Her latest album, Bulldog, is proof of that. 

There&rsquo;s no denying that international alt-pop tends to flourish in the U.S.A. New Zealand gave us Lorde, Sweden gave us Tove Lo, and now, Denmark has given us <a href="https://www.instagram.com/soleima/" target="_blank">Soleima</a>. As a singer-songwriter, Soleima has a colorful history when it comes to music. She can play several instruments, was previously a member of a a hip-hop music collective, and even released a cover of Young Thug&rsquo;s &ldquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyMF6HLYwZs" target="_blank">Check</a>.&rdquo; She&rsquo;s a musician in every sense of the word; one who writes and produces for the sake of putting out good music, and not for sake of appearing on the charts. Her debut EP,&nbsp;No. 14, is proof of that, as well as her latest release Bulldog.

In a wide-ranging interview with L&rsquo;Officiel USA, Soleima discusses her Scandinavian sensibilities, playing festivals and walks us through her creative process.&nbsp;

Where does the name&nbsp;Soleima&nbsp;come from? 
&ldquo;Soleima&rdquo; is something that Danish fathers tend to call their daughters when they are about to do something they are not supposed to do.

&nbsp;

What was it like growing up in Denmark? 
It was awesome. I went to this little school with only 60 students and had a great upbringing.

&nbsp;

How do Danish influences make their way into your music and videos? 
In Scandinavia, we tend to have a do-it-yourself &lsquo;DIY&rsquo; kind of attitude towards music I think. That is how my friends and I always practiced music and learned it together.&nbsp;I don&rsquo;t think anyone can avoid getting influenced by where they grow up.

&nbsp;

You were in a hip-hop collective, can you tell me more about that? 
I played in a 7-piece Danish hip-hop band. I played the piano and sang a little, otherwise, it was rap. We were inspired by Stiff Bike, Wutang, and The Roots. That was very much how I learned music and how to write and play with others.

&nbsp;

What do you think is so remarkable about electronic music? 
I like the idea of combining the electronic and the organic. That is very much what I find I am doing best. My single &ldquo;Low Life&rdquo; is a good example of this. I wrote it in Sweden and produced the song together with another producer, Vasco, who I almost always work with. He is absolutely awesome.

&nbsp;

It feels like you&rsquo;re singing it to someone. Who are you singing to? 
It is a song I wrote to my brother. But overall I think it is a praise to all people who dare to be happy in their lives. I find that can sometimes be harder than you would expect.&nbsp;

"Low Life" 

How would you describe the new mini album? 
Bulldog&nbsp;comes as a result of focusing on the songwriting process and staying creative instead of trying to make the music fit into a time or sound. It has been a way to reclaim the process of writing instead of thinking of where the finished songs necessarily fit.

It is highly important for me to work like this and I felt like I was drifting a little away from this work process. Therefore, it is an extremely personal EP of great importance to me.

&nbsp;

Which song was the hardest to write? 
&ldquo;Bulldog,&rdquo; definitely. I love that it is this weird little ballad with a strange drop.

&nbsp;

Do you have a favorite moment from the creative process of making this album? 
Vasco and I went to a summer house to try and start the process for this mini album. When you work like this, it is very intense; everything melts together and you are able to experiment more than you would do in a normal studio or in a session.

This is such an inspiring and fun way to work. You get to write songs&mdash;which I love&mdash;and drink big bottles of red wine in a forest with your friends, too!&nbsp;

"Bulldog"

Where is your favorite place to perform? 
I love playing festivals. People are in this very special piece of mind I find. Ready for anything.

&nbsp;

What was your most memorable festival experience 
Roskilde festival in Denmark.

&nbsp;

What is your favorite instrument at the moment? 
Right now I like the saxophone very much.

&nbsp;

What&rsquo;s the one song you can&rsquo;t get out of your head at the moment? 
M.T. Hadley&rsquo;s &ldquo;Janet.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Where do you go to feel happy? 
My home, with my amazing friends who are pretty much family by now.

Soleima-Photo-Credit-Nicolai-Levin.jpg

Soleima-Bulldog-Credit-Morten-Rygaard_.jpg

Soleima&#39;s&nbsp;Bulldog EP is <a href="https://bigbeat.lnk.to/BulldogPR" target="_blank">available now</a>&nbsp;via Big Beat Records.&nbsp;

Photography courtesy Big Beat Records

Danish Musician Soleima is Creating Her Own Space in Electronica

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