(Photo Credit: Hampus Hjellström)
“a talented pop songwriter who is completely in control of her craft.” – The Line of Best Fit
“A stunning pop talent” – Clash
“With a voice that will give you goosebumps, Elina is well on her way to establishing herself next to the biggest names in pop.” – Wonderland
“hauntingly beautiful voice…lyrical finesse” – Flaunt
“The piano driven song is soaked with Elina’s raw voice” – Ladygunn
“goes straight for the heart strings, and doesn’t relent once it grabs them” – Scandipop
“vulnerable, sharp lyrics that seek out what it means to be unapologetically human.” – 1883 Magazin
Today, Swedish artist and renowned songwriter Elina (real name Elina Stridh) has debuted a new single titled, “Blue.” Listen to the track everywhere now here + watch the lyric video here.
STREAM
“Blue” + Lyric Video
“Paper Planes” + Official Video
“Another Round”
“Free” + Live Video
In Hindsight EP
Spotify
Apple Music
Finding strength and resolve following the initial sting of heartbreak, “Blue” is an intimate, lyrical masterpiece, of which Elina describes:
- “There’s a certain bittersweetness when you realise you’ve actually moved on from something. You’ve gone through all the stages, the pain, the denial and then finally acceptance. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately, how there’s like an awakening when you don’t hurt anymore and the brighter memories start to outshine the sad ones. You’re not as emotionally attached as before. ‘Blue’, to me, is about that. About letting the past be a part of you, and appreciate where it has taken you and how it has shaped you.”
“Blue” comes on the heels of spring 2020 single “Paper Planes,” which saw love from Flaunt, who proclaimed that Elina “[combines] her hauntingly beautiful voice with her lyrical finesse in her new tour de force.” Watch the gorgeous “Paper Planes” official video here.
Elina’s 2020 output follows a breakout year for the budding artist whose songs have garnered 120MM+ Spotify streams and counting. Fall 2019 saw Elina release two new singles, starting with “Free,” a folk-inspired song bursting with lush melodies and self-reflective lyricism. The track was featured on multiple Spotify ‘New Music Friday’ playlists and and saw love from outlets like 1883 Magazine and EUPHORIA, who debuted the song’s gorgeous live video. Elina later released “Another Round,” which Ladygunn praised, noting, “The piano driven song is soaked with Elina’s raw voice.”
In May 2019, Elina released her debut EP, In Hindsight, a bold first statement sparking standout singles “Wild Enough,” “Champion,” and “Here With Me.”
Before debuting her artist project in April 2018, Elina had already made an impression as a highly sought-after songwriter, penning hits for artists such as Zara Larsson, Astrid S, NEIKED (“Sexual”), among many more.
About Elina
Growing up in a small village in southern Sweden, Elina began exploring creativity and story telling at a young age. She learned to play guitar in 8th grade and was eventually admitted to renowned Swedish songwriting academy Musikmakarna (whose alumni include LÉON, Skott, NEIKED) where she developed her skills at a higher level.
With a razor-sharp lyrical sensibility, Elina’s songs tell delicate stories of the vulnerability and uncertainty that makes us unapologetically human – beautifully flawed and courageously resilient. Inspired by the strong history and tradition of Swedish songwriters (Björn and Benny [ABBA], Max Martin, Cheiron, et al) Elina’s craft has not gone unnoticed, garnering multiple awards including the 2018 ASCAP Pop Award, Best Contemporary Song nomination in the Ivor Novello Awards and a Denniz Pop Award nomination. She was also honored with the Swedish Publishing Awards’ ‘Song of the Year’ for “Sexual” by NEIKED (which she co-wrote).
The transition from songwriting to her own artist project has been a vulnerable yet ultimately enlightening path for Elina, who notes, “I had written a few songs I really loved but hadn’t been picked up by any artist, so I decided to release them myself. Creating this artist ‘persona’ and everything is still very alien but making music on my own terms has been such a healing experience.”
With an upcoming sophomore EP, Elina is set on continuing to explore the depths of human emotion in the most raw and human ways. As she describes, “It’s important for me to try and shine more of a light on the value of self-esteem, especially with the pressures we all face in today’s society. I want to continue exploring that down the road with my next EP and hopefully reach a point where I can make a real difference using the platform I’m lucky to have.”
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