Swedish singer and songwriter Ingrid Witt has long been a driving force behind the scenes for other artists, and two years ago, finally, made her solo debut. Attached below is her latest offering, Killing Me. A story about a destructive relationship and the struggles to move on, all wrapped in a warm and multi-layered pop shell.
The track comes off her new EP Everything Has To Be True which has a release date for November 24th via her own label Oh Mama. Reason enough for Team Poule to get behind this and hear what Ingrid is all about.
Where are you from, where did you grow up?
I grew up on an island just outside Stockholm.
Were your parents musicians or creative too?
My father played in a lot of bands when he was young and music has always been around a lot in my family, but none of them is a creative professional. But I have more distant family members that were successful artists, photographers, ballet dancers and painters, so it feels good to have a logic explanation to why I feel that I need to take this path in life – it’s probably my genes.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Music. I’m a music addict and I get very inspired by listening to new sounds and new cool artists. When it comes to lyrics I draw a lot of inspiration from events and people in my life. But I’m quite easily inspired, I like to tell stories and I have quite a lot of fantasy that I use, especially when writing for other artists. But on days that I do feel uninspired, it helps to watch a documentary about some cool musician and then I always feel the urge to get back and try to make cool stuff myself.
What does your writing/recording process look like? Has it changed over the years?
I started to write songs at the same time as I started to produce at the age of 10. So I have basically always written songs to beats. And up until recently I worked a lot alone. Now I write a lot with other people, which is a great way to become a better songwriter. When I did everything by myself I got too caught up in the production, and the actual song was not always the priority. Now I try to focus on finishing the song, more or less, before going crazy with sounds and plugins. Even though the song is just one vocal phrase throughout the whole track, it must have a meaning and say exactly what you want to say with that song. Production-wise I try to find a strong fundament in a production, instead of just adding effects and instruments. I know this is what every good producer do, but it is a lot easier said than done. But I try, I do try. And I slowly get better.
What would be the ideal place to listen to your music?
In your headphones alone, on the way to meet up your friends on a Friday night, when you want to feel fierce and flawless.
I read that you attended law school and worked in that area for a few years. Was there a key moment that made you quit your regular job to pursue a full time career in music? You must have had that idea for some time in the back of your head..
I never decided to quit music, but I really got caught up in the law thing both in law school and later when I worked as a legal counsel. I was a typical “good girl”. I worked hard and I was really good at what I was doing. I got a lot of flattery and encouragement from people around me, which kept me going. But it got to a point where I worked too much, I was very anxious and unhappy and I sort of had no choice but to change my life. I had to find a drive from within, something that makes me go even though no one gives a damn about what I do. So I decided that I had to give music an honest try once and for all. It was quite a change, but now I feel that I can be myself again, be confident and don’t care that much about what people think.
What feeling do you want to carry to the listener with your new EP?
I hope that they will feel excited and gain a little bit of confidence and a sort of “fuck you” attitude to expectations and prestige. Me and Joakim Buddee (who has co-written and co-produced it) have just had a good time in the studio and not cared at all about if this is suitable for Spotify playlists or charts. So it is very playful and a bit punk in that sense. If a listener would be a just a bit encouraged by one of the songs and maybe stand up against a boss or a fake friend, and not be a “good girl” or “good boy” even for just a moment – that would be so cool.
Thanks for taking the time Ingrid!
Her new EP is out November 24th, get behind that.
(photo credits go to the talented August Néon Dellert.)
