What is the band’s name?
Kid Wave
Whats the reason behind the band’s name?
It’s basically just a play on words. Me and my friend Josie were sitting in a café in Kentish Town an afternoon after getting kicked out from work when I came up with it.
How old are you?
I’m 23.
What is your genre of music?
I normally say indie rock.
Give us a little Bio of the band and you guys individually-
I started it as a recording project after moving to England in 2011. I met Serra (drummer) at a local music college here and then later Harry (bass) via mutual friends. Mattias and I have known each other for a long time and hail from the same town in Sweden.
How long have you been doing music?
-Since my early teens.
What made you go in to music?
Sounds strange but I just woke up one day and knew that’s what I wanted to do. And it’s been a very consistent and strong feeling ever since, I’m interested in a lot of things but I never wanted to do anything else really.
Are you a signed?
Yeah, the band is signed to Heavenly Recordings in the UK.
I first saw your Music at ‘Stereophonics’, what is it like being on a tour like that?
It was amazing. We’ve never played massive venues like that or been part of a big production before; they were travelling with a crew of 60 people and catering. It’s in a way a lot easier because the venues are all purpose built. Normally you have to carry your gear up two flights of stairs and then you hang out in a scrub behind the stage drinking warm Carlsberg or something like that, which is also cool but not as luxurious. On this tour we had nice dressing rooms and our own showers and stuff because venues that size I have that I guess. We were so well looked after. The tour was like a fun holiday. I tend to say that a lot about doing music stuff ha, but really compared to my every day life doing what I love is like a holiday for me.
Who was the best night so far?
I loved all the shows. I think Brighton and Nottingham were the best performance wise, but Manchester was pretty special as it was the first time playing an arena and I had a bit of a real life moment on stage. The size of that place is impressive. I always get a bit of post tour anxiety before the tour actually finishes so the last show (and the biggest one) in London at the O2 was a bit of a blur although it was the coolest thing ever to get to play there.
You are headlining one of NME’s + Austins 2016, what was that like to get the call?
Really cool! It’ll be the last show for us in a while as we’re now working on album 2, so it’ll be a special one for sure.
What instruments do you play?
Guitar, piano and drums.
Who are your influences?
At the moment I’m really into songwriters like Ryan Adams and Jeff Buckley.
When will your new material be out?
There will be new stuff out later next year!
Will you be doing your own tour?
Yeah we will for sure do our own tour when the new album is out.
What Cities would you want to perform in?
All of them haha.
Where is the best place you’ve performed?
Scotland is always fun! And London is special because it’s home ground for us. I also enjoyed playing in Scandinavia and Paris a lot. The crowds there are really fun to play to.
And the best Venue?
I loved La Cigale in Paris. It’s a beautiful venue. Molotow in Hamburg was great as well, we played there twice at Reeperbahn Festival and it’s just a really cool place. The basement room is tiny, it was so crowded people who couldn’t get in were watching from outside and the vibe is just amazing.
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
Sounds like a cliché but I think life in general. I think the second album will be different to the first because you know, you evolve and things change all the time. But I think as a writer I tend to come back to the same things a lot.
Where do you see yourself in 2-5 Years?
Hopefully we have our second and maybe even third album out by then. I just wanna keep writing and releasing music. I love touring so I hope I’ll be on the road, but to be honest who knows. Looking back 5 years my life was very different to how it is now.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I walk a lot. I love being outdoors. I like travelling and being on the move, I try to always have projects going. I think I’m one of those who always search for something to keep me going. When I come back from tour I have to have something else to look forward to or work on otherwise I’d go mad I think. Sometimes it’s music, sometimes I design clothes and jewellery that I never use and sometimes I just I write other things but music. Right now I’m focusing on the second album and going to LA to write and see my publisher.
If you could collaborate with one UK Artist who would it be?
There are many. I think Justin in The Vaccines is one of the most solid songwriters in the UK guitar music world right now. Their sound has evolved over the years but you always recognize his writing style. I think that’s what makes a great songwriter. When we were on tour with them they wrote like 50 songs on their day off and rehearsed new material at soundcheck. I’m quite slow when it comes to writing but it’s cool to get an insight in how other people write and work, it’s so individual. I’d like to do a collab just to see how one actually writes 10 songs in a day.
If you could collaborate with one USA Artist who would it be?
Ryan Adams, Josh Homme , Jeff Tweedy or Tom Petty. I really can’t decide, would be a dream come true either way. I’d love to write with them, for them to produce a song or even just observe them work (like a proper creep ha). I watch all these geeky videos and live performances on youtube, I think I’m just trying to learn. I’m not from a musical family or anything like that so I’ve had no guidance musically and although I’m pretty confident in what I want and what I like, I look to others for input and tips. Songwriting doesn’t come with a manual and most of the time I find that you’re pending between hating yourself and loving yourself. It’s pretty terrible when you think about it.
Where is your dream venue or festival to perform in UK?
Ever since I saw Wilco perform at Roundhouse in London I’ve wanted to play there, its really one of the best sounding venues and a beautiful room.
Where is your dream venue or festival to perform in USA?
We’d love to play Coachella, be amazing to experience a festival in good weather haha!
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
-At the time I listened to a lot of Swedish music and bands like Laakso, Florence Valentin and Broder Daniel. Can’t pick one song though!
What was the first song you wrote?
I wrote a song about a donkey and all the animals I wanted to have when I was like 6 years old. I was obsessed (still am) with animals.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
To let things take time. I’m rubbish at it myself but when you look back you can always see that the way things happen make sense. Sometimes you gotta let it take time and not rush into anything – when you’re ready, you’ll know and things happen naturally.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Enjoy the ride. Be prepared for a lot of hard work, there’s very little money in it for young and upcoming bands so you probably have to juggle with part time jobs and stuff. But if you’re in it for the love of music, which most people are, it’s always worth it no matter the level you’re at. And don’t listen too much to what other people say! I mean its good to listen to people with more experience but you don’t have to buy everything they say. We all have to make up our own minds. I was probably the only one in my class in college who got told by the teachers to not pursue a career in music – “Keep it as a hobby, you’re not talented enough”, “the industry is tough” and all that. It’s hard enough having to fight your own insecurities about doing music, but having to face everybody else’s is even worse. Now I’m the only one with a record deal and a debut album out of the 30 students in my class so try not to listen too much to what everyone thinks and says. If you want something and believe you can do it – go get it yourself; no one else will do it for you.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
That human connects with humans. Hiding one’s humanity and trying to project an image of perfection makes life vague and lifeless. We’re drawn to shared interests, shared problems and life energy. It’s sometimes easy to forget in today’s society. I try to always be very open and honest about flaws, my problems and myself because I find that it helps other people open up about theirs too.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
To bring? My guitar, extra guitar, my capo, my phone charger and plektrums.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yep – search for Kid Wave
www.facebook.com/kidwavemusic
Instagram: kidwavemusic
Twitter: kidwavemusic
