MaggioFest

I don’t know why exactly, but for the last few days I’ve found myself a little addicted to the music of Veronica Maggio. Almost exclusively, I’ve been listening to her albums, “Och vinnaren är…” and “Satan i gatan”.

She’s a Swedish pop/soul singer I first discovered in 2008 thanks to her song, “Måndagsbarn” (“Monday’s Child”). I loved the innocence of the video clip. I loved the clarity of her vocal. And I loved the fact that she sang in Swedish.

Even for domestic consumption, a lot of Swedish pop singers are singing almost exclusively in English these days which I think is a bit of a shame. I completely understand the desire for international success, but I think it’s a little sad that Swedish pop music in Swedish seems to be in decline. I know there’s lots of independent stuff in Swedish, but if you look at the charts, you’ll see what I mean. Interestingly, however, the Swedish language material sells very very well. In fact, it seems to outsell the Swedes who perform in English.

The next big musical revelation came when I discovered the song, “Inga problem” (“Not A Problem”), her collaboration with the Swedish hip-hop band, Snook.

Är det så här det känns att va lycklig?
Det är inga problem
Är det så här det känns att va lycklig?
Det är inga problem, det är inga problem

…which translates, roughly, as…

Is this how it feels to be happy?
It’s not a problem
Is this how it feels to be happy?
It’s not a problem, it’s not a problem

She also collaborated with one of the fathers of Swedish hip-hop, Petter, with the song, “Längesen” (“A Long Time Since/Ago”) which I love very much for both the melody and the lyrics.

The sweet lyrical refrain from Veronica this time is…

Varje gång är som den första gång vi sågs
Även om det är över nu
Allting har förändrats
Men du finns kvar
Allt var svävande men nu så ser ja klart

Roughly translated, she’s singing…

Every time is like the first time we met
Even if it is over now
Everything has changed
But you are left (behind)
Everything was suspended, but now I see clearly

And then earlier this year, she gave us a teaser of her latest album with a rather controversial video clip. Although we never see the faces properly, it’s clearly evident the clip features a much older woman in a long passionate kiss with a MUCH younger man. Dare I say, “boy”?