Swedish singer-songwriter Ida-Lova, whose real name is Ida-Lova Saga Lind, says she’s never regretted the personal and honest lyrics she writes. The 21-year-old artist shared her thoughts on vulnerability and self-belief in a recent interview.
“I can maybe regret that it took quite a long time before I dared to show music I had written entirely myself,” she told VG when they met her at Salt in Oslo.
Her biggest hit to date, “Svagare än jag,” topped the charts last year. The song’s success has propelled her into the spotlight, marking a significant moment in the young artist’s career.
“I can regret not being braver earlier,” she admitted. “At the same time, maybe that was the best thing, because I got to uncover myself – I got to find myself in the music and write what I wanted, without thinking about being judged.”
The lyrics to “Svagare än jag” – which translate to “Weaker Than Me” – boast a confident tone, creating a sense of empowerment. When asked where that confidence comes from, Ida-Lova responded, “I actually don’t know.”
“Maybe my most ‘cocky’ songs are about the fact that I actually perceive quite insecure and that I needed to hear those words myself,” she explained, adding that a “fake it till you create it” mentality can sometimes give her a sense of artificial confidence. “I write what I need to hear, and then I try to convince myself.”
Does she apply that approach to real life? “I think so, a little unconsciously,” she said. “The feeling of walking into a room and not fitting in, or feeling like an outsider. I’m landing more and more with that. It’s also okay to be insecure, but sometimes you want to be a little more confident, and then I try to talk to myself.”
“Svagare än jag” was born from a painful and angry place, she explained. “I sat down with the guitar, and most of it just wrote itself. While I was writing, the anger turned into strength, and the song started to be about not letting anyone else control how you see yourself,” she previously told media.
The song explores a failed relationship and her eventual acceptance of its end, after the other person let her go.
