Well, I figured I would start off by saying that I loved the release of In The Moment (Live) EP, so I’m really excited to talk about that, but before we get into that, hi, I’m Olivia Foster, I’m here with Radio UTD and I’m here today with Sandra Bjurman Velvet Moon. Would you like to introduce yourself?

Yeah, I’m the singer, and the main writer when it comes to lyrics and melodies in the band, and I’m by myself today unfortunately, because the guys couldn’t join me, but I hope I’m gonna be enough.

Perfect. Really excited to talk with you. I have to say, your voice is absolutely stunning.

Oh, thank you.

So, you write a lot of the music as well then?

Yeah, I do. I mean, we co-produce everything nowadays. At the beginning, they produced more, but I’m starting to produce more and more, so we co-produce, and I kind of write the songs. I mean, when it comes to more like lyrics, I write, yeah, everything, because they are not so into that. They leave that one for me.

How long have you guys been together as a band?

I would say, we started the band around 2018, but we have worked, all of us together, in different projects and as songwriters for like five years before that. So, yeah, it’s been like fifteen years or something now.

Oh wow, that’s awesome. So, you guys recently released the In The Moment (Live) EP.

Yeah.

What was that songwriting experience like for you guys?

I mean, that was actually a live recording of different songs from different albums, so we did a big concert. Our first arena concert with, like, 2,500 people, which is big for us. And it was last December, and we chose to record it and to release it because we have so many fans around the world. They’re so spread out, and we haven’t had the chance to really go on a bigger tour, so we wanted to give that as a gift for all the fans.

That’s awesome. Have you guys only toured domestically, or have you ever gone to other countries to tour?

I mena, we’ve been over to—last year, we went over to England and gave a couple of shows, and we were recently in Estonia, just the other weekend, so we’re starting to really like move around a little bit now, because we can sell a little bit more tickets and stuff, because the fans have been spread out, so we didn’t really know if anyone would show up. You know how it is when you’re starting out, so yeah. But, we’re moving around a little bit now, so we’re excited about that.

I noticed a lot of the songs from the live performance on your guys’ 2020 Catch the Wave album, and I was just wondering, what was it like to release an album during COVID for you guys?

I think it came very natural, because we would say—I call us “studio rats,” because we love the process of writing and producing and creating, and we’ve always been creating for other people, but 2018 we felt like, “Okay, we want to make up our own rules and not have to be there for anyone else. Even the listeners, they will come,” so we kinda started developing to satisfy ourselves and to also contribute to music that we love, and not always write very very commercial, that we do normally on a daily basis to make money and so on. I think during COVID, it was the same thing.

We were still in the studio and traveling so much, and it was even easier for us because we really had no choice. We could only stay in, which was great. I felt we [dug] deeper, and I feel that record is very very special for us. We really hit a nerve that started something that we’re still working on and that we’re digging deeper on, and we have a new record coming in, now in May. It’s called Endless War In The Summer. It’s gonna be like a continuation of what we started then, so yeah. It’s exciting.

That really is exciting. What was the process like for writing this new album, I guess more so compared to the previous ones. Have you had a creative sort of evolution between 2020 to now? 

Yeah, definitely. I mean, musically-wise, we never stay in one room. I would say that’s a strength, but it can also be something that’s not a strength. But, we want to stay free, and we want to move around, and for this record, we actually started going to Palma, to Spain, and rented a studio there just to see what the energies would be on that island. The songs came out a little bit different, the ones that we wrote down there. So yeah, we’re taking steps in new directions musically-wise too, which is exciting for us, and hopefully for the listeners.

That’s awesome. So, you said that the new album comes out in May then?

Yeah, we’re still discussing. It’s always last-second, so now it’s like, “Okay, the last songs are getting mastered right now as we speak,” so we don’t know if it’s going to be like, 24th, or? But yeah, it’s going to be in the end of May, and we’re soon gonna be out with the dates.

That’s so exciting. Are you guys planning on touring for the new album?

I mean, we hope so. We’re actually so indie that we actually, today, don’t have a booker. We have one in Finland after our last weekend in Estonia, because it’s like, once we give a show, people really show up and want to book us and stuff, but we’ve been a little bit laid-back, I would say. Just doing it for us, and so we haven’t really been out there so much, but we want to do that now, so, yeah. I hope that we’re gonna go back to UK at least and also travel a little around here in Scandinavia to give some shows as a start.

Because you’re in Sweden, right? Correct me if I’m wrong.

Yeah, we’re in Sweden. I mean, the music that we make is very, I would say, very influenced by a lot of American and English artists combined, because we’re three people and we all listen to different things. But, it would be like a dream to come over to the States and give shows. Because, we also feel like, when we were in England for example, it was so full, no one could come in even. We were like, okay, we didn’t expect that response. So, yeah, we really feel that England and the US, maybe Germany, really could be interesting markets for us to give shows.

I think your guys’ kind of Fleetwood Mac-esque vibe would work really well in the US.

Oh, thank you.

Of course. And, I’m originally from the UK, so same thing goes for there as well.

Yeah, we get that kind of thing a lot. People are like, “Oh, have you heard Stevie Nicks?” and I’m like, “Uh, yes. I grew up with her.” It’s like the biggest compliment for me, because I love that whole “free, freedom feeling” in that it feels like a warm embrace, that kind of music that was made during that era. I think, yeah, I’m stuck there for sure. I mean, even though I wanna make it a bit more contemporary and up-to-date and put in modern elements, I really love that music, and I wanna stay there for sure.

I can definitely hear the Stevie Nicks influence on your voice, and honestly, I think it works really well. I wanted to ask, aside from Stevie and Fleetwood Mac, who are some of your other musical influences?

I would say I grew up with, when I learned to sing, because I’m self-taught, I listened to Jeff Buckley, Aretha Franklin, a lot of Gladys Knight & the Pips, and I mean, Joni Mitchell for sure. When it comes to writing, that kind of direct dialogue with the listener, and nature, metaphoric writing is something that I’m really influenced by in my writing.

As soon as you said “Joni Mitchell,” I totally, totally see that. That’s wonderful.

Thank you.

What about your band mates? What kind of inspirations do they bring into the songwriting mix?

We have Stefan Örn. He has always been into Bruce Springsteen for sure, but he also listens to early Radiohead, which I do too, of course. But, he can be very punky and very raw in his soundscapes, which I really like to combine with the more pop-y vibes. And Johan [Glössner]—he’s everything, but he’s such a great guitarist and musician, so he’s probably listened to like all these guitarists that I can’t even name by name. So, yeah, too bad he’s not here, but maybe next time. Yeah, it’s a broad [spectrum] of genres for sure between us.

I think that really shows in your guys’ music. You have a really well-rounded sound that … especially on the live EP, it’s just so pleasant to listen to.

Oh, thank you.

Yeah. Do you have any plans for after this album comes out?

Well, we’ve started to write our—is this our fifth album? Yeah, so we’ve started to write on the next one of course. I don’t think we’ll ever stop. No matter how well it’s selling or not or—I mean, like I said, this is our heart project, something that we do for us to feed our souls as we go. I mena, I love writing for Idol or for Eurovision or whatever it is, as long as it’s something that makes me tick. I want to write it. Doesn’t matter if it’s like “pop pop pop” or it’s really outside the box with the lyrics and playful, but I always need to come home, and for me, Velvet Moon is coming home. And it’s always something that, where I’m at, what I’m going through, so it’s like my diary, I would say. So it’s never like, “Okay, what are we writing about?” It’s always just us jamming in a room, then I’m like, “Ah, I needed to get that out. Okay, yeah. So, I’m going through that. That was harder than I thought.” So it’s like, looking back, it’s like therapy sessions. For me. So we will always write new material for sure. Yeah.

That’s wonderful. I’ll leave you here with just one last question.

Mhm?

If you were able to go back to the start of your guys’ band, around 2018, what’s one piece of advice that you would like to be able to have given yourself?

I would say don’t get lost within what other people say when they listen to your music. Like, you can hear them out always, because it’s a part of growth, but listen with a half-ear and then decide what hits your heart. And if it doesn’t hit your heart, don’t get insecure about where you want to be or who you want to be. Just stay centered and continue writing what you feel is you for usre. Yeah.

Wonderful. Thank you so much for chatting with me today.

Thank you, Olivia. Thanks for having me.

Good luck with the upcoming album release! I’m really excited to give it a listen.