Sitting at a dusty piano in a small Swedish village, Matilda began composing music that soon became her way of understanding the world – and herself. Today, her melancholic electronic pop, rich with emotional depth and honest lyrics, reflects decades of her journey from street performances to the stages of Berklee and international concert halls. Matilda welcomes the autumn season with her new single, “Ask for my help” – a minimalist and piercing reflection on codependency, loneliness, and the freedom to be oneself. We spoke with Matilda about empathy, inspiration, and what it’s like to relearn how to truly listen to yourself. Get ready for a dose of sincerity, wrapped in melancholic yet warm electronic pop sounds.

Matilda, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. Your music – blending melancholic electronic pop with deep emotional vulnerability – truly resonates. And that’s not just a polite phrase; I actually listened to your singles. But let’s go step by step and start from the very beginning. You grew up in a small Swedish village, where your father was an artist and your mother an altruist, creating a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. How did this duality – creativity and empathy – shape you as a person and as a musician?  

I would say everything, my parents were always very open and encouraged me and my siblings to follow our passions. My father was my biggest idol as a child and still am, being able to do what he loves the most and live off it. He taught me to trust my talent and told me that as a creative mind you will have more extreme ups and downs than most but you’ll be stronger for it and can also channel that through your music. My mom is my closest friend, she made sure i knew that feelings are beautiful and that opening your eyes to people’s feelings around you makes your life more grounded and i think it’s from her that i started writing and singing to be able to touch people, help, and be a sort of confidant to my listeners.

From a tiny Swedish village to busking on Australian streets, then studying at Berklee in Boston, and years of independent work – that’s quite a journey. What has been the most valuable lesson along the way, and what are you especially proud of today?  

I’ve learned so much about traveling, I’m proud that I took the reins and just did it, not be afraid and let mistakes become life lessons. I don’t think it matters what you do or where, but putting yourself in unknown situations with strangers just makes you a deeper individual. I’m especially proud of taking the step to study in the Usa, cause that’s where I really deepened my skills and started to believe in myself.

From what I’ve read – and from what you’ve shared – you’ve been building your career for about a decade now. That must take incredible perseverance and discipline. How has your artistry evolved over that time?  

It’s definitely been hard, I’ve had three part time jobs and I am working on my music career all by myself. It’s easier to quit but why would I ever if there’s a slight chance of fulfilling my dreams. I think that mindset has been challenged throughout the years and it has shaped my artistry a lot. Coming back from down periods just makes me more sure of myself and my music because I chose to stay. I’ve become more bold in my writing and want to combine the music to a visual world, enhancing the emotion of the songs. Also of course I’ve learnt more by doing, the ins and outs of the music business and what not to do..

Let’s talk about your new single, “Ask For My Help.” The track dives into important themes of mental health – particularly codependency and the feeling of insignificance. What made you want to explore this topic in your music?  

I’ve always wanted to be honest in what I write, and dig into the emotion I’m feeling. I’ve gone through so much the last couple of years, struggled with my mental health and my music is my therapy. I experienced everything I’m singing about in this song, and I think it’s amazing to have more pop music explore this theme. Hopefully listeners can find comfort in it and know that they are not alone.

As you’ve mentioned, “Ask For My Help” was born when you were on the edge – the words and melody came through tears, without a metronome. Tell me how that moment unfolded. Did you simply sit down and let the music find its own way?  

I remembered it well, it was a grey day and it was drizzling outside. I had just felt so abandoned and alone, walking to my studio I started to form the words and while I was in the studio I felt too much to start playing or producing so I just sat on the sofa singing the words. It really came out quick, and while recording I realized it was an off rhythm, but kept recording it. It was way later that I noticed the key and 6/8 feel of it.

In “Ask For My Help”, you seem to shut out all external noise, leaving the listener alone with their thoughts. That’s a bold artistic move – to choose minimalism over layered production. How did you know that this “bare canvas” would highlight rather than mute the raw, powerful emotion at the core of the song?  

I was scared of it at first, but realized that it was like that when the song was created. The pauses came because it was a little hard to start singing the next part, and when me and the producer sat down we really wanted to keep that feel. I love minimalist pop music, cause it makes you think more about the connection it has to your own life. It’s hard but it automatically makes you reflect.

I’m sure there’s a golden moment in “Ask For My Help” that feels especially precious to you. If you could pick one “pearl” of the single – your personal moment of triumph – what would it be, and why?  

I think just being open to do something a bit different compared to my other stuff, the song drove me to this sound and this expression and I’m happy I keep it this way. Digging deeper into the sound, the handcrafted vocoder, distorted drums and the weird synths.

Your lyrics are meaningful and deeply sincere. How do you manage to turn such personal experiences into stories that resonate with others?  

Thank you! From a very early stage I had a hard time expressing myself in words, had a hard time in school and I couldn’t articulate what was on my mind. Singing and writing was the first time I could make sense of my thoughts, and also it was the first time people around me really understood what I was going through and it just lit a light in me. This is my language, combining melodies with my thoughts that don’t always make sense is how I communicate. I’m not one of those who overthink when I write, I just let my emotions guide me and I think that is what resonates with others, that true feeling at its core.

Matilda, you don’t just write and sing – you create an entire visual world, from hand-sewn costumes to the atmosphere surrounding each release. You truly do it all. Be honest: when you craft this onstage magic, does it start from the melody itself, or is it a kind of parallel “side project” that later syncs perfectly with the track?  

I actually see a lot of visuals in my head when I write, it’s kind of how I know it’s a good song. When I see a color or I can envision a music video I know I’ve tapped into the emotion. It’s all linked. It definitely changes over time and I usually work with some people who take my ideas up a notch but the initial idea usually comes in the beginning when I write the song. I love being creative in all aspects, expressing my feelings in the dress i make, how i move and the color schemes, it’s all connected to the way i think and feel.

You clearly have an innate sense of beauty – it seems like every vintage piece you find comes not from a store but from some parallel aesthetic universe. How do you discover these treasures?

Well I’m not a professional seamstress and I almost never find my size in regular clothes, so I decided that going out and finding already existing clothes and making them into new ones felt like a great idea. I’m a bit of a second hand freak, so I definitely have my favorite stores around Europe. I see something basic like a shirt and I think of how I can turn them into something cool that doesn’t require a lot of money. You have the pattern construction, you just move the parts to new ways and sew them together, let your imagination run wild and you can end up with pretty cool stuff.

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