We’re very excited to be speaking today with acclaimed Swedish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sofia Talvik; greetings and salutations, Sofia! Before we mosey down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway – and with autumn now officially here – how was your summer of ‘23?

The summer was great, sometimes very hot. We started the Center of the Universe Tour in July and had a pretty sweaty start in the midwest.

Major congratulations on the freshly-minted new album Center of the Universe! What was the inspiration behind this amazing and mesmerizing album?

This Album has tackled a lot of social topics. I guess it’s not surprising since so much has been going on the last couple of years with the pandemic and everything. So many of the songs are reflections on the world around me, and maybe not as much the world inside me as previous albums. But I do have some love songs on the new album too.

Speaking of inspiration, how did the captivating tune Circle of Destruction off of the Center of the Universe LP come into being?

I wrote Circle of Destruction in the early days when Russia invaded Ukraine. It’s a bit of an anti-war anthem. But it’s also a song about acceptance and understanding. It’s a song about people trying to find a safe place to live, whether it be people from Ukraine, or people coming to the U.S. from South America, or any other place.

Center of the Universe marks your ninth album. How is the new album similar to some of your past music such as Jonestown? How is it different?

I think the similarity is that I always try to keep my albums somewhat acoustic, using mostly acoustic instruments, and letting the guitar and vocals be in the center of the songs. The difference is that I had other backing musicians on this album, whom have a background in more of a Bluegrass/Folk tradition which I think has flavored this album beautifully.

You personally produced the new LP. What are the pros to serving as your own producer?

That you can do as you wish, haha. No, but I think the songs don’t need to be altered too much, I don’t want someone standing over my shoulder trying to turn a ballad into a rock song if you know what I mean. I always try to listen to my musicians, see what comes natural to them when they play the songs, lifting those instinkts forward and not pushing the music in a direction that doesn’t feel natural.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates Center of the Universe from the Distinguished Competition on the 2023 music landscape?

I’ve tried to take this album back to the musical roots of the 60’s and 70’s, embracing the organic feeling that you get when you have all the musicians in one room, playing together. So much music now is very produced, very processed. I’m not going to fool myself, because I’ll never be able to compete with the big labels and the artists that are signed to them, but to my audience I want to deliver something authentic that they might not get everywhere else.

Who inspires you musically?

You know all sorts of music. I always say that Neko Case is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. But I was just in Starbucks and they were playing grunge and I was just thinking how much I love grunge. So even though my music is not inspired by grunge I think everything you listen to influence you in some way or another.

In the wake of the release of Center of the Universe can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit?

I am right now on a 4 month tour of the U.S, but in the last few weeks of it. I’ll be touring in Europe, mostly Germany, in December and January and will be back for another 4 month tour in the U.S in the Spring of 2024.

You hail from the beautiful country of Sweden. How do those roots inform you as both an artist and as a person?

I think I have a different cultural heritage than for example someone who grew up in the U.S or in the UK for that matter, and it will always shine through in some way. I released the second album ”Blod eller Bläck” with my side project Hansan earlier this year, and that’s all in Swedish with more of a traditional Swedish folk, mixed with a bit of jazz and classical music kinda feel.

Makaki Music is releasing Center of the Universe. What makes Makaki the perfect home for you and your music?

It’s the perfect home, because it’s run by me and my husband. So we decide when and what we want to record, when and where to tour etc. No one else is dictating what I need to do. Of course it’s a lot of work running your own label but until Sony wants to release my albums and spend a shitload of money promoting them an sending me on tours with Lady Gaga, I’m quite happy to have my own label.

At the end of the day what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving Center of the Universe copious spins on their respective hi-fi systems?

I hope they feel that this album is REAL, and it’s from my heart, and that all the musicians playing on it put their hearts in it too.

Listen here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/25K6UIwcVuzClev2MyrkmX?si=hfc84qHkRrKsWhavjdvaUw

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