Swedish~ Stereo~

Alex Saidac has become one of the most exciting pop-newcomers of 2011 whose debut single "We Shine" released by Alexander Bard's label SoFo Records was a huge explosion not only in the world of Swedish pop-fans but also a new big international breakthrough on the way from Sweden. "We Shine" has already entered Top-10 of Commercial Pop Club Chart in UK and label currently plans worldwide promotion in countries like USA, Australia and Japan. Few days ago I've got a possibility to talk with Alex who has turned to be incredibly charming and positive girl about her current active music year and plans for the next one.

Hi Alex. It's almost four months since "We Shine" was released in Sweden and video was premiered so what were you busy all this time since July?
I'm working on the album and soon I'm releasing my second single so I'm very excited and trying to get album together and to make the best of it. So I'm a lot in the studio working on my own stuff and writing for other artists as well.

Talking about common music concept of your album what it'll be more like? Mostly dance music or you're gonna explore different genres?
It's gonna be more pop-music with some hip-hop influences. "We Shine" is just a fragment of what I'm gonna do next so it's gonna be like electronic pop-music with my own influences. It sounds a bit weird but you're gonna understand it (laughing).

Ok, so you're gonna make perfect pop-music like you see it.
Yes, it's pop-music but it's not gonna be as much dance-music.

And talking about some release dates of your album? Do you already have some plans or are you gonna release another single and watch how it'll go?
I don't have release date for the album yet but I know it's gonna be released next year and right now we're just gonna release next single and then the third single... But then there's gonna be an album and it's gonna happen next year.

You said you use to be inspired by hip-hop artists a lot so are we gonna hear you rapping on your new songs?
Yeah, I rap on some of my stuff and the bits are kind of electronic pop, hip-hop. It's more pop than hip-hop but there are definitely influences from hip-hop.

From the beginning you've started working with Oscar Holter and Jakke Erixson. Do you work with them mostly? Or is there any other producers you work with?
No. I work with them, they are my favorite guys, they do a great job and they're like my brothers, we're like a family so I love working with them.

So talking about songwriting process you all work on your stuff together?
We write the songs together. Jakke and Oscar are producing and I write the melodies and the lyrics but I have a lot to say in production too I really tell them my opinion. I'm there through the whole process, everything from making the beat to finishing everything.

So maybe soon you'll be producing your songs yourself completely?
Haha. No, I don't think so but I'm always gonna write a lot of music

Returning for a while to how you were signed by Alexander Bard's label SoFo Records. Was it Alexander who has found you? Or you were sending demos?
No. It was really funny cause I was here as a songwriter for other artists so I was writing with Oscar and Jakke and people here in SoFo liked my stuff and it was like why aren't you an artist? It wasn't specifically Alexander who found me but he's very happy I'm here now.

So do you collaborate with him now on your stuff or he's like watching the result and approve?
He's watching the results and he's always very positive and one of my biggest supporters.

About your new label-mate Martin Rolinski. You've taken part recording vocals for his debut single "Blame It On A Decent Matter". Was it one-time collaboration or you work on his and your songs together? Or planning to work?
It's so funny cause I was in the studio and I was writing and then Oscar came in and asked me to put vocals on a demo-song and I was like sure. I don't know how it got out there that I was singing but I think people recognized my voice so people instantly knew it was me so it's how it got out. But it wasn't official feature or collaboration with Martin it was... just me in the studio (laughing).

Would be great if Martin helped you on your upcoming stuff also.
Yeah, totally.

Ok, you told you were working a lot for different artists so can you call some for your fans interested to find your credits on realeses for others?
I did some stuff in Japan. I had two songs there for Japanese artists, one is called "Beautiful Hangover" and another one is called "Crazy Love". But I wrote them 2 years ago and have evolved very much since that.

Lately I've found your credits on Necro Facility album that was pretty unexpected for me as guys play quite different music comparing with your own.
Yeah! Haha. I'm singing there too. That's me as a songwriter but all these things have nothing to do with me as an artist. I can sit down and write like a rap-song and next second I can write a ballad but it has nothing to do with me as an artist, this is something I do as a songwriter so it's really important to separate those two.

And talking about another collaboration you were involved in. This summer Benny Benassi has released a new track "Put It On Me" with Pitbull. All over the web you were mentioned as featured artist but I haven't found any official information and vocal sounded a bit different from "We Shine", so was it you?
Yes, it's me singing but it's not official. I know that there is another version on the Benny Benassi album, they wanted somebody to sing a chorus so they asked me to do it and it has leaked. You know, Internet is crazy. So I'm not sure that it's gonna be a single or anything but yes i did a collaboration with them.

But it would be realy cool if your version was released, Pitbull gets so much attention nowadays.
Yeah, I love Pitbull, it would be really cool.

Coming back to your own songs. Currently you work both on promoting "We Shine" internationally and in UK. Are there any live promo-gigs in UK and Sweden on horizon this year?
Yes, I'm gonna start doing promotion gigs, we're going with my dancers and DJs and we do the whole act in different clubs and places. We're starting now, we're rehearsing a lot and I have really great dancers, I'm dancing myself and singing at the same time. Really looking forward to promotion gigs.

Ok, I asked because I just didn't notice you were touring after "We Shine" at all...
No, because right now we're waiting for the second single to come out and then I'm gonna make more gigs.

You have just released EP with mixes from elite of Swedish music - Niclas Kings and SondFactory in Sweden. Are there also gonna be any international promo-packs of mixes with loads of other club names like it usually happens when artists promote their singles in Europe?
I think we have a lot of remixers from England already so there are gonna be more remixes with really cool British DJs and producers.

Coming back to your next single in Sweden. So you're gonna release it very soon?
Yes! The single is called "Stay In This Moment".

Is it that song from that video you've presented in April?
No-no-no, that's another one.

Can you tell about it a bit? Is it gonna be as dancey as "We Shine" or different?
It's a pop, it's a pure pop. Electro-track and it's very fun song that makes you wanna go up and dance and it has a message. Basically what I want to do with a next single is to make a transition from "We Shine" to the third single so the second one is going to move from this dance club sound to a bit more poppy and the third single is going to be much more poppy!

And do you already have some release dates for it?
No. But Oscar is right now finishing the last touches in the studio so it's a matter of a couple of weeks.

"We Shine" has turned to be a really interesting pop-video with loads of nice ideas and huge gang of dancers. Is your video for the next single gonna go the same road?
I'm definitely gonna have a lot of dancers and the choreography is going to be amazing. It's going to have elements from "We Shine" but is not going to be as dark, "We Shine" is in the club and in the nighttime so next video is going to be the same but probably... during the day time (laughing).

Currently Alexander is getting big with Gravitonas in Russia. Does he also plans to try promoting you there? I imagine "We Shine" being very welcome on some Russian radio stations.
I know that Universal Russia really likes my stuff and they're really thrilled to release it over there so I know that it's going to be released in Russia for sure.

So maybe you'll even make some tour coming here?
I hope so, I really hope so. I would love to tour in Russia.

Thanks so much for the interview and loads of luck with your next single.
Take care and thanks for the interview. Bye!