While it sort of just feels like we’re all suspended in midair at the moment, some of us are filling in the extended pause of These Uncertain Times™ with creative endeavors – and that includes the Swedish Queen of Pop herself, Robyn.
Amid her ongoing Club Domo virtual DJ sets and the release of “Impact,” her sexy club thumper with SG Lewis and Channel Tres, Robyn had a three-way (call) with her “Impact” collaborators for Interview, in which they discussed their current plans, and/or lack thereof.
During the conversation, SG reflected on having just finished his forthcoming debut album in the middle of a pandemic.
“You should savor the moment,” Robyn advised.
“Even though it sucks the way things are, you should just try. I’ve been in the studio for all of July and a lot of people here are in their country house or not in the city. I mean the people who can. I love working now when nobody else is working. It’s like being up late or being up early. I feel like I’m doing things when other people aren’t. It’s not that it just feels good because you’re using the time well, it’s also because I think there’s less pressure,” she then revealed.
Later, Channel asked if there are certain people that hear music in advance from SG and Robyn.
“I play music for my sister,” Robyn said.
“But I don’t know, you have to choose carefully who to play for and when. Some people don’t know how to listen to demos. I like to play to people that make music because I think people that make music themselves know what to listen for. So I play for a lot of people that I write with. I played a song for Max Martin two days ago, that was very scary,” she went on to say.
“He liked it. Phew. I mean he said he liked it. I don’t know. But I felt like he liked it. I hope he did.”
The thought of Robyn casually checking in with fellow member of pop royalty – the collaborator responsible for “Show Me Love” and “Do You Know (What it Takes),” her two Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits (as well as Body Talk‘s incredible “Time Machine” years later) – is deeply soothing for the soul, and a promising sign of things to come given his apparent approval.
It’s been two years since Robyn drizzled her sad, sweet Honey onto our speakers, although she’s kept us consistently fed with music videos, remixes and collaborations ever since. Here’s hoping she continues to find inspiration in the present societal slow-down. We could truly use her loving touch while we keep dancing on our own.
And for the vinyl nerds, Robyn’s self-titled 2005 record is about to be released for the first time on vinyl for Record Store Day.
Photo credit: @robynkonichiwa
