen to their eponymously named debut album, released in January – it will blow your mind. The Stockholm-based band combines the darkest aspects of psych rock with minimalist shoe gaze, accompanied by angry drums.

They explain their own sound by saying that it’s characterised by their previous individual experiences as musicians. “Everyone has their own way of playing and musical peculiarities that go in different directions, which I believe makes the final sound unique,” says bassist Hallsby.

Jansson, Dead Vibrations’ vocalist and guitarist, says the album stands out quite a bit from their previous releases, since they did not have to work to any deadlines when producing it. This allowed them to take their time and let the music grow. “The songs became more thought out and were allowed to breath for a while until we felt fully content with them. It allowed the ideas and thoughts regarding the sound to flow naturally. It’s a mixture of something beautiful and evil, like a summer’s day with dark clouds and tense air pressure,” he says.

Dead Vibrations seem to live and breathe music. They describe it as their medicine and a great passion, something you sense listening to their tracks. To be absolutely free and without boundaries triggers their evolvement and keeps their creative spark alive. “I think that we evolve musically by not having any boundaries. We’re free and able to do whatever we like, making music in a way that feels the most comfortable and fun for us,” says Jansson. “I believe that as long as we don’t put ourselves in a corner of a genre, we will continue to be innovative and creative. It has worked very well so far.”

For all of the band members, their first really strong memory connected to music can be found in their childhoods. Drummer Ahlqvist Lyzwinski recalls her parents playing music that ranged from Neil Young and Björk to The Knife and Led Zeppelin. “Just as Josefin, all my early music memories are connected to my home and upbringing,” says Hallsby. “Early mornings in front of ZTV probably left some kind of imprint as well. It’s easy to get stuck in shallowness when you talk about things close to your heart such as music, but the fact is that music is such a striking medium. It still dazzles me. There is no time for it to pass through filters of consciousness. It still gets you and that’s what’s beautiful about it.”

The band’s style reeks of an updated and personal take on rock’n’roll, which is probably why the Whyred clothes worn in the shoot look like they have been part of their wardrobes for a long time. “If I find something skintight that I won’t sweat away in I’m pretty satisfied,” says Hallsby playfully. “We do also often help each other out finding garments that will make us look collectively cool.”

When it comes to fashion and style icons Ahlqvist Lyzwinski drops PJ Harvey as an inspiration – “Style-wise and regarding attitude.” Hallsby opens up about his soft spot for suits: “I like to look a bit sloppy, dirty and undone, but still a bit half-luxurious.” Their frontman seems to have an even more creative approach towards clothes. “I have started using more colours and lighter ones, which is weird,” says Jansson. “I think that I miss summer and try to remind myself that the sun actually exists. It’s probably going to be the other way around when the sun comes back.”

With the debut release behind them, a Scandinavian tour in April with NONN is what’s next on the agenda. This will be followed up by a new album release at the end of the year. Dead Vibrations really seem to have found a golden productive artery.

HOLY

The project of Hannes Ferm, HOLY, is like a bag of candy, mixing sweet and sour. He’s building a unique musical universe consisting of ’60s garage, lo-fi pop influences and melancholic atmospheres that get torn apart by glam-rock riffs. All topped with a voice softer than satin.

From Umeå, north Sweden, Ferm now lives in Stockholm and studies art at Gerlesborgsskolan while he makes music. Does studying another art form influence his creativity? “I think studying art has given me the possibility to get inspired by things I otherwise would not have been exposed to,” he says. “It’s also taught me to think in an abstract and conceptual way, something I couldn’t do before.”

HOLY’s second album, All These Worlds Are Yours, was released in January and explores soundscapes in an experimental way, avoiding the trap of stagnating in how he makes music. “I believe the formula is angst and inferiority combined with a genuine interest in exploring unfamiliar musical areas,” he says.

The album carries the same qualities as the ’60s psychedelic movement, yet also has elements of the early-’70s glam-rock scene mixed up with modern garage DIY vibes. The result is the sound of a 21st-century Bowie or Rundgren, just to mention a few. “I think that seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show is what triggered the start of the process, but I also listened to classic early-’70s rock – Lou Reed’s Transformer and Diamond Dogs by Bowie,” he says. “[With this album] I wanted to explore every part of that world, the aesthetic aspects but also the music and theatrical parts.” He reveals he had also wanted to work with rock’n’roll clichés: “I realised these clichés are so damn beautiful. I came to the conclusion that a song can feel both powerful and fragile.”

When it comes to HOLY’s visual work and aesthetics, such as the music video to the almost-impossible-to-pronounce track ððð, you get the impression that Ferm gives this a lot of thought. “What’s most important is that the visuals and music match and evoke the same feelings in me,” he says

As for fashion influences, Ferm mentions Liberace, the entertainer famous for his extravagant clothing, but being busy travelling, he doesn’t really have the time or energy to pack his suitcase or think about putting together an outfit in the early mornings – “I just take whatever is on the floor closest to my bed.” Judging by his look, this probably means that Ferm only owns great clothes.

Even though it has only been a few weeks since the release of All These Worlds Are Yours, Ferm has already got grand plans for HOLY in the year ahead. “We will do a few festivals this summer and some shows during the fall. I have also started to record the next album, so I’m going to try to finish it during this year as well,” he says. Ferm has found a creative drive that leads him to explore unknown musical landscapes. Like astronauts in space, he steers his steps towards ground where no one has walked before.

ShitKid

In many ways pure and raw in its expression, yet very well made, ShitKid’s music makes an upfront and direct impression. It’s something that has made her output strong and powerful, beating like a hammer through the constant buzz of music releases.

A lot has happened for Åsa Söderqvist, aka ShitKid, since she first uploaded her self-titled debut EP to the internet in 2015. Söderqvist is insanely productive and has released singles and a full-length LP since, as well as received music awards. She doesn’t seem to have a very complicated relationship with her own creativity, though. Her main driving force is that she finds making music fun and lets everything evolve from that mindset. “When I make music it’s often because I happen to fall into it. Sometimes I feel all hyped instead of tired for a whole week, so it’s hard to tell. But I find making music fun, and that’s always something. If I get stuck or if it sounds bad, I just do something else until making music feels fun again,” she says.

Her relationship towards music hasn’t changed that much since the start, but as she points out, it’s only been two years since she started out. “I still play music the same way, using the same instruments. OK, except there are two songs with bass in it, that’s it. But on the other hand, I want to try making the next album in a completely different way,” she says.

The media has often depicted Söderqvist as unpredictable and even a bit cocky. For those of you who have seen her live, you might be tempted to agree, but Söderqvist is fully aware of how she’s being portrayed. It’s clear that she owns the situation and plays by her own rules. Mainly she’s the one in charge of the way journalists write about her, contributing to their coverage of her through her use of social media. “I love that Örnsköldsvik Allehanda, a small local newspaper, wrote that I got kicked out of Manifestgalan due to my caption on a photograph uploaded on my Instagram. I think that they’ve missed rock’n’roll or something,” she laughs.

ShitKid’s aesthetic is undoubtedly DIY and it has a visual mindset that permeates her videos and covers. Söderqvist confesses that she doesn’t think that much about it but accepts there are normcore aspects, a kind of anti-fashion approach. “I’m probably pretty normcore apart from the fact that I’m also crazy,” she says. “Then it’s great to have a band like ShitKid where you can use it as an image. It is something that has developed from me being emo while I was growing up, until I became boring and stopped wearing make-up.”

Söderqvist seems to have a pretty relaxed attitude towards what she wears and is often found in normcore clothes, sometimes with an added little twist of irony. She mentions her friend and style icon Moa Romanova Strinnholm as an influence when it comes to fashion. Also, the Whyred rock’n’roll aura really fits the punk side of her artistry with its playful attitude towards fashion norms, mixing casual dressing with finer tailoring. But she confesses that she hates shopping. “I really hate buying clothes and I get in a panic when visiting stores,” she says.

It probably won’t come as a surprise that this creative mind has a lot going on, with new music in the pipeline. This time around she’ll begin by creating the songs as usual and then let her band members, Arvid Sjöö and Lina Molarin Ericsson, interpret them. “Unlike me, they know their instruments. I imagine it will be easier to listen to and more professional, but still using the same musical foundation,” says Söderqvist. Later this year, ShitKid is going to USA and doing more gigs. As Söderqvist herself says: “There aren’t any more awards to win, so that’s probably what I’m going to do.”

Evolvement is all about challenging yourself, daring to question your standpoint and the way you process and work with your ideas. Dead Vibrations, HOLY and ShitKid are all great examples of how good the result can be if one dares to go outside the usual patterns. They’re artists who are representing the wonderful diversity of our wide musical landscape and keep exploring unknown territories.

Team credits
Words by Amanda Båmstedt
Photography by Dan Sjölund
Styling by Pejman Biroun Vand
Hair and make up (Dead Vibration and Holy) by Lillis Hemmingsson
Hair and make up (ShitKid) by Elva Ahlbin
Stylists assistants Hedvig Holgersson and Emelie Berglund
Special thanks to Whyred

Fashion credits
All clothes by Whyred