20 Questions With Fever Ray: Loving Cyndi Lauper, Being ‘Too Shy to Karaoke’ & Celebrating Latest Album With a ‘Queer Reunion’

In March, Fever Ray released their first new album in over five years, Radical Romantics. The project arrived as a welcome return for the artist, also known as Swedish singer Karin Dreijer (half of the sibling duo The Knife), as they explore the idea of love by questioning, deconstructing and rebuilding the concept in their own intriguing way.

Filled with 10 metallic synth-pop tracks, which see-saw between atmospheric and industrial, Radical Romantics follows Fever Ray’s 2017 album, the acclaimed Plunge. In support of the new set’s release, Fever Ray will set out on the There’s No Place I’d Rather Be Tour, their first trek since 2018. The U.S. leg kicks off May 1 in Washington, D.C.

In the latest edition of Billboard’s 20 questions, Fever Ray discusses their most memorable recent show at “a wonderful punk venue,” how they celebrated the album’s release (and who they dressed up as… spoiler: it’s from one of their music videos) and much more.

1. What’s the first piece of music you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?

The first record I bought was a 7” with Cyndi Lauper’s “All Through the Night.” I thought it was the best thing I’ve ever heard. I still like it.

2.  What was the first concert you saw?

I don’t remember — my dad took me to some, I guess. But I went to my first festival when I was 15, Hultsfredsfestivalen, in 1990. 22 Pistepirkko I remember [them playing]. That was a great show.

3.  Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?

I guess I realized it myself when I started to make money out of it. I’ve done it the past 20 years now. Before that I had other jobs as well.

4. What was your first job?

I was cleaning hotel rooms.

5.  Whose career path continues to inspire you most?

I think I get inspired by people who are passionate about what they do, who keep on learning new things, who understand how to combine work with relationships, friends, family and manages to take care of themselves. It can be in any profession.

6. How did your hometown shape who you are?

I lived in the same place from 6 to 18 — it was sort of out in nowhere, outside Gothenburg. There were small streets with the same exact houses in straight rows. Only houses and a lot of forest around. There was a tennis hall, too, so everybody played tennis. Except our family, although my sister started to do that later. I guess music was a way to find a space where I could be me, a way to understand that there’s something else than this.

7. If you could see any artist in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?

I would have loved to see Eurythmics around the Savage album. And Cyndi Lauper when she released “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.”

8. What’s the best or favorite concert you have seen so far this year, why?

I haven’t seen so many unfortunately, cause I’ve been working too much with the tour. But I saw Sarah Parkman a few weeks ago in Gothenburg. She has an incredible voice, it was a great show.

9. What’s the last album you listened to in one sitting?

Bendik Giske’s Cracks, I love it.

10. What’s your favorite album of all time?

Around the World in a Day with Prince.

11. How did you celebrate the release of your third album, Radical Romantics?

We had a big party in Stockholm with many great DJs and performances — people said afterwards it was like a queer reunion after the pandemics. I was there as Demonalisa from the “Even It Out” video.

12. What song on the album was particularly challenging to write?

I think writing is always a mix of easy and light — some days everything is clear and some days everything’s a struggle. I work office hours, mostly. I think routines are the best way to get things done, even though routines also van be a struggle. Days when you don’t get ideas, you just practice — practice a new instrument, practice vocals, practice a new plug-in. You just have to stay in it.

13. You’ve long worked with your brother, and he’s a co-writer on several tracks here. What’s the key to working with family?

I have no idea. I’ve never thought of it like that. I don’t think of family as something blood-related either; family are the people you keep close. It’s six years between Olof and I, so we didn’t share much as kids. I had a strong urge quite early to break out from there, I moved out when I was 18. So it was later we started to do things together — he had started making music by the computer and we played around with it one summer. That’s how it started.

14. If you had to pick one lyric that you have thought about or revisited most since the album released, which one would it be and why?

I think they all mean a lot to me. It’s interesting to perform them live now — you have to learn to live with them. When you write them and record them, you just think about how to tell this specific story, once. But now, you have to make friends with them in another way.

15. What’s your karaoke go-to?

I am too shy to karaoke.

16. What show of yours stands out as being particularly moving or memorable?

My recent one was den Atelier in Luxemburg. We didn’t have any expectations — it’s a bit of a strange city, very clean and a lot of money. Then we played at a wonderful punk venue and the audience was just amazing, we had such a good time.

17. What’s your favorite book?

My oldest kid made me re-read Kathy Acker lately, who I love.

18. What’s your favorite film or TV show?

I love so many films. Those by John Waters are new favorites.

19.. What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

You have to make friends with yourself. Treat yourself like your own best friend.

20. What remains at the top of your professional bucket list?

I am very grateful of everything that’s happened already. When finishing an album I always think of the last album I’ve made like the very last I will make, that I might do something completely different next time. I don’t have a professional bucket list. I’d like to keep working and collaborate with fun people, there’s a lot of things that needs to be widened and explored.

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