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I couldn't think of a good title for this post, so I just gave it to you straight. This entry is to let you know about the talent that is Jonas Molinder.

Growing up my parents had very different tastes in music and I learned to love both styles. My Dad rocked out to Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Queen...my Mom chilled with Jon Secada, Sting and Phil Collins.

Jonas Molinder would be on my Mom's side of the musical track. But I do think everyone can appreciate the feeling Jonas puts into his music. The raw emotion written into the lyrics, the yearning sound of his voice wrapping around the piano notes. Whether you have loved and lost or are madly in love now, you will be completely enveloped with his music. I can't believe he isn't a international sensation already.

I had some questions for Jonas and he was oh so very kind to answer my curious mind.

1. What or who is your biggest inspiration?

"I don't know what artist influenced me the most. I have consumed tons of music since I was very young. And when I write, I try to not analyse too much. But recently, I've found that my best melodies and words are influenced by Swedish artists that where popular in the eighties, when I was a kid. Artist which you probably haven't heard of. As you may know, we have a very strong tradition of writing pop tunes in Sweden..

But among the artists that I have listened to lately, Sting would def. be one of my favourites, both lyric - and songwise.
I have listened a lot to Teitur, but that wasn't a surprise, was it .. ? ;) - He delivers his lyrics in the most credible way, and he has a great voice.
Ben Folds is another artist which I can listen to for hours. his lyrics are just fantastic. He's mixing great stories and uses elements of irony and poetry without messing it up. he's great."

2. What inspires the lyrics, they are so powerful.

"For my own part, I try to write the stories that I see everyday. I often write poetry sitting on the bus or in a park. But the album I'm releasing now is actually more of a "I'm Putting all my own feelings on the table all at once" - type of album.. It has very much to do with me thinking about my life, and trying to apply it to others. I like that way of writing. It's a very slow process, and difficult to do. But if you manage to get the message across, I think that many people can relate to it. And that's what I think songwriting is about: communication."

Jonas also gave me a recommendation of another artist to check out, Louise Hoffsten. He says she is a Swedish blues singer and I'm definitely going to be looking her up.

So there you have it, Jonas Molinder, the heart throb of Sweden who has been hiding out and depriving us of his amazing music! ;o) No more of the secrecy, everyone should check out his MySpace page, venture on over to his personal website, listen to his music and buy his album(s). They are not yet for sale in the US, but you can buy tracks from a myriad of International music stores online; the links to those sites are on his website.

Jonas Molinder - "Underneath Her Cover" (mp3)

Labels: music