Music

VIP guests attend an evening with Robyn, Acne Studios and Spotify

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. total look Weekday hood shirt Weekday dress Kristin Svensson jacket FAYETTE / NORLING trousers Weekday gloves Weekday 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. Top Weekday 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. total look Weekday 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. 

ODALISQUE MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS MAGS text Ruby Rose In the exhilarating lead-up to the release of her new album Herified, Danish electro-pop artist Mags shares the excitement, pride, and emotional clarity she’s found in this chapter of her life. The album’s openness and warmth, blended with intimate, emotive lyrics, resonate with the multi-faceted nature of love that Mags explores. She offers a glimpse behind the scenes of the project – from her creative process to the introspective journey it captures.  Ruby Rose: With Herified so close to release, how are you feeling about everything? Are there any moments from the process which have really stuck with you lately? Mags: Thank you for asking! I am feeling good. I find that right before a release I enter a stage where one moment I feel beyond confident, like the album is the best art anyone has ever made and then 5 minutes later I am full of crippling self doubt and wonder if anyone will ever listen to it haha. Over the past 3 years I have poured my heart and soul into this album and if I’m being honest, I have spent all of my life getting to some of the emotional realisations that I express on this album. So long answer short, I feel super proud, excited, a bit nervous but mainly super ready for people to hear it. RR: Did you approach this album differently from your previous projects? I’m curious if a track like herified set the tone or was there another song that really shaped the direction of the album? Mags: This album is a lot more cohesive thematically than my previous projects. I find that it is a reflection of how much more secure I feel in myself and my emotions at this stage in life. I knew early on that I wanted the album to be called “Herified” and that was a first for me as I usually find the title after I have finished the project. Having the title made it easier to know what songs had a place on the album and which ones didn’t. It gave direction in not a limiting but beautifully curated way. I actually cut out two songs not too many months ago because they did not feel “Herified” enough to me. RR: You reference Monet in the album blurb, the idea that there are infinite ways to view something you love. How do you feel that philosophy takes shape in your music? Mags: Writing songs about love has always been what I’ve been drawn to – and I know I am not the only one haha. Love has so many faces and stages and I am fascinated by how my love for myself has also played such a pivotal role in how I have been able to love and receive love which is what most of my songs are about. All 8 songs on this album have been written about the same love but from entirely different angles and different points in time. The same love can cause such an array of beautiful and painful feelings and I have tried to authentically portray that on the album. RR: Following on from this, the title of your album encompasses a sense of action and reclamation transforming vulnerability into power. What personal experiences have made this theme important to you? Mags: I felt vulnerable in my queerness in my early twenties. I just didn’t know how or where to place my feelings although I always knew that they were real. So being in a healthy and beautiful relationship with the woman I am and have been madly in love with has been the most incredible, transformative, honest experience I have ever felt. Leaning in and experiencing that unstoppable feeling of love has been the best thing ever. RR: How would you describe the overall musical and emotional experience of this album?  Mags: Sonically the album is an open, warm and fun listen. It takes the listener through lots of different tempos and instrumentations. Some songs are primarily guitar based and others float in fun synths. Lyrically it is full of stories of falling in love with all that it entails. Feeling insecure, feeling over the moon and ultimately in my case feeling totally herified. It is definitely a pride filled album in all the ways. RR: Your lyrics have been described as ‘diary-like’ reflecting deeply personal corners of your mind. Is there a particular message or feeling you hope stays with your audience after listening to your album? Mags: There is a sort of bridge in the second verse of the final song on the album called “one thing straight” where it says “calling you out cause you’re assuming”. It speaks to a message I hope to convey which is that in the world we live in we should strive to ask more questions rather than trying to guess the answers. We should be a bit kinder to ourselves and others both on and offline. RR: Looking back, how do you reflect on the journey you’ve been on since your first release? How has that growth influenced this new album? Mags: I think the main thing that stands out is that I know more. I know more about myself and more about the industry. This release is my first release as an independent artist and I am really proud of that. I am so grateful for the setup and people I had around me for the first few years in the music industry; however, it feels so right to me that I now own the majority of the rights to my songs and have total creative control in all aspects of my art. I am going into this release with such pride and a confidence that I did not have when I first started out. And I think you can hear that on the album. RR: What’s your favourite part of making music? Was there a particular song on the

“Blurry Moon” – The New Single by Charlotte Gainsbourg French-British icon Charlotte Gainsbourg is back with a mesmerizing new single, “Blurry Moon,” out this Friday, September 19, via Because Music in collaboration with Saint Laurent. Produced and arranged by SebastiAn, the track shimmers with tender melancholy—Gainsbourg’s voice drifting through the song with haunting delicacy. The release marks a new creative chapter for both the artist and Saint Laurent, whose creative director Anthony Vaccarello makes his directorial debut with the accompanying music video. Shot against the twinkling skyline of Los Angeles, the “Blurry Moon” video follows Gainsbourg along the iconic Mulholland Drive, blending dreamlike imagery with noir-inspired aesthetics. Drawing on the surreal moods of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti, Vaccarello crafts a cinematic love letter to Hollywood’s illusions and desires—an elegant, intimate exploration of light, shadow, and longing. “Blurry Moon” is now available on all streaming platforms.  

total look Tanja Vidic and Abbe Mandegar Collaborationshoes Jimmy Choo text Natalia Muntean photography Sandra Myhrbergfashion Louise Dyhrfort Winona Oak’s journey is touched by alchemy. The 30-year-old artist has taken grief, loss, self-doubt, and the pain of her childhood and transformed them into music. Through some kind of alchemy, she has turned her darkest moments into something luminous – songs that resonate with raw emotion and unflinching honesty. “Maybe water,” she says when I ask which one of the four elements would describe her career. “Because I feel like it’s just like the waves. It’s been such a journey: big waves, all the different styles I’ve been exploring. My career has been a lot like waves, too. Up and down, up and down. It’s like life itself. It takes time to grow, to find your path, and to be true to yourself.” hat Piers Atkinsondress Abbe Mandegar and Tanja Vidic Collaborationshoes Jimmy Chooring All Blues art rugs Petrus BergstrandNordenskiöld FROM THE ISLAND OF THE SUN TO THE WORLD Winona’s story begins on Sollerön, a small island in the Nordic forests of Sweden known as the “Island of the Sun.” Growing up surrounded by forests, animals, and the echoes of her grandmother’s unfulfilled dreams, Winona found solace in the simplicity of rural life. “Being around animals was my safe space,” she recalls. “We had five horses, lots of dogs, and even a rescued crow that would sit on my shoulder. I didn’t have to think about how I looked or what anyone thought of me. The horse would love me either way, even if I looked like a troll.” Her grandmother, a gifted performer, was her source of inspiration. “She had this big personality, this joy for life,” Winona says. “She encouraged me to sing, to write, to dream.” From the age of five, Winona was crafting songs, mostly about animals, and finding her voice in the stillness of the countryside. By nine, she was playing the violin and piano. “It was a wonderful childhood,” she reflects. “It taught me to appreciate the quiet moments, to find beauty in the small things.” But Winona’s dreams stretched far beyond the island. After moving to Stockholm to pursue her passion for music, she embraced creative risk, and, in 2017, joined Neon Gold Records’ songwriting retreat deep in Nicaragua’s jungle. It was there she connected with Australian electronic maestro What So Not, co-writing his next two singles, Better and Stuck In Orbit. By 2018, she stepped into the spotlight as both the writer and featured artist on his single Beautiful. That same year, her career reached a pivotal moment when she co-wrote and featured on The Chainsmokers’ hit single Hope. The track became a global success, catapulting her into the spotlight and introducing her voice to millions. “It was surreal,” she recalls. “I went from being a relatively unknown artist to performing in front of massive crowds almost overnight. But it also taught me that success isn’t linear – it’s a journey with ups and downs, and you have to keep growing.” MUSIC AS A LIFELINE In 2022, Winona experienced the most profound loss – the death of her mother. It was a loss that shattered her world and reshaped her as both a person and an artist. “She was my person, my best friend, my source of love and guidance,” she says. “I always turned to her for reassurance. Losing her felt like losing a part of myself. There’s me before, and then there’s this different version after.” Writing about her loss became a way to process the pain. “Music saved me in ways I didn’t know it could. It became the only thing I truly wanted to do. I wrote With or Without You after she passed away, and when I performed it live, people who had lost loved ones came up to me,” she says. “They related to it so deeply. It felt like we were sharing the pain. That’s the beauty of music – it connects us.” The experience transformed her perspective on life and art. “It made me realise how fragile everything is,” she says. “You can lose your world in a second, but it also made me braver. I take more risks now because I only have this one life. I’m less focused on rules and more willing to be vulnerable. The worst has already happened, and grief forces you to evolve.” blazer Pearl Octopuss.ypants and boots Abbe Mandegar and TanjaVidic Collaborationjewellery All Blues and Pearl Octopuss.y THE MANY FACES OF AN ARTIST Winona Oak. Oaks. Johanna. They are all her, yet each serves a different purpose. While her work as Winona Oak is introspective and intimate, her new project, Oaks, explores the world of dance music, her new electronic alter ego. “It’s a way to take all the pain and dilute it, like putting milk in coffee,” she explains. This duality reflects her own complexity. “Winona is fragile, introspective,” she says. “Oaks is darker, more avant-garde. It’s like this club version of me.” For Winona, the separation is essential. “I didn’t want to confuse people or mess with the music algorithms,” she says with a laugh. “But really, it’s about giving myself the freedom to explore both sides of who I am.” “I’m never satisfied,” she admits. “I always want to develop myself, and my sound, and try new things, new genres, and mix things. I never feel like it’s enough. I’m always on to the next thing.” Winona’s relationship with her fans is deeply meaningful to her, and she often receives messages from people who connect with her music on a profound level. “I’ve had people tell me my music saved their life,” she says. “That’s overwhelming, but it’s also beautiful. It’s why I do this – to make people feel seen. When I perform live and someone knows the lyrics, when they sing along, that’s when I know I’ve touched someone.” Her latest EP, Salt, was released in February, and with it, Winona Oak is stepping into a new chapter – one defined by growth, resilience, and

Lowheart – The Art of Turning Vulnerability into Song text Alicia Hurst Lowheart is an emerging indie pop artist whose music delves deep into the complexities of human emotion and relationships. With influences ranging from Beach House and Robyn to The Strokes and Alice Boman, Lowheart crafts a unique sound that combines glittering synths with heartfelt, honest lyrics. Their debut album, “Honeymoon Is Over,” is a journey through the highs and lows of life, offering listeners a blend of introspection and uplifting energy. Through their music, Lowheart aims to provide a comforting and relatable experience for those navigating the twists and turns of their own emotional mazes. Join us as we dive into the creative world of Lowheart and explore the inspiration behind their latest musical endeavors. Can you tell us about your journey from debuting with & “Lovely Weather” in 2022 to now releasing a new album? What inspired this new album?It’s been a very fun and challenging journey and I’ve learned so much since my first release. Creating my EP took quite a long time, I worked on it for over three years and by the time it was released I felt a strong desire to move on with something new. I had already started writing new songs by that time and wanted to push myself creatively, and the album was a perfect way to do that. Early in the process I came up with the title “Honeymoon Is Over” which kind of set the mood for the whole album. The exhaustion I felt after completing my EP was a catalyst for change, and “Honeymoon Is Over” became a symbolic representation of this transition. Growing up in a musical family, how did your upbringing with classical music and artists like David Bowie and Radiohead influence your music style as Lowheart?My dad is a classical pianist, and I grew up listening to him practice all day long in our living room. It was never quiet; if he wasn’t playing the piano, he was always listening to different kinds of music. At a very young age he introduced me to artists like David Bowie, Kate Bush and Blondie, who quickly became my musical heroes and my greatest source of inspiration at that time. When I was around 9 years old, he showed me Radiohead’s “In Rainbows”, which remains one of my favorite albums to this day. Growing up in this musical family, attending numerous concerts from a very young age and just spending time with musicians and other creative persons all nurtured my belief that I could one day follow a similar path. For me, music has always been the one thing I excel at and deeply connect with. There’s no better way for me to express myself. photography Mikael Jansson fashion Anna Sundelin Could you share some insights into the themes explored in your first full-length album, “Honeymoon Is Over” ?“Honeymoon Is Over” is about facing life’s tough challenges when the fun and carefree times start to fade away, and reality hits hard. These songs reflect a time when I was questioning everything- myself and the world around me. I felt I had to deal with a lot of things that I had pushed aside for a while, and they suddenly demanded my attention. Each song in the album shows a bit of the emotions and thoughts I had during that time. What motivated you to delve into the indie pop world, and how did you find your place within it?I guess listening to Blondie and Radiohead as a young kid always fueled my dreams of being in a band and becoming the lead singer. When I was around 10 years old, I watched Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette” and fell in love with the soundtrack, featuring artists like The Cure, The Radio Dept. , New Order and The Strokes. It introduced me to a new world of indie punk music which led me into discovering other bands. Writing has always been a passion of mine, whether it’s in the form of diaries, short poems or lyrics. During my high school years, I formed a band with my closest friends, and this marked an important turning point. It was the first time I sang my own lyrics in front of others. I remember singing directly from my notebook during our rehearsals. It was a valuable experience where I learned a lot and it also created a safe space to try out different things. After high school I continued to make music independently and collaborated with different producers. However, it took quite some time before I eventually started to make music under the name Lowheart. “Honeymoon Is Over” seems to touch on themes of self-doubt and the challenges of maintaining relationships. Can you share some personal experiences that inspired the album content? When I started writing this album, I found myself in a place where everything that used to be so easy and fun suddenly felt tough and harsh. It was like a reality check, which is why I titled it Honeymoon is Over. Releasing music, especially as a debut artist, made me question who I wanted to be. I felt that everything was more challenging than I expected, from releasing music to being in a relationship after 1,5 years, staying connected with friends… These songs reflect a period in my life when I had doubts about myself and the world around me. But there’s also a touch of humor in the album. I believe the title or the expression “Honeymoon is over” is quite fun but also a bit sad. To me, it evokes memories of David Lynch’s movie “Wild at heart”, which I adore. I find it enjoyable to challenge listeners and perhaps even leave them a bit confused, haha… I suppose one of the toughest aspects of being in a relationship is navigating through the difficult and dull times without losing hope. In a way, that’s a central theme of the album as well. I explore and twist the concept of “Honeymoon is Over”. Can you discuss