Q&A: Mei River
Rather than running low, the musical talent that Sweden produces does nothing but constantly renew itself. We just need to have a look at Fredrik Eriksson artistically known as Mei River. Until last year when he released his debut EP "Tall Trees That Never Fell" via Columbia Records, probably his name didn't tell us anything. But after years of producing off-kilter instrumentals for other artists, Fredrik was certainly no stranger to the industry. And that seems to be noticeable in the songs that he composed during the lockdown. A bunch of songs that with their infectiously shimmering, bubbly indie-pop grooves seems to be the perfect counterpoint to the constant fear of loneliness of the Swedish artist. A fantastic bittersweet melancholy indie pop as the soundtrack for a Summer that seems to never really arrive.
Days after releasing a new song and new video, Fredrik took some time to respond to some questions. Find what he said below!
Your music poses a simple question: ‘why is it so easy to feel so lost?’ After this indescribable year, the feeling has grown or on the contrary, the lockdown and self isolation has helped to reflect what we are?
Mei River: “I feel that this spring has been the worst so far, a lot of excitement around shows and other stuff that didn't go through has been a bummer. just to move from the apartment to the studio with almost zero inspiration is difficult. Even though I do feel lost at the moment, I keep on working and try to create great music.”
If you Google your name, there is more information about a river in China than there is about you. It's a typical question, but I'm really curious where your stage name comes from!
Mei River: “Haha the name must be a pr person's worst nightmare. It has nothing to do with the river though. But it means something to me, and that's the only thing that matters. A mix of a protagonist from a book and an actor I grew up watching. You probably know who.”
Your past as a songwriter and producer as Fredrik Eriksson certainly explains your unquestionable talent for songwriting and helps us understand that you are not new to this industry. What has led you to take that leap now?
Mei River: “I felt it was needed for me to do it his journey, to grow more as an artist, do something I'm bad at and try to finesse it :)”
What is happening in the world, that has a truly lost generation finding solace in its loneliness in artists like you who give voice to those feelings of dissatisfaction, melancholy, restlessness or loneliness?
Mei River: “Social media, always trying to fit in somewhere with high expectations, no real connections, just shallow comments and likes which don't mean anything. We have seen this more during Covid I feel, no real interactions.”
Together with a cool video, you just released last Friday, May 14th the new single “Honeycomb”, a song that in your own words sounds like that moment when anyone “ever stood in the bathroom at a party, drunk, looking in the mirror asking yourself ‘what am I doing’?” Despite keeping in mind the feelings that I mentioned in the previous question, your songs nevertheless sound more hopeful, rather than gloating about how bad one is feeling, they seem to encourage people to never give up. Does this make any sense to you?
Mei River: “I like to make songs that aren't strictly about either happiness or sadness, it's fun to mix them both. I like the idea that this song is encouraging and hopeful. Like, ‘I'm at the bottom and I just need to grab myself by the neck’.”
It has to be really weird putting songs like these out and not being able to play them live. It is ironic (you know, for that thing of being a generation so connected and at the same time so lost) that you can only feel the "warmth of the people" only online. Although I honestly hope that this rare period of our lives (covid restrictions) has little left. So, what are your plans for the next few months? Any idea when we will be able to see you perhaps in Germany or at least here in Berlin?
Mei River: “Yes, it's super weird releasing music without really knowing how it's being received. You kind of just see numbers ticking and it's difficult to grasp that it's real humans. I can't plan anything as of right now, but let's hope this vaccination gets rolled out smoothly and we can go back to a somewhat normal life. Then I'll be in Berlin as soon as possible!”
To start finishing this questionnaire, festnoise is about music but especially about music festivals so do you have any good, bad or fun memories of experiences in a music festival you want to share?
Mei River: “I've been touring a lot, and played a ton of festivals. It's always fun and crazy! But a great memory of going to a festival without me playing is when I was in LA working, trying to do the producer thingy. I just turned 21 and we managed to get some Coachella tickets! I have so many great memories from that festival. It's usually seen as a luxurious festival, but we didn't have any money. Buying beer at gas stations and tenting out in the desert. The heat was almost the end of me haha.”
Which are your favourite festivals as a music fan and in which one do you dream of playing?
Mei River: “It sucks that I didn't get to play Lollapalooza this year, that would've been fun. So hopefully next year. Since that time I went to Coachella, I've always had that high up on my list :)”
Follow Mei River on Instagram and Facebook and listen to his music on Spotify
Cover photograph by Pontus Hammarström
