Concert Thu Feb 13 2014

Show Preview and an Interview: Linnea Olsson

By Kirstie Shanley

The lovely Linnea Olsson from Sweden is playing at Schubas this Saturday, and she had time to answer a few questions for her fans.

I heard the NPR interview when you talked about heartbreak and restlessness in these songs and the joy music brings you. Do you think you are a better song writer because of the way you experience your every day life?

I take stuff from my everyday life and put into songs, but I also make a lot of stuff up. I don't know if it makes me better, I mean, I try and write about stuff that makes me feel things. It doesn't have to be a certain feeling, but I need to feel. I try and put myself in a different state while writing and performing music. But also be very present at the same time. It´s great when I manage to combine the two.

You are a master cellist and are adept at looping so many intricate pieces together to make for a wonderful song. I read a previous interview where your said your mother is a violinist. I'm wondering if you can envision playing or adding any more instruments to your future songs at some other point in your career of if cello will satisfy you forever.

I will definitely add more instruments to my music in the future. I have written new material with more elements in it. There will be drums, I can tell you that!

If you weren't a musician, what else could you see yourself doing? Is there another art form that you love? In your video for "Dinosaur," you did some really great dancing!

Well thank you! I'd love to be a dancer. But that is way too late now. I enjoy painting as well. But I still think I chose the right art form. Music is the most powerful art form if you ask me.

How/why did you decide whether to sing in English vs. Swedish for your song lyrics?

I wanted to be able to reach out to as many as possible. I think my lyrics might had been better in my mother of tongue, but on the other hand I've discovered that I feel more free to express myself in English. It's as if when I'm not writing in Swedish I tend to be more forgiving towards myself in terms of my lyrics writing. That is both good and bad I suppose. I dare to be more...poetic in English. I think my Swedish lyrics would be even more straight forward with less metaphors. I quite like the sound of that. Maybe I´ll do a Swedish album one day, who knows?

Has a new climate and landscape inspired you to compose any new songs while you are on tour?

I think it will. I haven't gotten around to write anything, I think that will happen when I turn back home. I feel inspired already. It's usually like that for me, I collect inspiration and then suddenly I have a lot of material at once.

Right now, you're touring with Norway-based singer Ane Brun. What other Scandinavian musicians that American audience may not have heard of do you feel inspiring that you might like to do future tours with?

There are many...I don't know what the American audience have heard of, but I enjoy Jenny Wilson, Britta Persson, Nina Kinert, Frida Hyvönen, Wildbirds and Peacedrums, Jennie Abrahamson , Tonbruket. — the list is long!

Is the culture that goes to hear and experience music significantly different in Sweden than in America? How does the experience in terms of playing in front of an audience compare?

American people are a bit more laid back and relaxed. Swedish audiences can sometimes be a bit uptight. But that is the nature of us Swedes I think. A Swedish audience is very respectful, and that is a great thing. There is more interaction with an American audience, more people yelling stuff. That is nice!

What is it that you miss most about Sweden when you are away?

My family! But nothing food wise, there's so much to eat here!

~*~

Tickets for this event are $14 and can be purchased on the Schubas website. This show begins at 7pm and Norwegian songwriter Ane Brun will also be playing.