5 Swedish Musical Acts You Should Know - Although They're Not Men (Shocker, I know)
Sweden, the land of flat-pack furniture and handsome men in rock bands (and with weird face makeup, if you’re into Ghost). But if you think it's only Swedish men sprinkling musical fairy dust around the globe, think again. Here are five Swedish female-fronted acts that are, shockingly, just as talented (if not more so) than their male counterparts.
Sahara Hotnights
Beyond their desert-evoking name (ironic for a band from chilly Sweden), Sahara Hotnights has been throwing it down since the late 90s. A love child of The Runaways and The Hives, these four women are a sonic tour-de-force. "Hot Night Crash," a standout track, showcases their unparalleled ability to melt faces with fiery rock riffs and vigorous vocals. They aren’t just hot, they’re Sahara Hotnights.
Lykke Li
Oh, sweet Lykke Li. With vocals that can rival the beauty of a Swedish midsummer sunset, this indie pop priestess has been weaving her haunting melodies into our souls since the 2000s. Tracks like "I Follow Rivers" remind us that, in a sea of generic pop voices, Lykke’s distinct timbre is a lighthouse.
Those Dancing Days
Named after a Led Zeppelin song, but sounding nothing like the rock gods, Those Dancing Days gave us a wonderful mishmash of indie pop and post-punk joy. Their short-lived presence (they disbanded in 2011) was akin to the brilliance of the Northern Lights – rare, magical, and a tad elusive.
Miss Li
Is it jazz? Is it pop-rock? Who knows! Miss Li (aka Linda Carlsson) doesn’t seem to care for labels. Her dynamic repertoire is a roller-coaster of genres, with tracks ranging from the jaunty "Oh Boy" to the jubilant "Dancing the Whole Way Home." She’s like the musical version of a Swedish smorgasbord – a delightful bit of everything.
Robyn
The queen of dancefloor heartbreak, Robyn’s been making us cry into our vodka sodas for years now. From her teen pop beginnings to becoming the electronic pop deity that she is today, tracks like "Dancing on My Own" prove that Robyn is a master at making melancholy sound so danceable.
To wrap this up, if Sweden’s male exports still dominate your Spotify playlists, maybe it’s time to move on from the 90s? The ladies have been killing it for years. Time to give your ears some new tunes.