An Interview With The Swedish Songstress, MARLENE OAK!

Photo Credit- Adrian Pehrson

Today the Swedish songstress, Marlene Oak released her EP, “Silver Moon.” She has previously put out the singles “Slip Away” and “In the Evening.”

Oak has already received rave reviews from PopDust, Pancakes and Whiskey, Celebmix and more. After releasing a couple of songs, she has gone all in as a live artist, and built her following on the pub and festival stages around the country.

Marlene Oak has enchanted audiences with her folk-rock melodies as the opening act for Miss Li, Whitney Rose, Susto and she has been a part of the lineup at festivals such as Way Out West, STHLM Americana and Irisfestivalen. 

Listen to “In the Evening” // Listen to “Slip Away”  //

Learn more about Marlene Oak in the following All Access interview:

Now that 2019 has started, what musical goals do you have for yourself and your music this new year? Did you make any new year’s resolutions?

– I’ll just keep on writing new songs and I hope to play many live gigs with my band.

Growing up, how important has music been in your life? Can you recall the moment when you decided that you wanted to be a musician? Was it an easy or difficult choice to make? Was there ever a time when you thought about doing something else? If you weren’t a musician today, what could you see yourself doing?

-I cannot imagine a life without music, it’s the only place where I feel at home. When I first started to write my own songs I knew that this is something I wanted to do. It just came very natural to me. I’ve never thought about doing something else.

What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career? What has been an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all?

– There are so many great musicians, writers and creators everywhere and I love to be in that environment. You learn something new everyday. Music is a great way to connect with people. It’s always a moving process to create and I like to challenge myself and be open to try new things.

How do you think you and your music have been influenced by your hometown and where you live now?

– I think you can write a song no matter where you are, inspiration is all around. I do often write about my own surroundings so I guess my hometown has influenced me a bit, but I’m not influenced by the music scene here in Sweden.

What does it feel like to be about to release your EP, “Silver Moon”? How would you say that your previously released single “Slip Away” and “In The Evening” compare to the rest of the EP?

-I’m looking forward to sharing my new EP with listeners and I hope that listeners will like the songs on it.

Where did you get the inspiration for the songs on “Silver Moon”? Did anything about the recording process surprise you at all?

-When I wrote the song ‘Silver Moon,’ my inspirations came from musicians and singers like Leadbelly, Ella Jenkins, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and more. You can feel their soul and the pain in their voices, pure and honest. They had something to say and it meant something.

That’s why I wanted to name my EP “Silver Moon.”

It always surprises me how songs can turn out when I’m playing them with my band. You can build a whole different sound based on instruments. I always start writing songs with one guitar and then take it from there. I’m very happy with the recording process and it was a pleasure to work with so many great people. My great band, the one and only Linn Fijal who recorded and mixed the tracks and Björn Engelmann who mastered all the songs.

What has it been like keeping up with your social media accounts and all of the different platforms? Is it hard to stay up to date on it all? What would you say is your favorite way to connect with your fans now?

– I use Instagram to update about my music. I want to put my time into writing songs, so I’m just using social media when it feels relative.  I want to connect with people when I’m playing live with my band.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely still love to work with in the future?

-I have a lot of favorite artists. I’m influenced by many American folk musicians and rock and blues stuff. Some of the favorites are Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Jeff Buckley, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, Karen Dalton, Neil Young, Nina Simone, Bessie Smith and many more. It’s hard to pick one.

There are many great artists and writers today. One I always have dreamt about working with is Blake Mills. He’s a great writer, producer and musician.

Where can fans see you perform next? Do you have any kind of a 2019 tour scheduled yet?

-I’m going to have a few gigs in Stockholm this spring, but I hope to play more gigs this year.

If you had an unlimited budget and your schedule was free, what would your dream music video look like?

– I haven’t thought about that. I like videos that are abstract but it depends on what kind a song it is. Sometimes I think that music videos can take too much attention away from the song.

If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island forever, what musical item would you take with you and why?

-My guitar so I can write songs but also records. I cannot go a day without listening to music.

If your music was going to be featured on any TV show that is currently on right now, which would you love it to be on? Or if you prefer, what is a movie that you love that you wish your music was featured in?

-It would be an huge honor if my music appeared in a Tarantino movie. I’m a big fan of him and there are always great songs in his movies.

At the end of the day, what do you hope people take away from your music?

-I want to give back what music has given me so if I could to that it would make me very happy.