Wy
Michel & Ebba of Wy; press photo courtesy of the duo.
Introducing south of Sweden by Stockholm’s Wy, the young duo of Ebba Ågren and Michael Gustafsson present the world premiere of their single & video for “In Bloom” that revels in the experiences the two have shared since the early days of their youth. With their EP available now from Hybris, the 19 years of age twosome draw upon the feelings, adventures, disappointments, and raw emotions translated through their evocative dreamland melodies.
Wy’s video debut for “In Bloom” was made by the duo’s own Ebba Ågren, accompanied by the bunny-masked pair of Johanna Sjöstrand & Ida Brodahl Fors as we witness our Scandinavian heroine strolling from country to town. With cinematography from Frida Kärvegård & Sofie Hederstierna, Ebba & Michel’s coming of age expressions entertain the bookending passages that chronicle the paths where adulthood begins and childhood ends. Musings on fake friends left behind, conversations recounted like movie scripts read in the mind highlight the chapters and scenes where wishing isn’t enough and youth is observed like a fleeting phase. Faces in the crowd, slips of the tongue, and other inner over-thought dialogues spill out the sadness and intimations of self-loathing and other growing pains in a restrained combination of hopeful chords and subtle electronic arrangements. Ebba & her bicycle riding rabbit-faced friends reside along the roads that represent the worlds left behind and the new dawning & days that await to fill the forthcoming pages of tomes in the great literature of life that is still yet to be written.
We had an opportunity to catch up with Wy’s Ebba Ågren and Michael Gustafsson in the following interview exchanged over long-distance cables:
Tell us how Wy began between the two of you.
Ebba: We met when we were thirteen and fourteen, and I guess there were some sort of inspiration between us because we started writing songs for each other, and at some point we started writing songs together. As teenagers we and a friend had a punk band together and we had a couple of bands after that, but we always ended up as a duo.
Michel: It wasn’t until a year ago that we really tried to write something that felt real. We moved to Stockholm in January and were picked up by an indie label two months later. Seems like Stockholm was the place to be.
Describe the sorts of blooming phenomenons that informed “In Bloom”.
Ebba: As an artist, people have always tried to tell me to stop doing what I’m doing, but it has been impossible for me to stop. I can’t stop writing, singing and showing people the things that I’ve created. I see no point in creating things for just myself. So even though there has been a lot of people in my life holding me back I’ve never stopped, which has made me so much stronger. That’s what the song is about.
How do you two find that Stockholm, Sverige inspires you both creatively?
Ebba & Michel: We actually just moved to Stockholm five months ago, but the city has already inspired us in many ways. We have never wrote this much music anywhere else, I don’t really know why. I think the city is a little bit intimidating, which is good, because it makes us work a lot harder on everything we do.
A sketch rendering of Wy; press photo courtesy of the artists.
What else is good right now in Stockholm? Always seems like you all have something wonderful happening there.
Ebba: Right now there’s a lot of female producers emerging, which is about time. It’s really inspiring to see how the music scene is changing, and it’s cool how a small country like Sweden can be so influential.
Describe how the two of you write, draft, practice, record, etc your songs.
Michel: Since we’re both producing and writing, our process is different every time. Sometimes it starts with a melody, or an idea, or some guitar chords or a beat, but we never finish a song if there is no feel to it. We want our music to be emotional so the right emotion’s got to be there.
Ebba: I would say our process is a lot more artistic than structured. We’re both kind of DIY-people and a couple of years ago we bought a crappy microphone and started recording in our parent’s bedroom. We’ve continued doing everything ourselves—writing, producing, recording, mixing—and we love to do it.
Summer plans & fall/winter desires?
Michel: We’re planning on traveling to Marseilles for the summer, where we’ll probably write a lot. We also have some shows in Stockholm that we are playing.
Ebba: We have no idea how the fall and winter is going to look, but we’re hoping for big things. Hopefully a lot of live shows. And new music of course.
Wy’s EP is available now via Malmö imprint Hybris.
