Formula Indie Sessions : Interview with Ghost Nation

1. What is your earliest memory connected to music?

Tomas:
My strongest early music memory is how the whole family was flooded with music every time my brother, who is five years older than me, came home with new vinyl records. Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, and Ozzy Osbourne. Those were bands that shaped me already as a kid. It felt like having a door opened to an entirely new world, and that feeling stuck with me right away.

Micke:
I remember my mom playing Elvis at home, when Hooked on a Feeling or ABBA was always playing. Or how my uncle would bring his guitar when he visited us, and he tried to teach me a little bit about how to play. That was kind of where music started to feel like a real thing for me.

2. How did your passion for creating music begin?

Tomas:
It didn’t take long before I wanted to play the music myself. In fifth grade, I started playing guitar in school, even if it was more about classical guitar and acoustic ensembles. At home, I sat trying to figure out how to play hard rock riffs.

The real beginning came when I moved to a new town and met the right people who invited me to play in a band. That was when my interest in actually creating music started to grow. It was the first time I experienced what it felt like to build something of my own together with others, and that feeling has never left. The first song we rehearsed properly was The Trooper by Iron Maiden. Not long after that I started making my own music.

Micke:
This will probably date me a bit, but when I watched the TV series Fame, I remember thinking that this is what I want to do. Be a musician, a singer, a dancer. At 7 years old I started playing organ at the municipal music school, then I “stepped it up” at the age of 10 and started playing accordion. Not the sexiest instruments when you dream of being a pop or rock star. But the interest started pretty early, I think. There was always a longing to play and to create together with others.

3. What’s the story behind your current music project?

Ghost Nation took shape when we were both in different phases of life, actively looking for new creative communities. We had both been making music for a long time separately, but we were looking for networks where you could create together with others. It was in one of those music networks that our paths crossed.

The original plan was to write and produce songs for other artists. The first song we wrote together, Your Final Kill, made it clear that we had found a musical expression that felt more like a project of our own than something we would hand over to someone else. But the first song we actually released as Ghost Nation was Turn Off The Lights, which became our official public start.

After that, we started forming a clear vision for what Ghost Nation should be. We wanted to create our own sound, our own identity and a project that could grow long term with high quality. That vision has been there from the beginning and has guided much of our work.

Since then, Ghost Nation has developed step by step. We have had a clear direction the whole way, while keeping enough freedom to be creative and test ideas. Our way of working allowed the sound and identity to grow naturally. Looking back, it’s obvious that we already had similar ambitions before we started collaborating. We just needed to end up in the same room for the project to take shape.

4. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before??

Many listeners describe Ghost Nation as a blend of alternative pop and rock with a clear cinematic feel. We often hear that the songs feel like scenes from a movie or a series, with melodies and moods that paint their own pictures.

It’s also common that we’re compared to Imagine Dragons and Muse, or as a mix of the two.

We recognize ourselves in a lot of what listeners say. For us, Ghost Nation’s sound is about the balance between the grand and the emotional, between electronic and organic, between darkness and light. Every song should carry a clear atmosphere, a feeling that sticks and stays with you.

5. What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Even before we met, we had both reached the same conclusion: if something sounds good, then it is good. And that what sounds good is a matter of taste. You need to dare to trust yourself, dare to experiment, and not care too much about what you’re expected to do. That insight changed our personal creative processes before we met, and once we started working together, it became obvious that we shared that view. It was one of the reasons we clicked instantly in the studio.

We’ve both been in music environments where people had strong ideas about how things should be done, where you might hear that certain things were wrong or not “the way you usually do it”. But we’ve always felt that music doesn’t benefit from limitations. If something sounds good to us, even if it breaks a rule or expectation, then we know we’ve found the right thing.

For us, creating is about freedom and curiosity, letting ideas take the shape they want to, whether they’re electronic, acoustic, experimental, or something else entirely. And to have fun!

That mindset is one of the cornerstones of Ghost Nation. When we follow what feels right in the moment instead of thinking about rules and expectations, the music becomes more personal and alive. It can become anything, and that’s become an important part of our expression.

6. What tools, instruments or software are most important in your creative process?

Our two most important tools are, without a doubt, Logic Pro and Cubase. That’s where everything happens. Micke works in Logic and Tomas in Cubase, and even though the programs differ in some ways, they give us both huge room to be creative. Two music producers, two powerful programs, and a creative toolbox that lets us experiment freely are the foundation of how we work.

In Logic and Cubase, we program synths, build rhythms, create samples, and record guitar, bass, and vocals. This is where we shape arrangements, build layer,s and create the cinematic soundscapes that have become part of our identity.

Micke often builds sounds from scratch in software synths. He takes sounds that originally are something else entirely and transforms them into darker, tougher, and more characterful tones. That’s his way of sculpting textures that give our productions depth and personality.

Tomas builds a lot around the vocals. The voice and the melodies are one of the defining parts of Ghost Nation’s sound and often function as the thread that ties together songs that might otherwise be very different.

When we create music, songs can start in many different ways. Sometimes Tomas gets a melody in his head and builds a foundation in Cubase that Micke develops. Sometimes Micke creates a musical idea in Logic that Tomas tries vocals on. Sometimes we start from a theme one of us has already thought about, like a scene, a phrase, a feeling, or a mood we want the song to carry. It can be anything from a dark cinematic atmosphere to a rhythmic idea that sets the tone for the whole production.

Logic and Cubase are the hub of everything we do. The rest is experience, intuition, shared taste, and the desire to create something that feels good.

7. Which indie artist or song are you into right now?

Indie is difficult to define today since so many artists move freely between genres. For us, it’s less about the label and more about the feeling. We’re often drawn to music with a strong identity and productions that dare to be creative and playful.

One artist we’re listening to a lot right now is Yaeger. She has an expression that feels bold, beautiful, and modern, and the productions sound like they had a lot of fun in the studio. There’s a creative energy that really inspires us. The same goes for UPSAHL, KING MALA, and AVIVA, who also have a sound where you can hear the boldness and playfulness in the production. They’ve all managed to make their songs feel personal and unpredictable, and that always catches our attention.

We’re also inspired by bigger acts like Muse, Imagine Dragons, and Missio. It’s not about how big the artists are, but their willingness to create music that feels genuine, alive, and creative. That’s the kind of expression we’re always drawn to.

We also discover new music through the YouTube channel Common Sense, where we’ve found artists like Joh Yoban, The People’s Thieves, and Sam Tinnesz. There’s a clear thread in the music we fall for: standout melodies and productions that dare to take up space.

8. How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

Our personal experiences have had a big influence on both our sound and our vision with Ghost Nation. Much of what we write about comes from feelings and experiences we’ve gone through ourselves.

Maybe part of the melancholic tone in our music comes from Micke’s experiences with depression and anxiety. It’s something he has lived with for a long time, and something that has affected life in many ways. For example, in the songs Black Dogs and Help Me, we explored that kind of darkness. In Black Dogs, we describe the feeling of “black dogs” following you, hard to shake off, and something that is still stigmatized to talk about. The lyrics in those songs are directly based on our own experiences.

Writing about it becomes a way to take control and turn something difficult into something that might help others.

All these experiences have shaped Ghost Nation’s expression. Maybe that’s why people often describe our music as dark or emotionally charged. Maybe it’s also what adds to the cinematic quality in our sound. We’re naturally drawn there, because music is a way to process, understand, and give form to things that aren’t always easy to talk about. At the same time, we always try to keep some balance: even when the theme is dark, there’s always something hopeful or empowering in the expression.

9. What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

We often hear from listeners that our music means a lot to them at different stages of life. Some say they recognize themselves in the lyrics, that the songs reflect feelings they’ve struggled to put into words. Others say they’ve gotten energy and joy from our music. That people can carry our music with them like that is something we value deeply.

We hope the music evokes a feeling in the listener, whatever that may be. And it’s not just about the lyrics. We hope people can get excited by a beat, get pulled in by a hook, follow a melody, or just feel that moment when something in the production hits exactly right. If our songs can create that experience, both emotionally and musically, then we’ve achieved something meaningful.

10. What is the most important lesson music has taught you?

One big lesson is that music carries a kind of magic. Almost every time we enter the studio, we get the same feeling that we’re about to create something fantastic, something completely new and exciting. That expectation never goes away and makes creating one of the most energizing things in our lives.

Music is a sanctuary. It’s where we get to be ourselves, relax and focus on pure creativity. It’s a place where everything fits: feelings, ideas, life experiences and dreams.

And maybe the biggest lesson of all is that by creating music, we’ve also created a friendship. That means a lot. Building songs together, sharing ideas, failures, discoveries and everything in between has shaped both our sound and ourselves. Making music has become part of our relationship, and our relationship has become part of the music.

11. What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

The simplest dream to mention is really any stage where we would get to play together with Imagine Dragons, Muse or Missio. That would be something truly special.

If we had to choose a festival, we’d lean toward Lollapalooza. The variety and mix of music there suits us perfectly, and we think our sound would thrive in that environment.

12. If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

For us, there are a few obvious choices: Muse, Missio and Imagine Dragons.
Muse has a creativity and expression that has followed us for many years. They always dare to push boundaries, both musically and visually, and their way of combining rock, electronic elements and big dramatic arrangements is something we love.

Imagine Dragons is another band we’d love to work with. They have a unique ability to write melodies that stick immediately, while addressing heavy and important themes in their lyrics. Their energy, their sound and their commitment to going their own way are things we admire deeply.

Missio is also a band that inspires us a lot. There’s a boldness and attitude in their sound that makes the songs feel modern, raw and unpredictable. That’s exactly the kind of energy we’re drawn to, when the production dares to stand out, when the soundscape is creative and you can really hear that the artists let their curiosity lead.

What all three share is a playful, bold and electronically driven production style where you can almost hear how much fun they had in the studio.

13. Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

Listeners can find us on all major platforms. Here are our most important channels:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Do08w6oBPO6wcOCwLT0gD?si=8c-RuVgORZKw2W6T6K_lvA
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ghostnationofficial
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ghostnationofficial
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@ghostnationofficial
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ghostnationofficial
Web page
https://www.ghostnation.se/

We really appreciate when listeners follow us, save songs and share our releases. YouTube has become especially important for us, because that’s where listeners comment and we can have a direct dialogue. It means so much to read how the music lands with people and to have that connection.

14. Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

One of our big dreams is to get our songs placed in films, series, games and trailers. That’s where a lot of our music would really shine. We often get comments from listeners saying that our songs sound like scenes from a series or a game, or that they can instantly imagine a visual world when they hear the music.

A specific dream would be to have one of our songs placed in a series like Arcane. That show combines a visual expression at the absolute highest level with music that’s an active part of the storytelling. Artists like Imagine Dragons, ZAND, Royal & The Serpent and Bea Miller have all been part of Arcane’s music world, and their way of blending electronic elements, intensity and emotional charge is close to the type of atmosphere we gravitate toward ourselves. It feels like a universe where our sound could naturally belong.

For us, the sync world feels like a natural continuation of everything we do. The music is already built on mood, dynamics and storytelling. Giving it a visual context would only amplify what we love to create.

15. What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

First and foremost, we hope listeners take the time to explore our entire catalogue. That’s when you really hear how broad Ghost Nation is, from the dark and cinematic to the bright and more stripped down, from electronic productions to guitar driven songs. That range is something we’re really proud of.

A lot of it is also in the details. The small sounds, the layers and moods that may not be heard right away but add depth and emotion when you listen more times.

Beyond that, we hope people can feel how much fun we’ve had creating the music. We often sense the same thing with bands like Missio, Muse and Imagine Dragons, productions where you can feel the joy and curiosity behind every choice. If that energy reaches listeners through our songs, it means the world to us.

Representative YouTube Video

To give listeners a clear picture of our sound, we want to highlight Unforgiven. If we trust our listeners, and of course we do, Unforgiven is also the song you should start with if you want to understand what Ghost Nation is about.
The song has become somewhat of a hit for us, a fan favorite that really seems to have found its home with many people. It has now passed 8 million streams on YouTube and over 2.6 million plays on Spotify, making it our most successful song so far.

Unforgiven by Ghost Nation