The Sound of Change - An Interview with L1NA
text Sandra Myhrberg
Odalisque Magazine had the pleasure of welcoming and interviewing artist L1NA, featured on our second digital cover.
With an unapologetic honesty and a sound that bends genre boundaries, L1NA is redefining what Swedish hiphop sounds like. Influenced by the iconic energy of early YMCMB artists yet grounded by her personal emotional world, she creates music that’s as introspective as it is fearless.
Following a Grammis nomination for her EP MP3, her debut album TNT marks a bold statement; a musical universe born from years of growth and self-discovery. Speaking with Odalisque, she reflects on her artistic journey, the transformative power of her music, and why true artistry, for her, will always come from a place of love rather than fame.
photography Sandra Myhrberg
fashion Maria Fehrnström
makeup Elva Ahlbin
Sandra Myhrberg: You grew up with your mother and two brothers— how did your childhood shape you as an artist?
L1NA: I’ve always told everybody that my big brother was the catalyst for my love of rap music. He’s been music interested his whole life, and around the age of when I was 13ish, he sat me down and gave me the guide to who I was supposed to listen to and not. He was big on Lil Wayne, Birdman, Drake, and basically the whole YMCMB. That really stuck with me, and I began branching out, finding new rappers/artists to listen to, and just becoming more and more interested in hip-hop culture.
SM: You grew up listening to artists like Lil Wayne, Drake. How do those influences shape your sound today?
L1NA: I just got the sauce; I wouldn’t say I really sound like any of them sonically, but they made me fearless as a musician. Something I admire about them both is that they are not afraid to sound different or push their artistry to the max. They’ve influenced the whole rap game, and you can tell that they do what they do solely for the love that they have for the music. They’re passionate about it, and I am too.
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hood shirt Weekday
dress Kristin Svensson
jacket FAYETTE / NORLING
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SM: Your debut album TNT feels like a sonic world of its own—how did you and Nisj approach crafting a sound that’s so different from the rest of Swedish hip-hop?
L1NA: Both me and Nisj are the biggest music heads. I feel like when we make music together we literally go into another world, so matching the sounds with the feelings we have during it wasn’t so hard. Also, that’s one of the things I love about Nisj’s productions; it’s not just a beat. When he plays me a beat, I feel like I can see it in a way, like I’m inside it. He’s really good at capturing that in his work. We are not afraid to be different, and we don’t necessarily strive to be innovative; it’s just who we are.
SM: You’ve spoken about how every song on this album changed you. In what ways do you feel TNT represents a transformation for you as an artist and a person?
L1NA: As I said, I’m very passionate about what I do. And before the album I had kind of taken a break from releasing for about two years, and in those two years I progressed a lot. I was still in the studio working and collecting tracks for the album, but I think it was when we made the intro “Solsken efter regn” something just switched in me; I knew exactly what this album was. I knew that I had just set the bar for the rest of, not only the album but for my career. And every song came with a breakthrough of its own. I feel like it’s hard to explain in words; it’s more of a feeling.
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Jacket Division
SM: You’ve been releasing music steadily since 2019, earning a Grammy nomination for your EP ”MP3” and now your album ”TNT”. How has your perspective on your artistry evolved since your early releases?
L1NA: I’ve always had a feeling that something was missing in the Swedish rap scene, and I always knew that I wanted to be part of broadening the genre and bringing some diversity. I still feel that way. I make music for very selfish reasons; when I’m in the studio, I just want to feel something; I want to feel good, so I don’t think of it as artistry in the sense of trying to appeal to something or somebody. The idea of fame doesn’t excite me, and the music industry in itself is really underwhelming at this moment in time, but I will make music forever. My relationship to music is completely separate from what would be perceived or described as the music industry.
SM: Your music blurs the lines between rap, melody, and electronic elements. Do you see yourself continuing to experiment with genre in future projects?
L1NA: Absolutely. I always want to experiment with my music. It’s not fun for me if I don’t.
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SM: Finally, if someone listens to TNT for the first time, what do you hope they take away from it?
L1NA: I want them to do whatever they want to with it. Live with it, cry with it, and fall in love with it. Let it be the soundtrack for your year; that’s what I do with albums I love. I try to refrain from being too literate when I talk about what my art means to me. I’ve already made this music, and I’ve had my own personal moment with each and every song. I want others to experience the same thing. So if your listening, interpret it however you’d like; it’s yours now.
