SVEA’s latest single ‘All My Exes’ may begin with a crackle – reminiscent of radios, suggesting nostalgia and tradition – but she enters with a bang over the incredibly catchy hook of a strummed electric guitar. Boldly proclaiming that “all my exes / they all fucking hate me” over a bop of a beat is certainly a novel way to begin a song.
This self-centred (and self-aware – it feels as if SVEA is giving the listener a cheeky wink) start is echoed through a Taylor Swift-esque opulent video placing the Swedish alt-pop star front and centre. There’s an element of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s hit show Fleabag; her exes plead for attention while she sings directly to the camera, oozing charisma. SVEA said: “We wanted it to be fun and playful with a lot of colours and great looks, but still show the roller coaster of emotions in a rocky relationship.”
Garnering praise from The Independent, Hunger TV and Popjustice to name a few, SVEA combines irresistible Scandipop freshness with the conviction and confidence of one much older than twenty. She’s like the musical lovechild of Zara Larsson and Tove Lo with some of Rhianna’s R&B stylings thrown in.
Speaking about the lyrics themselves, SVEA explains that “you may think you did everyone right in your past relationships, but you might as well have been the villain in their world. There are always two sides of a coin. I may have also done wrong and my ex probably doesn’t think I have been an angel in all situations.” The honest lyrics – “wasn’t in my right mind / Guess I’m just wiser now” – suggest there’s vulnerability beneath the cheeky attitude.
SVEA may not get on with her exes but, with the release of her latest single, I think I’m falling for her. ‘All My Exes’ is available on Spotify.
Words by Abigail Howe