One of the hottest prospects to hit the music scene in 2019, Swedish artist Augustine first announced his presence with his hit debut, “Luzon” at the start of the year. Since then, more singles have followed, along with a critically acclaimed EP, Wishful Thinking at the start of the summer.
At 22-years of age, Augustine is a name that should be on everyone’s radar – as Nothing in The Rulebook made clear in our own review. With songs and lyrics are characterised by soulful falsetto, cinematic instrumentation and melancholic love stories, it’s little wonder that two of his tracks immediately rocketed to #1 on Hype Machine, as he became one of the most talked about debuts of the year.
In his own words, he is an artist “weak for synth pop songs that are so big you just lose yourself in them”, yet, as readers can hear for themselves (by checking out his debut EP here), there’s a huge amount of versatility on offer here.
It was a pleasure to catch up with Augustine for our latest ‘Creatives in profile’ interview…
INTERVIEWER
Tell us about yourself, where you live and your background
AUGUSTINE
Hi there! Thank you guys for the beautiful write-up on the EP! I live in Stockholm, Sweden, at the moment; but I’m born and raised in a small town called Jörlanda on the Swedish west coast, just outside of Gothenburg. I moved to Stockholm about two years ago for the music. Before then I spent my days writing songs at home and finishing senior high school.
INTERVIEWER
Is music your first love, or do you have another passion?
AUGUSTINE
I played some sports when I was younger. Football and ice hockey! But I eventually quit them both because of the interest I had for music. So maybe it’s not my first love, but it’s surely the greatest love!
INTERVIEWER
Who inspires you?
AUGUSTINE
Oh there’s so many! For the EP specifically, I listened a lot to The National, Phoebe Bridgers and The xx – just to name a few. I think they all have some kind of gloom and melancholia to their music, which I’m totally drawn to; that’s the sort of thing that makes me inspired.
INTERVIEWER
One of your first tracks, Luzon, pivots around a certain sense of oblivion through experiences of love – with lyrics like “you might just kill me off”; “I just want a disaster” – whereas another of your first tracks, and A Scent of Lily is more open and contemplative about love and relationships; you ask, “now what’s next?” For you, how much is music a way of communicating these different encounters and experiences of love – and, when it comes to it, where do you tend to place yourself on the scale between oblivion and hopeful optimism?
AUGUSTINE
Great question! It wasn’t my intention at all to write love songs when I first started making music. I played the drums and I was really into the beat and pulse of a song, and as far as lyrics go I tried to write some poems when I was younger; but that was it.
Then when I started to sing, it just felt natural to craft these kind of gloomy love-stories, maybe because I’ve listened a lot to artists who tend to do that (The National, etc…). So I guess that must be a way of communicating different experiences, whether it’s on purpose or not! On the scale, I’d place myself more to the oblivion side of things.
INTERVIEWER
What role does the (somewhat intangible) concept of love play in your work more generally?
AUGUSTINE
I’ve realised lately that I often enjoy these heavy dramas about love, movies like ’Blue Valentine’ or ’Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’. I’m fascinated about it but I can’t really give a good answer as to why. It’s not that fun to watch or to listen to a story in which the relationship just works out, right?
INTERVIEWER
Your new tracks, Viola and Slacks – like your other work – showcase a fusion between different blends of music (like a fine cuisine) – from Electro to Jazz, classical to modern, mixing the digital with traditional, instrumental; old and new. Meanwhile the lyrics are often structurally poetic, reminiscent of Rodriguez or Dylan. Do you see your music as being intrinsically linked to any one particular genre of music? Or are genres within any creative art inherently limiting and confining?
AUGUSTINE
It’s definitely fun to play around! And at the same time try to keep some kind of sound through out a number of songs. I have to say thank you for mentioning Rodriguez and Dylan.
INTERVIEWER
Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you take a song from initial idea into fully-fledged single?
AUGUSTINE
It’s a mess! I don’t understand my own process very well yet. I often start the idea in the production stage, where I start to experiment with different sounds and beats. When I have some kind of rough demo, I listen to that idea over and over again until it’s playing in my head even when it’s quiet. Like for instance when I’m going to sleep. That’s when the writing of lyrics start to take place – in my head while almost falling asleep. The brain forms such random words and themes to the songs when you’re tired.
INTERVIEWER
Looking around at current trends in the music industry at the moment, what are your thoughts and feelings on the way the industry is developing? What should we be looking out for over the coming months/years? And how would you advise aspiring music artists to break out onto the scene?
AUGUSTINE
I don’t really know. It’s hard to have a say on that beast of a machine that it is! Now with the streaming era I think many people adapt their songs a bit to make them interesting in the very first seconds. Limited attention spans and all that. I guess every artist just has to make the best of it in their own way, but most importantly: keep on doing your thing and always write the songs you want to write.
INTERVIEWER
Could you tell us a little about some of the future projects you’re working on?
AUGUSTINE
This summer it’s time to finally write more music again! My focus is also set on getting some live shows going, and just to keep on building this project. This year has been a blast!
Quick-fire round!
INTERVIEWER
Favourite musician/band?
AUGUSTINE
Well, since you mentioned him earlier, Bob Dylan!
INTERVIEWER
Can you name a song you love, and a song you hate?
AUGUSTINE
’Boots of Spanish Leather’ by Dylan always leaves my heart so full. So full that I can’t name a single song I hate right now!
INTERVIEWER
Critically acclaimed or cult classic?
AUGUSTINE
Cult classic!
INTERVIEWER
Most underrated artist?
AUGUSTINE
Kindness!
INTERVIEWER
Most overrated artist?
AUGUSTINE
Ed Sheeran? So dull of me to say that!
INTERVIEWER
Who is someone you think more people should know about?
AUGUSTINE
My good friend ’J. Aissa’ just released his debut single ’S&W’ a couple weeks ago. It’s just beautiful!
INTERVIEWER
If music didn’t exist – what would you do?
AUGUSTINE
Oh, maybe I wouldn’t have quit football. I think I’d like to study some psychology courses.
INTERVIEWER
Do you have any hidden talents?
AUGUSTINE
I think I can do a kick flip on a skateboard! I could a year ago, at least.
INTERVIEWER
Most embarrassing moment?
AUGUSTINE
Back when I was a kid I got so angry at my older brothers that I smashed the windows of our car with a big rock.
INTERVIEWER
Something you’re particularly proud of?
AUGUSTINE
This whole year!
INTERVIEWER
Could you write us a story in 6 words?
AUGUSTINE
”I wish I could” he said!
nothing in the rulebook 