Atlantica - 01.11.2001, Side 54

i-site SVALA ❍
52 A T L A N T I C A
ATLANTICA: Under which name will you be known as a performer
abroad?
SVALA: I will be known as Svala. Actually people don’t even try to say
my second name; they look at how it’s spelled and think it’s very long
and difficult.
ATLANTICA: How do you feel about venturing out from the Icelandic
music scene into the big bad world of international pop?
SVALA: I feel really good about it. I have always wanted to release
my album in the States and the rest of the world and now it’s coming
true. For me it’s a challenge and it’s exciting and fun, and that’s what
it should be all about. There are a lot of talented artists coming out
now and the competition is fierce, but that to me makes it even more
exciting. I work well under pressure!
ATLANTICA: Which producers have you been working with and what
kind of sound are you going for?
SVALA: I worked with a very good friend of mine, Ian Morrow, who
has worked for people like Seal, Wet Wet Wet , M People and many
more. Me and Ian are very close friends and he’s my sort of mentor.
He taught me so much about singing and working in the studio, writ-
ing songs and more. He produced six songs on the album. I also
worked with two amazing young songwriters and producers, Arnthor
and Anders, from Stockholm. I co-wrote with them my new single,
‘The Real Me’, and they also wrote and produced another song on
the album called ‘Never Should Have Let You Go’, which is my
favourite one. They have worked with people like Jennifer Lopez, 98
Degrees, Ricky Martin, Jessica Simpson, Brandy and many more. I
also worked with two other Swedish guys, Andreas and Josef. I co-
wrote a song with a producer called Jorgen Elofsson and he’s written
a lot of songs for Britney and the Backstreet Boys. This guy is the
master of melodies. I worked with two guys from the states: Mr. Mig
from New Jersey and JIVE from New York.
ATLANTICA: Are you nervous taking your first steps up the ladder of
fame?
SVALA: I don’t really think about it in that way. Fame is something
Teen Spirit
Icelandic singer Svala Björgvinsdóttir released her
blend of R&B-influenced pop in an album entitled
The Real Me in September on Priority Records.
The pretty popstress took her debut creation on tour
around shopping malls with Seventeen magazine and
during a pit stop in Iceland, answered
some questions for Atlantica.
Photos by Tony Duran
Questions: Jennifer McCormack
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