Project Description
Snapshot interview with
SWAY
by Dave Bruce
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SWAY is Dark Pop. A sound that can move you in any direction in a wave of upbeat modern 80’s synth Pop with a touch of darkness. SWAY is the creation of Freddy Hale, a Swedish-American singer/songwriter, who combined elements from all of the music that he has loved and transformed the sound of Pop into something real for our generation.
The music came to life in 2016 when Freddy and Niklas Myrback, a Swedish guitarist with a very refined and powerful yet minimalistic style, began shaping and perfecting the songs in Hollywood, California.
Cadu CJ was next to join the team, a Brazilian drummer living in LA, he was drawn into the project by the unique music that Freddy produced and ended up adding the right amount of punch to accentuate the sound of SWAY.
The group became complete in early 2018, when Swedish bassist Daniel Juter joined the project as the missing link the boys needed in order to have their own personal SWAY Dream Team.
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How did the band originate? Did you come from other projects?
The band grew from the solo project Freddy Hale was trying to pursue in LA, which was the main reason he moved to California in the first place like so many others. He connected with Cadu Costa and Niklas Myrback in college while in the process of recording his debut album on the side, which later would turn into SWAY’s debut record after acoustic drums and guitars and had been added into the mix. Daniel Juter came into the picture after Freddy went out on a limb to reach out to him and ask him to play bass in the band even though he knew Daniels main instrument was drums. Eager to try out with them after seeing them play live in and around Hollywood and hearing the sound he accepted, and just weeks after that they decided on their final lineup.
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What kind of music did you all grow up on?
Freddy, Niklas and Daniel grew up on a lot of classic rock and pop music from the 1970’s and 80’s like KISS, Toto, Led Zeppelin, Guns N Roses, Michael Jackson, Prince, the list goes on! Cadu had more of a punk background listening to American punk bands from the 90’s and earlier 2000’s, although he also enjoyed all styles.
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How do you find the balance between your everyday lives and your musical ones?
Freddy: “People ask me that sometimes, how I keep the balance. But truth is they are pretty much one and the same, we live it and breathe it everyday. We’ve become really close, and the band and the team are like a close circle of friends which makes working towards our goal very effortless and easy. When we’re not rehearsing, we’re either at the gym getting ourselves in good shape for live performances, or at parties obnoxiously telling everything and everybody about our music! Whatever it may be we always have the band in mind, be it the creative aspect of it or the business side.”
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You’ve just released your debut video ‘Dive’. Can you describe its origins and evolution?
Dive was the first song Freddy wrote after making the move to Los Angeles and the lyrics are real pieces from experiences he shared those first couple of months when everything was new and fresh.
Niklas: “Dive was the first song that Freddy and I recorded together. I remember I loved it from the first time I heard it and also that I really had to work to get that guitar melody in the chorus right.”
Freddy: “The song really didn’t have many stages of evolution, I wrote and produced the whole thing in one night and had all the guitar parts in my head. The next day, I was in the studio with Niklas and told him how I wanted them to go and he nailed everything. What it sounded like then pre-mix is basically what it sounds like now, except for a the new sizzle and punch it’s got.”
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How do you see your sound progressing in the future? Who are and have been your inspirations?
The band has talked about their sophomore album and what it’ll be like, mainly that it will be more organic and not as heavily electronic production wise. Adding new elements that people probably aren’t expecting from a pop record is definitely top of the list of priorities, but they’ll most likely stick to the darker side of synthesizers and pads when it comes to ambience.
Daniel: “When we talk about our future music I feel like it’s gonna go in a very organic and cinematic direction. I’m very exited to write new music, I know the four of us have a very similar way of thinking when it comes to songwriting.”
Niklas: “I guess we´ll have to wait and see, I think everyone is going to be more involved in the writing process which is going to be a big difference. But I´m really looking forward to start working on that.”
Currently a lot inspiration for the new material comes from The Weeknd’s older material, Scarlet Pleasure, James Bay’s new album, The 1975, Tove Styrke and Tove Lo. A lot of film scores as well, as Freddy is heavily influenced by various movie composers.
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If someone had never listened to Sway before, does ‘Dive’ represent your general style?
Niklas: “I think so, it has that dark vibe and a great hook, which is two things I love about SWAY.”
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It’s only been a short time so far. Where do you envision yourself to be in the next 3-5 years?
Daniel: “I see us in a tour bus ready to give people a night they will never forget!”
Freddy: “No doubt we’ll be a couple albums and tours ‘older’, other than that who knows! I’m guessing we’ll be very very different…”
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Do you have any plans for an EP or album?
The debut album will be out at the beginning of 2019, that’s about all we can say at this point.
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Do you have any interesting dates or tours coming up?
Freddy: “We have a bunch of shows in and around LA coming up, and a new video out soon so we’ll probably do a lit release party for that! In July we are playing a really cool show at The Study in Hollywood on July 28th, it’s Saturday at 8 pm to be specific so come check that out. Keep creeping on our social media to find out more about upcoming dates!”
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If you could pick absolutely anyone to bring on tour with you, whom would you pick? (Dead or Alive)
Daniel says his favorite band The 1975, Nik and Cadu say Michael Jackson, Freddy seems torn between David Bowie and 2pac.
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Are there any venues or locations you aspire to play in the future? What are your major goals or milestones for the future?
SWAY can’t wait to play the classic spots like the Greek Theater, Hollywood Bowl, Staples Center, Wembley Stadium etc.
Niklas humbly adds: “I would love to go home to Sweden and play in my hometown Gothenburg.”
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Finally, this is a paragraph dedicated to some quick discovery. May sound corny, but for the fans, can you tell me your favorite album, artist, movie, place, drink, meal and person (living or dead) and some brief reasons why? Answer some or all please?
Daniel:
My favorite album would have to be either THE1975’s self titled album or THE1975’s sophomore album. Favorite band is obviously THE1975. I just love the way they make music and how they make you feel when you listen to them.
My favorite movies are the Insidious movies.
There’s a place in France called Taizé I really love. It’s so calm and peaceful. I love red wine and my sister makes the best Swedish pancakes, I think those are my favorite thing to eat. My favorite famous person is probably Matt Healy from THE1975. He seems to be such a nice guy and a genius when it comes to music and lyric writing.
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Niklas:
Album: Tough one, Hotel California by The Eagles is one of them. Right now my favorite artist is James Bay.
Movie: Almost Famous
Drink: Coffee
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Cadu:
That’s hard for me to answer because I like so many things and go through so many different phases that everything is sort of equally important in the end. The things that are certain in my life at least right now is that I like to drink pure black coffee in the morning, I love my dogs and all dogs really, and I have been listening to the new Post Malone on repeat. And of course drums, drums, drums….
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Freddy:
My favorite album of all time might be either Thriller or Kissland, Thriller because it’s SO classic and solid, Kissland because many of the lyrics are so close to how I felt when it came out I might as well have written them myself, and the overall sound of that album and the production is something that still inspires me. “Favorite artist” is a very fickle notion to me, I guess right at this very moment it’s probably Allen Stone. I have too many favorite movies to name a few, but somebody says “Christopher Nolan” at a party and I’m there chatting up a storm. I’m actually a woodland creature so my favorite place is any forest really. I like drinking juice or water during the day, and Remy Martin cognac in the evening.
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My nickname is “The Amnplifier”. Why? Because around here my focus is on being a conduit for providing greater outcomes that people come here for. My day to day “work” is living in the moment, and I love helping others concentrate on finding their connection to themselves through their experiences.
Why start a music environment? The truth is I love music, I love writing, and I love life. I work with musicians every day, and I feel certain that I will be until they put me in the ground. I have been managing people in businesses of some sort for over thirty five years so along the way I have developed some “wisdom” from my regular and constant “observations”.
Amnplify your experience. That is what we want you to do here, and if you want to let me know why you do, or don’t, shoot me a message on Facebook.
Hope you enjoy yourself here and find something that hits you somewhere.
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