Formula Indie Sessions : Interview with Pepp

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

Not the first memory but I remember borrowing an iPod nano from my dad when I was younger. This was the first time I could choose my own songs. And even if it was just a few downloaded playlists to choose from it still felt amazing to have control over what I could listen to.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

I always loved listening to music and then been playing instruments since I was a kid, so one day I just thought, maybe I should record some of the piano stuff Im playing? Then from there I just kind of slowly started adding more, I started to work with other instruments, started to work in a DAW and finally realised that I was now making music not just playing it.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

For a while when making music I used a lot of references and tried so hard to make good and relevant music. Then I tried extremely hard to make music that fits me and represents me. I realised that this just made music boring and I wanted to get back to the feeling of making music when I first started out. It took a while but I realised that what made music so exciting was that there were no pressure of other people hearing it so I just created what I thought was fun at the time. So for this last album, I gave myself a really deadline and just started to make a lot of demos. Then I simply chose the demos I had most fin making and finalised them. So this album is a hot mess och songs but I loved making all of them.

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

Nostalgic yet new. Dragging yet pushing. I think if you like Gorillas, Tame Impala, Miiike Snow you’ll like some of my songs. But then again, my last project is many things blended.

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

That perfection is a lot of little things done well. I actually learned this from the chef Pierre Marc white but I still believe it applies to music. If you isolate one element in a song its usually very underwhelming. In fact, if you isolate one element and it sounds full and rich and interesting on its own, its probably overproduced and will not work in a context of a song. The magic happens when you add everything together and you realise 1+1 = 3

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

I always have a piano ready for recording since thats my goto instrument, but lately I’ve been using the guitar to come up with chords since I don’t know that instrument as well. It gives a fresh perspective and I always try to find ways to play I haven’t done before since it can end up in new stuff I haven’t made before.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

Miiike snow has been a favourite for a while, but I have always loved Gorillaz, The arctic monkeys and Cage the elephant. I only listen to animals inspired bands apparently.

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

Probably more than I realise. I’ve always wanted to make music that feels direct, confident at first sight and not too “feely” but with lyrics and sections thats more than that. But it shouldn’t be too emotional, life isn’t always emotional. If it was, then it would just be a sad life. The beauty of it is that it happens from time to time.

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

Good music for me has always been about giving confidence and a sense of well being and giving energy.I want my music to make other people also feel that. Sandro Cavazza, a Swedish musician, called one of the song he and Avicii was working on “en riktig håll käften låt” (A “shut the f*ck up” song) and I think if I can achieve that then I have succeeded.

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

I’ve said it before but, perfection is a lot of little things done well. This can be applied to almost everything. Shift the focus of perfecting one small element of what you’re doing and focus on the bigger picture. Also, being a perfectionist is more like a wild animal rather than a superpower or a curse. If you can tame it and take control over when to tap into it, you will be golden. If you let it consume you, you will never finish any projects. I used to feel like “well this is just me I just can’t let things be imperfect” but now I realise its just an excuse.

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

I used to DJ before I started making music, and the more people I played for, going from 10s, to 100s, to 1000s, the more I realised that that is not the ultimate goal to play for a larger and larger audience. The smaller boiler room sets were always the best. So I think I would love to play in a setting like ”tiny desk concert”.

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

Not sure if this is me being Swedish, but I would love to work with either Ludvig Göransson, Max Martin or Avicii. Just sitting besides and listening while they work would be golden for me. Btw have you seen when Göransson makes “Can you hear the music” for Oppenheimer? It’s insane.

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

Spotify (for indie stuff) and Soundcloud (for remixes and mashups)!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2OpDDIyiIzLYEHjZaOUWyP?si=2DrQeQ1fTi281MB7xMWhHw

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/peppfollin?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

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

My last project taught me that I should just do what Im inspired by in the moment, that will lead me on the right path and the stuff im best at. And right now, I really enjoy making music for movies and trailers, so thats what I will be doing for a while. And who knows, I might combine that with the more indie type music Ive made before. That might be a cool blend actually.

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

That music should be simple and straightforward and can still feel new and interesting. That good music should give you energy and make you feel motivated. I have been listening to Free bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd while writing this and that I’ve never been writing this fast before.