On top of the world

MANILA, Philippines - Formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2010, The Royal Concept has had a handful of high-profile projects and collaborations, including their latest single, a sure contender for youth anthem of the year, On Our Way, being featured on an episode of hit TV show Glee. Their music has recognizable influences ranging from The Strokes to Phoenix, but they’ve got their own catchy brand of pretty accessible Swedish dance pop.

The Royal Concept is David Larson (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Filip Bekic (guitar), Robert Magnus (bass) and Frans Povel (drums). Supreme spoke briefly with David about their band, starting out, and what’s so great about being on tour.

SUPREME: The Royal Concept is a pretty young band. What’s life been like with this sort of new fame?

Life has been about touring. We are in the tour bus all the time, and everyone has just become closer friends. It’s amazing. We get to travel every day, and meet new friends.

What has been your favorite part of touring?

All of it is great, but it’s getting to see new countries. That’s why we look forward to this show in the Philippines. It’s cool to see a new place, meet new people and to meet new cultures, especially since it’s all because of music.

What did you guys do before The Royal Concept?

We were music teachers. We taught in school. We also played behind other artists, like Robyn. She is a Swedish singer, and we used to play with her.

Did you have any musical influences?

We have a lot, but one of the earliest influences of all four of us was The Strokes. We just love them, and we are very fond of them.

What is the music scene like in Sweden?

It’s good! Right now, it is very, very exotic. We have Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, a lot of DJs, taking over the world. It’s amazing, because they have been fighting for electronic music for such a long time. Making music in Sweden is so inspiring because there are so many great artists.

When did you realize that you had made it as a band?

I still haven’t! I still think this is not really real, and that I’ll wake up and go back to work and that all of this was just a vacation. I just want to wake up and create music for the rest of my life.

Do you feel a pressure to create a certain type of music?

Yes, somehow. But it was harder in the beginning. Before getting signed, we used to make music just for joy. But it’s not just the labels; everyone has so many different opinions about our music. People text you, they find your number… With time, you get comfortable with yourself.

We know our fans. We know what they want to hear from us, and we still know how to surprise them. I always say this, we know how to sound like The Royal Concept more than anyone else, so it’s been easier to distance ourselves from the opinions of others.

Aside from the albums, what has your favorite project been so far?

For me, personally, it’s the touring and the opportunity to go all over the world to do what I love. I love performing live. Actually, we are kind of afraid of going into the studio, because whatever you make there, you are stuck with it forever. When we perform live, we have the opportunity to create something magical with everyone, to have that best moment.

Would you like to work with any artists soon?

Yes! I have a lot of people on my list… Not just artists, but people we want to collaborate with on the new album. I can’t tell you; they are all secrets. But there is someone I would have the absolute pleasure working with. I am a big fan of St. Vincent. She is an amazing guitar player. If we could sing together, with her on the guitar and me on the piano… It would be amazing if I could make that happen.

Speaking of a new album, are you working on one now or are you focused more on touring?

We work on the new album all the time, between the shows, on the tour bus. We focus on the old songs when we play, but between the shows, we work on the new songs. Sometimes we play the new ones to the audience to test out if they like it.

After this summer, we will go back to Sweden then Los Angeles to record.

How long does it usually take you to make an album?

“Goldrushed” didn’t take long at all. It took about a month.

Wow.

We recorded it in Stockholm, and it was quick, fast, and spontaneous. With making albums, you always want to go back and change stuff. I always say that making an album is very much like a relationship. Eighty percent of it, you love, while the other 20 percent is stuff you deal with to make it work. It’s what you could have done better. So, we just want to make a better album next time.

Or people could go come see you play the songs better live.

Yes! That is why people need to see us play in Wanderland.