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Multi-disciplinary artist COBRAH has a new EP is due for release in May and is an ode to partying.

If you released a fragrance what would it be called and how would it smell?

Oh, so fun! I love some sandal wood and leather and would combine it with something fresh and party like Gin n Tonic! (Also, if somebody can make this happen I’d LOVE it).

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Can you tell me a bit about the evolution of COBRAH?

I was 20 years old and made IDFKA with Hannes Roovers back in 2016. When we made it there was something in me that was like “Okay I fucking love this, what is it even? Can we do it again?”

I was really eager to start performing so I began reaching out to festivals and other clubs for live shows before any music was out, I even made merch! Haha. I especially loved to perform at the fetish clubs. Although that might not be the scene for live music, the community was great and really supportive.

Eventually I had to release the music and was thinking of signing to a label but didn’t really think they got my vibe. So, I decided to finish the EP and put it out myself. Since then, a lot has happened like the opportunity to shake some ass with Charli XCX on stage or being in the SXSW line-up. But the best part has been performing and meeting the fans, I truly live for them.

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Do you have any significant inspirations, whether this is a moment or an individual or something else?

I always mention her, but Amanda Palmer is and probably will forever be one of my biggest inspirations in life and as an artist. She guided me through my teenage years and is a great artist not only as a musician but live performer and person in general. I think she captivates the true meaning of being punk and an independent artist. She gives us her body and mind unfiltered and raw which is so brave.

We as human beings are so diverse and it’s such a shame to only let people in on the most refined side of us, I truly aspire to give a lot more of me as a person through being an artist because we are robbing the people of role models if we never let them see us as they are.

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So, your video IDFKA was nominated for ‘Best Video’ at the the ‘Swedish Grammy Awards’. Congratulations! Can you tell me a bit about the story behind this video?

The song is very much about the turbulent teenage years I had. Not knowing what was right or wrong, when to say yes or no and the consequences of that. I had all of these ideas of making a video that would represent all those feelings of confusion and frustration and had meetings with a lot of production companies but none of them were really into making all of the ideas. They wanted to commit to just one, so I put an ad out in an animation forum and Erik Hellmouth contacted me and was really into the concept and pushed it even further. The nomination itself was a big moment because it was the first single and music video that I put out. It made me feel like I was doing something valid.

I know you have also worked in other creative realms, doing production and visual direction. Do you do this for other artists or is it part of forming the COBRAH visual world? In other words, is your work in production and direction independent to or an extension of COBRAH?

I was in some ways forced to do a lot of work myself that doesn’t necessarily have to do with the music like sewing stage clothes, directing music videos or being Stylist/AD for photo shoots etc because I’m independent and on a budget. But I love it! It has very much been a ‘learning by doing’ experience and although I’d love to work with other artists it’s a lot of hard work that would take time off working as COBRAH.

And in terms of the technical production of your music, creating the sonic aesthetic, what is most important to you?

I like to think about how to make silence groovy because silence makes you hear all the textures in the different elements. Like when percussion sounds like insects or synths sounds like cars. In general, I think ALL creative things are about texture, doesn’t matter if it’s about interior design or music so that’s the most important part for me, making a minimalistic soundscape with a lot of texture.

Can you give anything away about your new EP coming out in May?

The biggest challenge I had writing the EP was that I didn’t know how to recreate what I did on ‘ICON’. I often asked myself, “what does COBRAH sound like?” Because there’s just so many different songs and genres I want to do. Then I realised that everything I do is COBRAH because I am COBRAH. I’ve been focusing on keeping the spirit up on the EP, it’s very much an ode to partying, and was well needed for me to write. If I would give anything away about the next EP it’s that It’s a wild genre bending basket of party bangers, haha.

““I truly aspire to give a lot more of me as a person through being an artist because we are robbing the people of role models if we never let them see us as they are””

How do you feel about the music industry today?

I think a lot of the industry has moved into the artists hands in some ways, we as artists are a lot more capable of creating our own worlds and succeeding doing so without the need to have a label push. I’ve always enjoyed being indie but with that said it still means doing three times as much work which might not suit everyone.

What’s next for COBRAH?

An album for sure, I’m so fucking ready to make an album and do more collaborative works with other artists. I still feel that there’s a lot of things and thoughts that are unsaid and albums give artists the opportunity to tell the whole story.

Although making smaller projects like an EP is really fun you never really get to tell the whole story and I’m very excited to start working on just that.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I’m really happy to be back with DIP N DRIP. It was written in June 2020 and was the starting point for me coming back to making music full time. Writing the EP made me quit my side job in the middle of the pandemic so to have ‘dip n drip’ which is about all the hard work I have put into being COBRAH feels so right and I’m so excited to release music again.