Klemens Hannigan is one of the founders of and driving forces behind the beloved Icelandic band, Hatari. Earlier this year, he brought out his debut solo album, Low Light, where he has embraced quite a different sound and aesthetic to his band’s signature style.

In his solo work there’s vulnerability, finesse and elegance that he and his Hatari compatriots have often actively shied away from with their focus on industrial, techno punk-rock.

Based in Reykjavik, Hannigan is also a fine artist and a carpenter, whose work has been exhibited in galleries and featured in his music videos.

On Low Light, Hannigan joined forces with Leifur Björns and legendary producer, Howie B, giving further expression to his artistic philosophy, first aired through a public manifesto in which he prompted readers to reflect on the essence of art and the role of the artist.

The manifesto challenged conventional norms, advocating for a blend of naivety and perfection, and emphasising the importance of risk-taking and self-discovery in art.

In our interview, Hannigan discusses his manifesto and its impact on his work, we consider the difference between his solo project and the music he makes with Hatari and Melody A.M. finds out how he manages to make the time for all his creative endeavours whilst also raising three young daughters with his wife, Ronja.

Check out our Best of Klemens Hannigan playlist on the Melody A.M. website for highlights from Hannigan's discography. Visit: www.melodyam.com/klemens

Hailing from Värmland, a county to the west of Sweden, singer-songwriter, Johanna Jansson - better known as Dotter - celebrates a whole decade in the music industry this year. And she does so with close to 110,000,000 streams under her belt (on Spotify alone!). A hit factory? Yep, you could say that.

Starting her professional music journey with more of an Indie and, at times, folk-acoustic flavour, Dotter’s sound has changed and added layers over the years. So much so that, by the time she entered Sweden’s Melodifestivalen contest for the second time (in 2020), the enormously pop-fuelled explosion of ‘Bulletproof’ not only showcased her as an electro-queen but also very nearly sent her to Eurovision as Sweden’s representative… but for two small problems:

‘Bulletproof’ lost out by 1 tiny point to The Mamas and, in any event, the pandemic brought about the cancellation of that year’s song contest. Mind you, the song still went to number one on Svensktoppen, the weekly Swedish chart on Sveriges Radio.

Returning to Mello the following year with the not-less amazing, ‘Little Tot’, really helped secure Dotter as one of Sweden’s leading pop powerhouses.

Johanna’s career as Dotter could be described as interlinked with the career of her fiancée, the writer and producer, Dino Medanhodzic. She has worked with Dino closely for the past ten years and it’s a collaboration that has really brought out the best in both artists and continues to give us massive hits.

In this interview with Johanna, we discuss her work with Dino, including this year’s return to Melodifestivalen with the beautiful ‘It’s Not Easy to Write A Love Song’ as well as newest single, ‘We’re In This Together’.

We also reflect on the hard work Johanna had to put in at the start of her career, in an endeavour to get signed as an artist and how she was able to bounce back brilliantly when, years later, as she was awaiting the birth of her and Dino’s first child, her record label dropped her.

Our conversation explores whether Johanna would consider releasing a full album in future and, she also answers the inevitable question: would she compete in Melodifestivalen for the 5th time?

Tove Styrke first burst onto the scene back in 2009, as a contestant on the Swedish television programme, Idol. Alongside Loreen, Tove is possibly one of the biggest alumni from that talent show in terms of international success. And what’s really interesting about the then-teenager Tove, who went on to sign a record deal and work on her debut album that same year, is that she wasn’t just a mouthpiece for a team of songwriters. Bringing her own song ideas to the studio, Tove wrote or co-wrote 7 out of the 11 tracks on it.

And, as we note in our chat, it’s remarkable that, for an album written and recorded 15 years ago, it has aged very well. It’s anthemic, quirky - in that mainstream sort of way - and, particularly on the Patrik Berger collaborations, gives you a Robyn-esque feel. Which makes sense when you consider that Tove was one of the first people Patrik played his synth ideas for Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own" to, when they were working on Tove’s debut. You’ll be able to hear more on that special studio moment in our interview.

Tove didn’t just ride the wave of her Idol fame but took control of her career and transformed herself into a powerhouse among what she refers to as the “Swedish pop girlies”. Earlier this year, Tove made her acting debut in the Swedish stage adaptation of David Bowie’s ‘Lazarus’, earning excellent reviews and adding yet another skill to her palate.

Our interview took place just as the run of the production was coming to an end: a useful point at which she could reflect on the impact of this experience on her other work and consider whether she’d like to take on more acting roles in the future.
In this conversation, we also talk about her creative process, her admiration for Ethel Cain, Chappell Roan and ionnalee, touring with the likes of Lorde and Katy Perry and the very Swedish phenomenon of the dans band.

Check out our Tove Styrke playlist at www.melodyam.com/tove - it's full of our favourite tracks from her discography.