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This album, 10 songs, just succinct with like everybody showing up with you on this record.
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You must be so proud of this body of work.
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I mean, it's complete, it's done.
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You're starting the rollout now.
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How's it all feel for you? >> It feels incredible.
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I really, really am proud.
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I remember thinking about this project back in the end of last year.
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And it felt so it felt so big and you know, a hard thing to do.
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And I was a bit I was a bit nervous thinking like, is anyone going to be on this?
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Like, does anyone want to be a part of this? Am I just like dreaming?
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And I was, I was dreaming.
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And people did want to be on it.
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So, I'm super, super happy and excited.
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And yeah, I feel very proud of this body of work.
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>> It lands really in a really impactful way.
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And it's the timing is perfect because you know, in the last kind of 6 to 12 months, there's definitely been a shift in I think the way that people respect what you've achieved.
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And also where you stand today and what you want to go on to achieve.
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When did that start to resonate with you?
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I feel like everyone else got it even before you realized they were getting it. >> No, I I 100% agree.
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I mean, this this year and the past 6 months have been like life-changing for me in the terms of my career and like how people respond to my music.
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And I think everything started actually right before I dropped "Midnight Sun" when I was on Tate Tate McRae's tour opening for her.
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I think people rediscovered me as a performer and as an artist and I think they put two and two together.
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Hearing a bunch of my songs not knowing it was me.
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And then they were like, oh, she made that song. Oh, she made that song.
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And then I dropped "Midnight Sun" the album.
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>> Um I had "Pretty Ugly" and "Midnight Sun" out and it all just like created this perfect storm.
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And then ever since I've just been going non-stop. I've been um performing.
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I've been doing my own tour.
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I think live has definitely helped me.
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And now Midnight Sun can finally see the real summer because it was released in September.
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So now it finally gets a chance to to live in the season where it was supposed to live.
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>> I think the way this is all timed out, some of it probably way out of your control, some of it you're able to influence to some degree, but it all just adds up to this beautiful moment in your life.
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You've had feelings like this before.
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When we met time it was fast and it was happening and it was electrifying and you were just like on the first rocket ship.
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How does it feel different for you?
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What have you learned in that time?
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What since you've you've gone away, reconfigured what's important to you, restructured how you want to create, who you want to create with, and come back you're having the success again. It's a 2.
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0, which is magic which is magical. So how is 2. 0 different to 1. 0 for you?
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>> I just feel way more calm, very confident.
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I feel like I am not really scared of whatever happens happens, you know.
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I feel creatively more definitely in control.
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I mean, since I first started out, like I said, I feel like I'm a performer and has always been someone who loves to be on stage, but it has developed into me being like an artist.
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And like I love to write. I love to make. I love to create.
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With the help of this team that I did Midnight Sun with, I can really look at myself as like a good writer and um someone who can create what I make.
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And I think that it's just given me so much confidence in myself, in what I do, in who I am as an artist.
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So I think that's been the biggest change for me. And then I don't know.
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And doing that, I think I just stopped looking as much outside of myself and started looking inwards and like what do I want to do and what do I want to make?
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And I I I like listening to the song, yeah, I don't think I made like a 180, but it definitely there's something there that I think people connect to.
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And I think that part is just more of me.
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>> Yeah, how much of it really comes from a place, not to get too deep into it, but I'm super fascinated by this, comes from a place of being let down by the systems that you invested in and then realizing kind of that and like I'm [laughter] going to I'm going to say what I want.
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If it's on my mind and I stand by it, I'll say it.
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You know, you've developed this reputation of having a strong opinion about what you believe in and you seem unafraid right now in your life to do that.
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And I just don't think many artists in the public eye get there without being let down, without seeing the true face of the industry to some degree of like what this actually is.
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Well, you know, I'm buying it.
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I'm not buying what you're selling.
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>> I think a part of it is definitely that I'm not scared of a flop.
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Like at this point I'm like, "Cool, I've been through it."
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I started out coming at the gate when I first released music and it was so successful at the very start of it, like immediately.
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It was just like success, success, success.
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And I took that so for granted.
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I was like, "Oh, so okay."
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And then I started releasing music and it wasn't successful and I was like, >> Yeah.
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>> Like, "What the is happening?"
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And then, you know, I got really scared and I felt >> Zoolander. You're like, "Who am I?" >> [laughter] >> Yes.
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I started doubting myself and I was like, "Oh my god, no."
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Like and then I went even more like, "What do people want?
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What do What does the radio want?
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What What does everyone want?"
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And then I think I got even more deep into that hole of of losing myself a little bit.
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And then once you've been through that and you realize I still wake up every day, every morning, I still want to be a singer.
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I just love what I do and I love it despite of success, failure, like whatever that is, I am a singer and I am a performer and I'm an artist.
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And I think just getting over that perception of how people see me and just accepting like this is just who I am.
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And actually, I'm not going to care so much about the statistics and the the radio plays and all of that.
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Even though, you know, that's great, but that's like a symptom of making something.
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It It can't be the goal or like the end result. >> Yeah, that's right. >> It's not the purpose. Like it's really not.
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So then I started just writing with people that I consider to be my friends.
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And that also changed everything.
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I feel like I could go into a studio and all these songs and like all the people, you know, on this album Girl's Trip are people that I look up to, that I feel inspired by, um that I want to be in the studio with, that I want to go and have a dinner with.
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And I feel like it's just real and like authentic. >> It's not a trade.
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It's like this album will do This is going to be a very successful album for you, but but but who knows, man? It's a flip of a coin.
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It's like catching wind in a bottle.
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Like who knows what people want to hear at any given time.
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But one thing you can be certain of is that if you find these people in your life, they want to spend time with you, they want to create with you, they want to go on this journey with you, the math don't matter. It's not a trade.
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We'll see you on the next one and on the next one and on the next one.
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>> And I remember before I released Midnight Sun, and you know, people were like, "What are you going to do if it flops?"
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And I just said, "I'm going to make a new album."
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>> Yeah, make another one.
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>> And then I'm going to make another one.
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And then I'm going to make another one cuz that's just what I do. >> Yeah, love it.
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Look at the people who are showing up for you on this record. I mean, it's so amazing. I mean, >> Thank you. It really is. >> start at the end. I mean, you and Robin. >> Yeah, ah, finally. My god. >> Finally. I know.
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That must feel so That must That must be so soulfully nourishing for you to to get that collaboration on on a record.
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>> Like especially Robin, it's just someone that I mean, when I look at this record, I'm I'm thinking back to my younger self.
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And And I would have told her this is like actually probably the biggest thing that I've ever done in my very long career.
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Like when I look at this track list and I see for example Robin I just think back to the times where, you know, I was on the tube on the way to school listening to Robin, listening with my friends, listening on the way home, to dance class, performing.
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Like it's it's such a big part of my life.
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Like my personal life, like what I've been through.
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It's the soundtrack to my to my teenage years. >> Yeah.
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>> And to who I am like as an artist and as a person.
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And she also is like Swedish legend.
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Like this is this is like history for me.
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>> she's and she's also like the blueprint of what happens when you have it really fast then you flop. >> Yeah.
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>> In other people's eyes then you come back and you redefine it into something that is yours.
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So you and her and the trajectory that you're on are very the very similar arc and it's which is, you know, kind of to me the the modern blueprint for an enduring life in the arts is to you've got to take your you know your big loss and that's when you ask yourself your question you know, how do I want to come back?
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And Robin came back the way she is, you're coming back the way you are. You've got the song now.
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I mean look at this, you got Kehlani on here.
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How good is that Kehlani album?
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Out of control top to bottom start to finish smasher.
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>> It's I like Kehlani I've been saying since like every single time, you know, when the classic question in an interview who would you like to collaborate with?
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Kehlani has always been my answer. I just love her voice.
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I love the way she writes. >> Yeah.
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>> I love about this this record too is that it's definitely um an expansion of the Midnight Sun world but Girl Trip specifically it's like very tailored to the people that I have on and the people that I look up to.
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I mean, the Kehlani track for Blue Moon, we decided to just go like fully R&B and just really get in there >> Yeah.
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>> and make it like take a step into her world and honor that because I'm such a big fan of it and it inspires me so much that I want to invite her on the journey on the Girls Trip, but also like give the space for who Kehlani is and what she does and what she contributes with to music.
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>> There's so much learning there for you as well.
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I mean, you know, as a fan of something to get into a space with someone like Kehlani who really was at the very forefront of the modern R&B music revolution.
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I mean, we're talking 12, 13 years ago when she was just getting going and no one was doing it like she was.
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I mean, you go see her perform live.
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I remember seeing her live for the first time over a decade ago, maybe 12 years ago, living 12 years ago, and saying to my friend I was with like, "This is a classic modern R&B superstar.
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Like she is one of one right now."
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The way she was moving and dancing, the choreography, the vocal runs, and everything's caught up to her, but she's one of one. She's one of one. >> Yes.
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And she's always sticking like she has been sticking with it.
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Like she's been very authentic >> yeah.
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>> in what she makes and like the R&B that she sings or writes.
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Like that is her and you're right.
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Even I feel like even the world has been People have been knowing about her.
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She's been successful, but especially like the past couple of years, I feel like people are really finally like caught up to what a talent she is and like the the spotlight she deserves to really be in. >> Cuz she's happy.
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She's balanced and she's happy.
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All right, we got to talk about Shakira.
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This is a big song, Euro Summer.
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Um, this really leans into all the imagery we have of um, pop superstars like yourself coming from this massive continent that has this long history of turning pop music up to 11 and turning on every single bright light. And you know what?
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Bring the mirror ball down as well while we're at it.
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And yeah, and and give me the loudest costume you can.
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I'm going to own the whole pop diaspora.
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And and I love and and I feel like this song is a tribute to that, but you brought Shakira with you.
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So again, there's some really interesting collaborations going on here.
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>> Honestly, like this is so crazy to me.
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I remember speaking with my my A&R and he said, you know, there's like this album thing is like talk of the town, you know, people are like, what is it?
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Like they want to be on it.
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And Shakira would love to be on it.
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I was like, wait a I was like, wait a minute.
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Like, what are you talking about? >> [laughter] >> Okay. Sure. >> No, that was crazy.
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And he was like, yeah, she really loves Euro Summer.
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And I was like, that is incredible because I also feel like Shakira is so global. >> Yeah, yeah.
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>> Like she is she's a global >> about math unless it's Shakira math, and then we honor the math.
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The [laughter] The math is obscene. It's so big.
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>> I was like I was like I I I have to have Shakira on it. Like, hello.
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It's like the craziest name for me, too, because again, this is this is me thinking back to my younger self and just like the way I've been watching Shakira, the way I've been watching her videos, the music.
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I mean, it was just kind of insane to me that she was like, I want to do it. We we talk all the time.
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She sent me like 5-minute voice notes every day.
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She is just so collaborative and amazing, so kind, so nice.
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I feel like through this experience I've really gotten to know her, and that feels like such an honor because in a way also it's like to get a co-sign by Shakira. >> Yeah.
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I just honestly I can't believe it.
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Like every time I every time I listen to that song, I feel like I feel like okay, like okay, like I'm a I'm a star. I'm a star.
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>> Yeah, you're doing the dream work.
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[laughter] You're doing the dream work.
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It starts with a dream and then you do the work.
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It's a perfect connection.
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I got a question before you before we say goodbye for now.
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With the whole voice notes thing, with the voice may memo thing, um do you do you keep them?
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I always feel weird keeping them.
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>> Oh, no, I keep every single one. I have it on automatic.
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I don't even have to like press the button.
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>> someone going to be like, you know, "Hey man, why'd you keep that voice memo?
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Like you Like you're going to play that for somebody else?
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Like what do you Like I get in this weird OCD headspace about voice memos?"
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>> I don't even think about it because I But now when you say it, it makes me think about it because I have a setting on that just makes me keep them automatically.
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So maybe they still get the like kept your voice note saying "kept your voice note". >> do. >> Oh, they do? >> They definitely do.
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Because because I've had someone go like, "Did you keep that?"
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And then And now I got really paranoid about it.
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Last time I kept a voice note by an artist who was giving me recommendation for a movie.
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I kept it and then I had to go back and say, "Yo, I kept that just because uh you know you you don't always get a voice note about a kind of movie."
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I was like, "Oh my god, it's like this is my worst nightmare."
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>> Ooh, now you're going to make me think about that. >> That was my point.
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I'm trying to pass on my anxiety to you [laughter] >> So I Thank you so much.
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>> uh you know, anxious release.
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Uh Zara Larsson, everybody. You're a somo Shakira.
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Congratulations on this album.
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We haven't seen you in person for for for a while.
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So But you know where I am. >> I'll be back. >> Yeah, man. Come say hi.
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All right, good to see you. >> Thank you so much. >> Bye, mate. >> Mwah.