Agnes
The Swedish Pop Idol charts her success
It’s the age-old story of the little girl who dreamed one day she could be a pop star, only this time the dream came true. Agnes Emilia Carlsson, from the small lakeside village of Värnersborg in Sweden, started singing lessons when she was eight, when her idol was Stevie Wonder. In 2005 it was to be another Idol all together that would give Agnes the springboard required to become Sweden’s biggest selling new artist, propel her to global stardom and a land a multi-million dollar record contract. Swiftly bagging an MTV Europe award for Sweden’s Best New Act, four years and three platinum albums on she has now been signed by Geffen Records in the US. Agnes now stands on the brink of global stardom.
“Winning Pop Idol feels like 100 years ago. It was like a music school. To be honest I did it for fun! I was 16 and had sung solo live in front of an audience only once. I’m on my third record now and things have changed so much.”
With Agnes’s first two albums playing heavily on the Pop / R ’n’ B influence she acquired after the Idol win in her native Sweden, comparisons to the UK’s pop factory poster girl were obvious. “Leona Lewis is beautiful and tremendously talented, she has an incredible voice and if people want to compare me to successful artists like that I am flattered. Musically we are very different though, especially with Dance Love Pop, the new record.”
She has chosen a dance-infused musical style to face her new global audience. “I really wanted to present something uptempo to get people moving on the dance floor and have fun. My new label Roxy Recordings introduced me to producer and songwriter Anders Hansson from Stockholm and things just clicked.”
Close to a million sales of the single Release Me later (written about a bad break-up with an ex-boyfriend, so potential suitors take note!) and a Top 3 placing in the UK chart, the new sound seems to have worked. “My life is moving at a million miles an hour now, sometimes it feels like I am living out of my suitcase. Having success in your career and travelling the world is the dream of any artist. It’s a roller coaster but I am so lucky to be on it.”
Agnes tempers her excitement with a reality check. “I also think it’s important to prove to your fans and your critics that you aren’t just a manufactured artist that can only do one thing. The new record has some great dance beats behind it, but I can also perform them acoustic, just me and a guitar. For me that’s the strength of a great song.
“Being born in a small fishing town, moving to Stockholm opened my eyes to so many new things, but now every day is an experience, be it shopping on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, picking up vintage bargains in the East Village in New York or playing a show and then dancing the night away in G-A-Y nightclub in London. Everything is fresh and new to me, but I still love playing in Sweden. Especially the north, where for part of the year it doesn’t get dark. Sitting out in the sun at 3am is very weird!”
The album Dance Love Pop is out now. www.agnescarlsson.se
“Agnes is a perfectionist; my first five minutes meeting her was a strict lesson on the correct pronunciation of her home town Vänersborg, also known in Sweden as ‘Little Paris’.’” WIZZ writer Martin Klipp
AGNES’ A-LIST:
“I like going to clubs but my friends are the people that make it. Berns 2.35:1 in Stockholm is my new favourite club, but for a real party and a full-on dancing session, gay clubs are always the best.” www.berns.se
“My favourite bar in Stockholm is Gondolen. It is a fantastic venue with beautiful people and beautiful views.” www.eriks.se
“I’ve been to some great restaurants on tour but when I return traditional classic Swedish food like bacon, potatoes and garlic sauce lets me know I’m home. Pelikan in Stockholm is one of the best.” www.pelikan.se
