With a year that's been filled with its fair share of anacondas and Beyoncé post-album depression, 2014 was looking bleak for female artists-with-depth. That is, until Swedish soulstress Snoh Aalegra dropped her EP, There Will Be Sunshine, and filled a void that had been empty since Back to Black.
Playing like a six-track personal diary, There Will Be Sunshine is a triumph that cements the singer's status, with sultry tracks that exude Snoh's confidence in her own sound while remaining lush and personal. Embodying her newfound role as the contemporary soulchild of "Soldier of Love"-era Sade and Amy Winehouse, Snoh's voice has the ability to switch from a wavering drawl to a whisper just as soft as her appearance within a measure.
With a cosign from ground-breaking producer No I.D., the "godfather of Chicago hip-hop" who mentored Kanye West, Snoh is poised to shake up the female R&B game this next year as her EP gains steam and she heads on tour with No I.D.'s hip-hop collective, Cocaine 80s. We caught up with the recent LA transplant below, where we talk '90s supermodel inspiration, Illuminati signs, and collaborations with Common.
CHLOE DEWBERRY: People have tried to pinpoint your aesthetic. How would you personally describe your own sound?
SNOH AALEGRA: I would describe it as alternative soul. My EP, There Will Be Sunshine, is my story of where I’m from, where I’ve been, and where I’m actually at right now. We’ve all had our own individual struggles, and I’m just sharing mine. It’s also inspirational; I’ve been through a lot of dark things, but at the end of the day, I really believe in sunshine.
“Bad Things,” the second track, is probably the darkest and most powerful on the album and you do see the light at the end of the EP with songs such as "Stockholm Pt. II."
Even the track at the end, “There Will Be Sunshine,” is kind of heartfelt and sad. It does have a lot of hope in it, so I think it goes through those emotions. I’m a very emotional person, so you’re always going to hear a lot of passion in my music.
How did you get to be involved with legendary producer No I.D.? Did that collaboration happen organically?
I’ve been doing music my whole life. It has always been my thing and I knew that I wanted to come to the States to pursue it on a new level. I happened to meet No I.D. through a mutual family connection, so we’re family—he's like my brother! I started working with some of his colleagues; he was around and could hear what I was doing and was super impressed. After awhile, he was like, “Yo, can I get in on this?” and I said, “Of course, that’s what I want!” I would never force anyone to work with me. I have an ego; I want them to want to work with me.
What do you think sets you apart from other female R&B singers in this day and age?
I’m from Sweden, and of course my soul music may sound different to people from the States. I aspire to be like people fro
Playing like a six-track personal diary, There Will Be Sunshine is a triumph that cements the singer's status, with sultry tracks that exude Snoh's confidence in her own sound while remaining lush and personal. Embodying her newfound role as the contemporary soulchild of "Soldier of Love"-era Sade and Amy Winehouse, Snoh's voice has the ability to switch from a wavering drawl to a whisper just as soft as her appearance within a measure.
With a cosign from ground-breaking producer No I.D., the "godfather of Chicago hip-hop" who mentored Kanye West, Snoh is poised to shake up the female R&B game this next year as her EP gains steam and she heads on tour with No I.D.'s hip-hop collective, Cocaine 80s. We caught up with the recent LA transplant below, where we talk '90s supermodel inspiration, Illuminati signs, and collaborations with Common.
CHLOE DEWBERRY: People have tried to pinpoint your aesthetic. How would you personally describe your own sound?
SNOH AALEGRA: I would describe it as alternative soul. My EP, There Will Be Sunshine, is my story of where I’m from, where I’ve been, and where I’m actually at right now. We’ve all had our own individual struggles, and I’m just sharing mine. It’s also inspirational; I’ve been through a lot of dark things, but at the end of the day, I really believe in sunshine.
“Bad Things,” the second track, is probably the darkest and most powerful on the album and you do see the light at the end of the EP with songs such as "Stockholm Pt. II."
Even the track at the end, “There Will Be Sunshine,” is kind of heartfelt and sad. It does have a lot of hope in it, so I think it goes through those emotions. I’m a very emotional person, so you’re always going to hear a lot of passion in my music.
How did you get to be involved with legendary producer No I.D.? Did that collaboration happen organically?
I’ve been doing music my whole life. It has always been my thing and I knew that I wanted to come to the States to pursue it on a new level. I happened to meet No I.D. through a mutual family connection, so we’re family—he's like my brother! I started working with some of his colleagues; he was around and could hear what I was doing and was super impressed. After awhile, he was like, “Yo, can I get in on this?” and I said, “Of course, that’s what I want!” I would never force anyone to work with me. I have an ego; I want them to want to work with me.
What do you think sets you apart from other female R&B singers in this day and age?
I’m from Sweden, and of course my soul music may sound different to people from the States. I aspire to be like people fro