Darín

I had a really great childhood in Stockholm, actually. It was nice. When I think about my childhood, I mostly think of the summers there, in Stockholm, playing outside with my friends and enjoying video games and watching clips on MTV. I’ve always been a performer, even as a kid I used to perform in front of my friends. Even at the beginning of primary school I was the performer, the singer, you know. That’s what I can recall from those days.

I was really into pop music growing up. Everything that was on MTV inspired me so much.

I can tell you the artists my parents used to play. Artists like Madonna or Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Richard Marx… at home I would often listen to their music.

For me, singing is very natural - even more than speaking. When I’m on stage I don’t like to talk, I prefer to sing. There is no better way for me to express my feelings than through singing.

Yes, they’ve always supported my music, ever since I was a kid. They always liked it, and that’s pretty cool because I know that it’s not always the case if you want to do music. Most parents want their kids to have a safer job with a stable salary but I was very lucky because my parents told me that I should follow my passion.

Everything was so different. Before the contest, I was just writing songs for other artists. I hadn’t signed a contract with a record company - and I didn't want to wait for one to come to me, because I already had people interested in my music. But, in the first year when the show was broadcast I got a record deal. I didn’t really know that I was going to become that big, that quick - so it was quite a shock. [It felt like it took just] one day for everyone to know my name and I couldn’t even go outside of my door.

Actually, I still think about that album. Thinking back to that period of time in my life, that album was produced by amazing people who currently are producing number one songs in America. I was very lucky to work with such an amazing team. The Anthem is a very 2000 kind of music vibe, but the sound is still good. It is not the [same] art I am [making] today but I feel very proud of that work.

Of course, I am. I consider myself a perfectionist when it comes to music, I want everything to sound perfect. For me, the most important thing when creating music is to ask myself if I would listen to this or the other song myself on Spotify, or another streaming platform, if the answer is yes, then I’m happy with it.

Sometimes I do, but it is not a good thing. A review represents the opinion of only one person. Instead is better to focus on the masses, the millions of people.

First of all, I think one of my strengths is to song writing and knowing when a song has that special something. I always share my emotions and all my works comes from the heart.

I actually don’t plan, it just happens. I wrote the song with Jaime Hartman and whatever happens, happens when we write. This is just what came out from that moment together. We sent the song to the producer, Burns, who also did Rain on me, the collaboration between Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, and he sent the song back and I just loved what he did with the song, it was just what I wanted. It’s a mix of disco, soul, house, and pop all in one. I feel like it represents the artist I am today, and I love that, because artists change but now that song really represents me as a singer. Can’t Stay Away feels so new to me but at the same time, it feels really like me.

As long as it feels natural to me, it feels good. Anyway I’m always scared at the moment of releasing something new. I kind of hate that part of the job, when you release things. I always keep telling myself, keep calm, the result is going to be the same anyway, don’t worry - but I can’t help my self, I’m human.

There is this song that I wrote not so long ago that the style shares the same music world with Can't Stay Away and also there is another song that I really like that is very slow, intimate, it is almost like a naked kind of production, with very soft guitar - it's so emotional. The album is going to be very varied. 

It was great. Jaime has done so many great things with artists like Celeste and, as you said, with Calvin Harris. BURNS has been involved in Chromatica, Lady Gaga’s last album. I’m just really happy that Jamie wanted to spend all this time working with me on my new project.

Wow, you just put me in the spot! Let me check my playlist. I love pop music so I can tell you that I would love to do a song with Troye Sivan, Dua Lipa. Also Raye, the English artist. Of course I want to work with the big ones in pop, you can guess the names (laughs).

Let me think…. Rosalia is really cool obviously. I don't know if Anitta is Spanish…

She’s cool though. Who are yours?

Who?

Nice!

Yes, she’s cool.

Currently I’m living quite a normal life here in Spain.

Yes, I just moved to Mallorca. I love Spain and my Spanish friends. I’m probably going to learn the language really quickly now. And going back to your question, there are always pros and cons when it comes to being famous because everything comes with a price. I value my private life but I also feel very lucky because I can do what I love the most as a living.

I felt like if I didn’t do it then, I was never going to do it. There is no right time and I had so much support from my closest friends, my sister, my cousins and my family. I just felt I needed to be honest about who I am. At the same time, I felt that it was nobody’s business but also I wanted to be honest because It’s something I don’t have a problem with. I just wanted to get it out there. I didn’t know what to expect and I was very touched by all the love I received from all over the world.

It has. The post where I said it went viral and I did not expect that. It opened a lot of doors, new fans, and audiences. All this love meant so much to me.

It's not that difficult, actually. Maybe in Sweden because everybody knows me, but I don’t know them. I think it should come naturally. I haven’t dated that much yet, I should start.

We’ll see (laughs).

I still don’t share a lot about my private life, actually. I’m the same person I was before.

I definitely feel that things have changed a lot and it's very nice to see it and I feel optimistic for the next generation. Everything is becoming cooler and cooler. We have to look at the positive side.