The Album & Creative Process
What does "It Might Be Art" mean to you personally, beyond the story behind the title?
It's a very personal album made from the heart and truly sprung out of my love for music. The process of making this album has meant a whole lot to me. To bury yourself in your art and really live in it is one of the greatest things life has to offer, in my opinion.
You wrote most of the album in a concentrated burst in early 2025. Do you work better under that kind of focused intensity, or do you prefer a more gradual approach?
This is the way I prefer, I would say. It's great to be able to be in the process all the time until it's done. That way, you don't have to switch your mindset back and forth between different projects too much. I also feel that it's good for the flow throughout the album. For example, the order of the songs has been the same throughout the whole process, from demo to master. I always knew how I wanted to build up the album, and I feel that it is easier to do during a shorter, very concentrated time frame.
"The Burial" was written right after Devil's Drum in 2019. Why did you hold onto it for so long?
Yes, that's actually a song that wasn't written along with the others. But I knew I wanted to put it on my next album, and I never really thought of using it for something else. However, it went through a huge update in the tracking process when Johannes Andersson (Tribulation) laid his voice on it.
The Sound & Influences
The keyboards are deliberately subtle on most tracks but take centre stage on the title song. How did you decide where to push them forward and where to pull them back?
For the most part, it's just there to create some subtle ambience. The title track, however, is made with the intention of having a more electronic-based song on the album. It was one of the songs that came together very quickly to write. It's simple but effective, and it turned out to be one of my favorites on the album.
You've mentioned Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, and Midnight Oil as touchstones. Are there any less obvious influences on this record that listeners might not expect?
I never really mentioned those bands myself; it's a suggestion from an early interview I did for this album, but it makes sense, I agree. There's a very broad spectrum of influences on this album, but to mention a few: Blue Öyster Cult, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, and The Black Angels.
Life & Career
Joining Tribulation, two Tyrann albums, and becoming a father. How did all of that change you as a songwriter?
One reason this album sounds less metal and hard rock than anything I've done before is probably that I've been so active in that scene, most recently with Tribulation and Tyrann, as you mentioned. What I mean is that it wouldn't make sense for me to do a solo album unless it sounds quite different from the things I do in other bands. That said, there are definitely moments on the album where you can hear the same melodic language that Tribulation has, not least in "The Burial, of course. Most members of the bands I've played with are all from the same small town, and we grew up together, and I think we have shaped each other a lot throughout the years.
Becoming a parent means less time, but as everyone with kids told me, you become more effective with the time you have. Having a child has also been very inspiring and has really given new meaning to what I do.
Do you feel like your solo work gives you creative freedom that band projects don't?
In many ways, yes. The whole point of doing a solo thing is to be able to try new things that might not fit the bands I play with. But I do still have my own framework and ideas for what is right or wrong in the kind of music I make, and I want to keep it consistent. This is rock and roll, but with a very broad spectrum of influences from all kinds of genres.
Looking Ahead
Will you tour behind this record, and if so, how do you approach translating it to a live setting?
My intention is to play these songs live as much as possible, but I need to get the album out first to see where I can go. There are a few shows booked in Sweden, and I have a great band.
What does success look like for "It Might Be Art" to you personally?
That the people who hear it will realize how much I have put into this, that it is a very well-crafted album with no fillers. Every song is important.
(This interview was conducted via email and has been lightly edited for clarity.)
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