Robyn is back with no strings attached

SINGAPORE — Necessity is the mother of invention. The need to express oneself, on the other hand, is the mother of reinvention.

This is what pushed Swedish pop singer-songwriter Robyn, to break away from commercial recording and  write honest, inventive pop music after churning out pop-dance hits like Show Me Love and Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect) in the late ‘90s.

Now, Robyn is back in the international recording  circuit, ready to break free from anything that will come in the way of her artistic freedom.  

“Major record companies are not bad,” explains Robyn when asked why  she put up her own label, Konichiwa Records, after working with record companies like Jive Records. “It’s not like black and white. It’s a big machine, a big company that is out there that you have to compromise a little bit. In the end of the process, it really affects the results. I wanted to be totally free from compromise and stay where I want to.”

This bold, defiant act is not surprising to those who are closest to her. Robyn describes herself as  stubborn and knows what she wants.

“I kept on recording and releasing records in Sweden,” recalls Robyn of the years that followed 1997 when she became an international recording sensation. “I have been lucky enough to have a career there, sell records and make a living out of my music. And I had a story of getting into trouble with my record company.”

This made Robyn break away from mainstream music and search for the right medium to satisfy her artistic longing.

The result is Konichiwa Records where Robyn is the CEO, founder and solo artist. As an executive, Robyn maps out her own career and oversees the day-to-day operations from recording, marketing to budgeting. The only break she has from work is when she’s on tour or promoting her album.

Robyn says the name of her company was inspired by  American comedian Dave Chappelle’s sketch using the Japanese statement which means “How do you do?”. The 14-track self-titled album, Robyn, is Konichiwa’s first venture.

The night before The STAR interview with Robyn, the comebacking singer gave the hip crowd (including  MCA Music, Inc.’s Caress Caballero, MYX’s Mila Labendia, Swedes from the embassy and this writer) a sampling of her reinvented sounds of electronic pop. The showcase was held at Zouk Velvet Underground near Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.

Everybody couldn’t help but sway their bodies, stomp their feet and nod to the pulsating beat as Robyn performed cuts from the album like Konichiwa Bitches, Be Mine!, With Every Heartbeat and Handle Me. The crowd generously granted her a big applause after each performance, especially when she capped the night with her hit Show Me Love done in semi-a cappella with touches of electronic keyboard in the background.

“I still make pop music,” says Robyn. “I think I always did. The artists I have been listening to were all ‘80s pop types. There’s electronic sound definitely in the album. The artists I grew up listening to have that as well like Kate Bush, David Bowie and Prince. They make pop but they have their own sound.”

Other tracks in the album are Curriculum Vitae, Cobrastyle, Bum Like You, Who’s That Girl, Bionic Woman, Crash And Burn Girl, Robotboy, Eclipse, Should Have Known and Any Time You Like.

Robyn assures the new generation of listeners that her album is filled with great songs. She says it’s not a kind of album where music enthusiasts can only settle to two or three interesting tracks.

Another thing to look forward to is her music which has a rich reference to popular culture. Robyn says pop culture is a mix of Asian, American and European. She adds that kids are inspired by Asian culture which is reminiscent of video games, manga and Kung Fu movies. It is evident in her songs and videos.

It’s like a new language, muses Robyn, which catches the listener’s attention. She fuses it in her music to show everyone she’s aware of this trend.

“(I would like to explore that area of pop culture) and that’s where I am,” says Robyn. “That’s where I have always been. I’m consuming a lot of art, a lot of cartoon, a lot of all that which is going on in this culture. I’m in it. I’m riding in it. I’m using it. I’m feeling it. It’s naturally part of what I do.”

That’s how Robyn’s music and artistry have evolved. Change is definitely the only constant for someone as passionate singer as Robyn. And it’s a change for the better.

Is there a specific message she wants to put across through her album?

“I don’t want to tell people what to think of it,” Robyn answers. “My music should be whatever it is to anyone. But for me, the album is about being a young woman in Western society. It’s about standing up for oneself and being independent.”

The album is not only a reflection of Robyn’s present  state of mind but also a sneak-peek of where music stands in her life.

 “Music is my job,” shares Robyn. “I was brought up in a theater family where there has been a discussion about arts, expression and performance. I grew up with a picture of arts, music and performance that can be a job. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad or a boring job but it is something I take seriously. It’s something I want to get better at and I want to keep working at. It is something I want to keep doing for the rest of my life hopefully.”

If Robyn’s musical journey is a lesson recording artists should give a second to think about, it will be about having fun in whatever one does and savoring every moment of it.

“(Your work) is not supposed to be something you do because that’s what people tell you or you think you have to,” says Robyn. “You do it because you enjoy it and it makes you happy.”