For nearly two decades, Lykke Li has embodied a sort of dreamy melancholy that has made being sad cool. But with the imminent arrival of a new album that’s tinged with humour, irony and even a bit of fun, Sweden’s sadness savant has turned a corner, embracing an “unhinged energy” that’s nothing short of infectious
Much has been said of Lykke Li’s sadness. In fact, much has been said of Lykke Li’s sadness by Lykke herself. Not only is her music defined by a certain dreamy melancholia (both of sound and lyric), she even named an entire album So Sad, So Sexy. In 2011, she sung of how ‘Sadness is a Blessing' (the accompanying music video, directed by Tarik Saleh and starring Stellan Skarsgård is an all-time great). She’s frequently seen with sad girl shaggy hair cuts (more often than not, bangs, however hip and flattering, are a sign of emotional turmoil), framing those wide, soulful eyes. Super-producer (and Lykke collaborator) Mark Ronson even named her the “high priestess of heartbreak and sadness”. So you can imagine my surprise when I rang up Lykke at her home in Los Angeles and found her happy. Well, if not happy, then at least not sad.
“I’ve been super depressed,” she says, with a chuckle. “But I’m not anymore.”
After nearly two decades of creating music steeped in sadness, Lykke is gearing up to release an album that revels in a different energy, which she describes as “f*** it, balls to the wall” and “very unhinged”. Leather jacket €1,280, Trousers with cotton lining, €1,100. Both Jonathan Simkhai. Photo: Marcus Ohlsson