At this point, is it even possible for a Swedish female singer-songwriter to not be lauded as an exciting new talent in the music space? It certainly doesn’t seem so...and they make it so easy to love them, especially when they are as special as AURORA.

The young talent just recently finally gifted her massive (and ever-expanding) fan base with her new record, the curiously-titled INFECTIONS OF A DIFFERENT KIND (STEP I), and like everything she’s dropped before, it was immediately met with praise.

AURORA (which is her real name, by the way) talks about why she feels Sweden is such a hotbed for pop music upstarts and why so many people continue to stream her biggest songs over and over.

Congrats on your new album! How does it feel to finally have it out in the world?

Thank you so much. I am quite cold-hearted when it comes to releasing new music, it’s like in the animal world. I leave it be, and let it take care of itself. My mind is so invested in the music I’m making so I leave the finished world behind and focus on my next step.
 

But of course it feels wonderful that people can finally hear it.

Can you tell me the meaning of the name INFECTIONS OF A DIFFERENT KIND (STEP I)?

It’s written both in the lines and in between the lines of the whole “step.” The one clue I can give is that with this “infection” it’s definitely right to open yourself up, and let yourself be infected by it.

If this is Step I, are you planning on making this a series and releasing a Step II?

Yes definitely. It’s going to be a different kind of journey.

I have seen your music described in a million different ways. Do you have a word or phrase you use to describe what you create?

I would say emotional first of all. Many of my “happy” sounding songs have quite dark lyrics and stories hidden in them. And many of my dark songs have light. I love contrast in the lyrics, melodies, and the soundscape. But I guess most of all I’d like my music to be a friend for people who need it.

Many of your songs have racked up tens of millions of streams—what do you think makes so many people connect with them on such a deep level?

I make music from the heart and soul, and it makes sense to me that creatures with a heart and a soul would connect to it. It really shows how much we could understand each other and how much we have in common. It’s very moving to me. And I’m so amazed by the beautiful way people use music. It turns music into a very important phenomenon.

You follow in a long line of talented pop musicians from Scandinavia—what is it that makes artists from that area so attuned to what works in the genre?

Maybe it’s the water. Or the mountains. Or maybe just the fact that there is good cultural support for artists and a good support system, especially in Bergen right now. Also it helps that the world’s eyes are all on Bergen so it seems they are ready for anything that comes out of there. Like when people figure out an apple tree makes good apples, so they come back every year. It’s very cool.

Now that the album is out, what do you have coming up next?

Lots of magical things. The second part of my journey. A world tour. And more magic.