Sarah Assbring is the lead singer of El Perro del Mar, a musical project from Sweden. Her fourth album, «Love is not pop», was released on April 1, 2009.
Would you like to know more about her? Just read the following interview:
– Why did you choose the name of «El Perro del Mar»? I ask because you’re from Sweden and that’s in Spanish; it might have called in English. Is there any special meaning?
– There is only meaning behind the name. I would never have chosen it if not. I guess you could google it, but I can give you the story in short:
Right before I started making the music that came to be El Perro Del Mar I spent some lonely, confused time in Spain. This was by the sea. I used to take long walks by the beach when a small stray dog walked up to me. He came to signify something natural and sweet. Something precious. And since I was in Spain I gave him a Spanish name. The name itself turned into something equally precious, thus I chose to call my music after it.
– How would you define your music? Which is the process to compose a song?
– An intimate monologue turning into harmonical dialogue.
– Sweden has been the cradle of several artists: The Cardigans, Lykke Li, Peter, Bjorn And John, The Hives and José González. Has it been easy to become a singer in your country? How is the Swedish music industry?
– Well, becoming a musician is a mere question of deciding to, as any profession I guess. But surviving as one is difficult. Maybe though it’s easier in Sweden than in other countries. In Sweden there are scholarships and grants handed out to musicians which make it possible to focus on your passion. Without those making a living on music would be quite impossible, I think.
– Your last studio album is called «Love is not pop». Why does it have such a peculiar title?
– It has a profound meaning to me and, at the same time, it’s a play with words and meaning, like in the contradictory sense where pop usually is thought to be equal love, but in a very shallow way. So what I’m saying is that love goes much deeper. Love is heavy and dark. To find out more, see Bertolucci’s Last Tango In Paris.
– According to you, what’s the best and the worst of being a singer/musician?
– The best: to express the innermost human, the good and bad, the beautiful and ugly parts of being a human being. The worst: of not being able to.
Melomanía Congénita 