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INTERVIEW: A Camp
Nina Persson was born in Örebro, Sweden in 1974. She sprang to international fame in The Cardigans, Sweden's biggest musical export since Abba.
Debuting in 1994 with the album Emmerdale (named after the most British word they could think of), the band went on to sell more than five million records worldwide. In the UK they're best known for their hit Lovefool, which reached No.2 in the singles charts.
After their sixth album Super Extra Gravity in 2005 the band decided to take an extended break and Persson returned to her 'side project' A Camp, a loose musical collective with whom she first recorded in 2001.
Now featuring her American-born husband, Nathan Larson, and former Atomic Swing guitarist Niclas Frisk, A Camp's second album Colonia received widespread acclaim upon its release in February.
Ahead of the band's first visit to Leeds – they play at the Cockpit on Sunday, May 3 as part of the Live At Leeds weekend – Nina Persson spoke to the YEP.
There was an eight-year gap between the first A Camp album and Colonia. Had you been itching get back to the 'side project' for a while?
Yes, through these years in between, we have often talked about another record, so the big problem was to free up time between the three of us, so we could do it.
How different is it, working with Nathan and Niklas, to being in The Cardigans? Has A Camp allowed you to spread your wings a little, musically?
It's different being three members instead of five, we're a more mobile and flexible unit and decisions are made easier. And yes, simply because I get to work with different musical minds, I do feel like I at least get to do something else other than The Cardigans. I love both projects, they cross-fertilize each other really well.
Colonia seems to be a more overtly political album than, say, Gran Turismo or Super Extra Gravity. Did you feel we were at a historical turning-point with the election of Barack Obama?
Yes, I was quite moved by that. The last American election also emphasized how black and white politics are, if you boil it down, so all that drama got us inspired to talk more about how humans work when it comes to leaders of various kinds.
You moved to New York a couple of years ago. Was it hard to leave Sweden?
No, not really. I still get to come back so often that I never really get a chance to seriously start missing it. I miss my friends and family there, though!
You seemed unnverved by the attention you got at the height of The Cardigans' success. Are you happier with the level of fame that you have now?
I kind of feel like I "deserve" what I get more now... Sometimes I found that the kind of attention I (and the whole band) got with the Cardigans was a bit off – at the moment I feel like I get treated like who I am, and that's more pleasant.
Will there be another Cardigans' record or does your future lie with A Camp?
I have no idea yet! I always find it hard to think of next move when I'm deep into one project... Time will tell!
Are you looking forward to visiting Emmerdale country on May 3?
Oh yes! Can someone take me there to worship and have my picture taken next to a fence?
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