• photography by ALEX WESSELY
    photographer’s assistant STELLAN RUNGE
     

    An interview with Eshraque Mughal

    Written by Weronika Pérez Borjas by Michaela Widergren

    How much do you know about hip hop? We need somebody to interview iSHi, an artist and producer who just came out with a new song with Pusha T.- these short lines from Odalisque pop up in my inbox and make me both eager and slightly concerned. The only thing I surely know about hip hop is that I will mispronounce the names of most of the singers. And interviewing iSHi I would certainly have a pile of very important names to mix up.

    Eshraque Mughal, Swedish music producer and songwriter performing under the mysterious name, has until now, taken the lists with his collaborations with such figures as Usher, Ne-Yo, Shakira, Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, Tinie Tempah, Avicii, Sebastian Ingrosso and many more. Growing up in Stockholm and producing his first acts at the tender age of 17, iSHi gained worldwide recognition and set off to continue his career in the UK and US.

    I get down to my research about iSHi a bit shaky and check out his newest video: ‘’Push it’’, directed by Alex Wessely with the powerful voice of Pusha T.. Suddenly I understand it all. A cold tornado of swirling snowflakes, burning roses and underwater ballerinas washes down all my uncertainty and when I call iSHi, I just want to say how much I love the music and the stunning visuals.

    WPB: Hi iSHi! You have just hypnotised me with your extremely graphic vision. I still cannot get these scenes out of my head… How much influence did you personally have on the way “Push it” looks?

    EM: Everything you can see on the screen is the effect of my tight collaboration with Alex. When I met him, the first thing I said was that my music is extreme and that we need to create equally sick visuals. ‘’Push it’’ is quite different from what you can usually see. I can be very picky when it comes to my concept. I want it all to be coherent and thought through. I would never make a hip hop video with the singer dancing in a night club full of chicks. We’ve all seen that way too many times.

    Alex and I have actually started our own production company, and after we have done some more stuff for my personal project, we want to start collaborating with other artists. I feel there is a great response both from the public and other musicians towards our kind of imagery. I was actually in the studio with Rihanna when the final version had come out and she was the first person watching it. I was extremely happy to see her reaction. It was exactly how I wanted it to be!

    WPB: You have kidnapped Pusha T into a Nordic realm of white wolves, snow and freezing water, why did you choose to concentrate on this northern imagery?

    EM: I am so extremely proud and in love with all that we do here in the North and especially in Sweden. We have a unique way about all we do, be it music, arts, or clothes. I haven’t seen Swedish hip hop celebrating this Nordic element in this way yet, so it was important for me to bring it up. I often tell my friends that are complaining about how cold and dark it is here, that they should be grateful for the real seasons. There is something indefinable here that makes so many artist successful in the world. I sometimes think that the harsh weather is actually beneficial for the creativity. I mean, when it is dark and cold you just want to sit in the studio; you don’t care about going out. In LA I felt I could be losing my drive because of so much sun and distraction.

    There is something extreme and romantic with the snow and white dogs. At first we were searching for real white wolves, but we soon realize they are too rare and dangerous too. We found an albino shepherds’ breeder who helped us out. The dogs had been with us 6 or 7 times during the filming process, so they became much more than just a video detail for us. We have tested a lot of ideas before we got what we really wanted. We tested different way of burning the roses; we tested girls’ feel … (laughs)

    WPB: Exactly, the flaming roses, what do they symbolise?

    EM: It all started when we were filming Pusha T in New York. He had an excellent stylist, Marcus, who brought some very interesting outfits to the set. We finally went with a jacket with a huge rose on it. Since we wanted to have a lot of recurring motives in the video, we starting playing with flowers and fire.

    WPB: You seem to be equally extreme as your fantasy- ‘’Push it’’ is the first video where you show your face and you even have your own, unique scene as a dark rider in the end of the song…

    EM: The whole concept and also my character is developed in the series of four videos we made for my EP, which will be out on the first of May. We have also created a short movie entitled ‘’Spring Pieces’’, which, together with the videos makes the whole puzzle complete.

    I want people to identify me more and more and understand me as a whole. That is why I am starting to act in my videos. I want them to recognize my style, even later, when I collaborate with other artists. I want them to feel: this is such an iSHi song.

    My character and the pictures are a direct extension of what’s happening in my head. Nothing is just a pose. It is me, iSHi, the wanderer, the one that is on a journey, on a way towards something better, bigger or simply new. A new music, new trend, new time, new epoch. When I made ‘’Push it’’ I felt quite fed up with all the rules and principles one should follow. I wanted to do something genuine and honest.

    WPB: I know that you are even planning to go into fashion. What can we expect from your first collection?

    EM: It will consist of two major parts. The first one will be mostly comfortable street style that I often wear myself: ripped jeans, bomber jackets, big hoodies, with a lot of layers that you can put on everywhere you go- on the street, in the studio, at the gym.

    The other part is a collaboration with the Swedish designer Erik Bjerkesjö. This one will be much more extravagant pieces that I can wear when I go live.

    Since I have started my own project, I have become much more sensitive to the aesthetics and started following runaways, blogs and trends. My personal fashion is a good mix of everything. I love such designers as Damir Doma, Maison Margiela, Comme des Garçons, Alexander McQueen, but I can add it to some Acne Studios or Nike. I also make my own fashion discoveries, such as Horisaki from Småland, an amazing hat designer I found online.

    WPB: What is a real ’’push it’’ for you right now- what are your plans and collaborations dreams?

    EM: If it comes to big collaborations, I would love to work with such legends as Kanye West and Jay Z. But I am not limiting myself to hip hop. I can see myself working for Daft Punk, Justice or even Elton John.

    I simply do iSHi music. Many of my friends are surprised when they visit me at home. I listen just to jazz and lounge music privately. Everything can inspire me, everything can be thrown into one mixer and come as a new genre, not just rock, reggae or dub step but a unique quality, led by a read thread.

    But right now I am simply looking forward to seeing how people enjoy my music. The EP with 12 new songs, 4 videos and a short movie is just on the way. And it is absolutely not just about hip hop. It is so much more.

    all clothing ERÏK BJERKESJÖ
  • photography by SANDRA MYHRBERG

    An interview with Anna Nordenström

    Written by Michaela Widergren

    Call Me

    Up and coming songbird and writer (Call Me), Anna Nordeström, creates sad and lucid pop music. The sound is young but the voice has got the sound of experience. The album A Sort of Company, just released on the 25th will keep you from feeling alone, or get you feeling lonelier depending on what side of the bed you woke up on. Either way it's a very impressive first record. 

    Anna grew up in the quiet small town of Karlstad, but later on moved to Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden, where she started high school in a musically focused class. She quickly became tired and uninterested in it all because of the strong social structures surrounding her. For example she says, “I played a lot of jazz music, but most people were convinced that girls could only sing jazz”. Those kinds of patriarchic rules ruined the fun and joy of music. It wasn't until her move to Stockholm that she felt excepted and found her place in the social contexts. That is also when she started enjoying creating music again; but this time on her own terms.

    MM: So what happened in Stockholm?

    AN: In the beginning not that much. A friend of mine asked me to play at one of his clubs, I think he'd heard me sing or something and I said yes. I didn't have any songs then, but this event gave me a reason to start making music again. I did everything by myself which gave me a freedom I'd never experienced with music before. It was liberating. I performed at the event and in the band Palpitation, which got on stage right after me I found Ilon Vejde who later became my producer.

    MM: What happened after you released your first song on Soundcloud?

    AN: There were a lot of bloggers who wrote about the song and I'd just started talking with Ilon about a collaboration so we decided to start working on one song. We released in on Soundcloud and later got a call from the record label Luxury.

    MM: When all of this started, did you think that music could be an actual career for you?

    AN: No, I just thought it was fun, I had no expectations whatsoever. Of course it became a lot more business when I started working with Ilon, we didn't really know each other then so it was strictly work. Ilon's the one who definitely developed the sound of the record.

    MM: What do you think your music sounds like?

    AN: That's a difficult question, but I think it's quite melancholic, although at the same time there are glimpses of hope. I hope that's what others feel too when they listen to it. As the title of the album says, I hope that the record can be a friend and a company to others.

    MM: What do you think will happen when the record's out?

    AN: I really like the album and that's most important to me. I know my mom and dad will listen to it and that they'll like it. I'm trying not to get too high expectations. I mean, I'd love it if I could work in music business for a long time, but I won't put all of my cards in one place. Mostly I'd like to perform, I'm a tired of sitting in the studio for now.

    MM: So it gets lonely?

    AN: Maybe not lonely but monotone. The thing I really love about music is being on stage and preforming live for an audience.

  • photography by SANDRA MYHRBERG

    An interview with Damian Ardestani

    Written by Michaela Widergren

    XOV – who used to kick it with Lucifer

    Do you know anyone who spends his or her time between LA and the Swedish archipelago? No? Didn't think so. There's quite the contrast between the sleepy and empty islands outside of Stockholm and the dreamy Hollywood hills in the USA. Two years ago Damian Ardestani isolated himself in a cabin, started writing, playing the piano and created what will be his first EP.

    We meet at the Odalisque Magazine studio space, grab some coffee and take our seats in the kitchen area. I had just finished reading an interview with Damian in the largest daily newspaper in Sweden and I've been listening like crazy to his songs Lucifer and Boy's don't cry. This guy's got a fantastic sore voice and writes melancholic and miserable lyrics.

    MM: First I thought you might tell me some about your EP that's being released on the 14th this month; what are people going to hear? I've already heard it all, but for those who haven't, what are they in for?

    DA: You will be listening to the last five years of my life. The EP's a journey starting out in a darkness that evolves into anger and sorrow but finally in the end becomes something positive and at parts even joyful. All of the songs contains different parts of my life, none of them are alike or about the same thing in any way.

    MM: Did you also produce it all by yourself?

    DA: I produce everything with a friend of mine, Jonas; he's also called Kono. I would love for him to finally get some credit, it's really a great collaboration. Kono has been essential for the entire project and he pushes me in becoming a better producer and artist. I can get hung up on one tiny detail for days but he's got a good overlooking eye and I think that's what made us able to make this music. We have got a good balance. Also he's got a background in pop music and I've got my roots in hip hop.

    MM: I notice that, I wasn't sure if I was listening to pop music or R'n'b when I was going through your songs.

    DA: I know, I've got the music on a fine line. Is it commercial, is it indie, is it pop or even hip hop? I don't know but it's a result of our collaboration coming from different musical backgrounds. I think it keeps the music dynamic and original.

    MM: How did you meet Kono?

    DA: We met at an event seven years ago. At that point I hadn't started pursuing a career in music, so no one really knew I was a musician back then. When I'd decided to make myself a name in the industry I contacted the only guy I knew working in the business and that was him.

    MM: Growing up were you always into music or did that interest evolve later in your life?

    DA: For as long as I can remember I've had an interest in music. As soon as I learned how to write I started making poetry. When I was only nine years old I got my first poem published in a children’s poetry book and already then my writing was dark and metaphorical. For me writing is a way to ventilate; it's like therapy. If I don't write I get consumed by my feelings. I later learned how to play the piano which turned into singing and at the age of eleven, when singing wasn't considered cool enough, I started rapping. Music's always been a natural part of my life.

    When you've been working on something for two years and then finally it gets ready for the public, it must be some kind of experience, good or bad. Damian tells me the feeling's painful but of course also liberating in a way. When we have our talk it's exactly one week before the EP's being published. There's no room for changes. Damian's a perfectionist and being both artist, songwriter and producer gives him a control that's hard to let go of. He says he's probably a pain in the ass to work with, since the work never ends when you're looking for what's just perfect. But sometimes being done is better than being perfect.

    MM: How come you only write in English and not Swedish?

    DA: I grew up listening to American hip hop and most of my family lives in the states, so it comes naturally. I've always spent a lot of time there, holidays and school breaks, I never really felt I was Swedish until about two years ago. I felt as I was a citizen of the world.

    MM: But you grew up in Sweden right?

    DA: I always lived in Sweden but since I travelled a lot I never really thought of myself as a Swede. Until now.

    Damian splits his time between LA and Sweden, spending three months at a time in each place, I'm not convinced he chose the right months for being up in the north since it's raining / snowing outside and I'm pretty sure the weather situation's much better in California at the moment. It seems like a struggle living on an island with only boat connections in the middle of winter.

    MM: What happened two years ago when you moved to the archipelago?

    DA: You know, things have a tendency to always happen at once. When things are good, it all happens at once and when things go bad, it all happens at once.

    My company and therefor my economy crashed, my relationship crashed and I found myself completely in chaos. It's easy for people to judge you and I felt I had to get away from being victimized. Everyone thought I was screwed, they thought my music career was over. No one thought I was going to make it. I felt I had to cut the chords with all the negative people in my life, so I just left.

    Growing up in Tensta, a close suburb to Stockholm it wasn't really as if Damian was used to being outdoors and all alone surrounded by nothing but the forest. But with some inspiration from the movie Into the Wild he saw his chance for change. For the first six months he only went into the city twice, the only one who visited was his mother and once in a while a close friend came by. Nowadays he actually has more journalists visiting than friends.

    MM: Will you move in to the city now?

    DA: No, I will always keep the cabin. It keeps me grounded.

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