Maria Rodhes single 'Calling for You' is the new artists' second release in six months only. This track is a full blown EDM POP yet-not-mainstream one that also got nice caribbean vibes added to it. The song was meant for Melodifestivalen, the Swedish entry to ESC, Eurovision Song Contest, 2022. Maria blew it as she missed the deadline. The dream of performing the track on stage with a childrens' choir chanting and dancing with her, is postponed to later and with another song. Lessons learned and tears dried, here we go, again, with a new year, new opportunities and a lot wiser, or?
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Maria Rodhe, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Oh, it must have been my mom. She sings and was the one who realized I loved to sing too and made me apply for music school at the age of nine.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Hmmm, there’s so many. I’d love to collaborate with a male (yes, I love hopeless romantic duetts) and I love Sam Smiths voice and I also would love to learn more about the country genre, so a collaboration with Brad Paisley I would embrace with all my heart.
Your latest song is 'Calling For You'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
It was during the making of my first EP, Happy Ending, actually it was supposed to be the opening track to it. Calling for Lou is a song to one self about self love (the EP is about the challenges with love and the rough parts like broken hearts and ghosting, but with a happy ending in You And Me) however, it had this great vibe to it. The fat opening with a choir and my entry slowly (I pictured myself performing with a children’s choir from my school) so I decided to send it to the Swedish song contest and the entry to Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen. Said and done… the rest is history… I had written down the wrong date for the submission and missed it with four days. Again, broken hearted, this time by myself… *blinking*
What are you focussing on right now?
My next releases to come. I have only begun.
What inspired you to start playing and making music?
I have always dreamed about performing and singing… more than in the car and in the shower… but never had the courage. Also other peoples believes and needs made me sacrifice my own dreams I’d say. I was foolish to think that if I give more to others than to myself, then I’d become blessed sort of… Let me just tell you that is NOT the case. It’s like first aid… help yourself BEFORE you help others. *laughing*
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
To not be let down by your close ones lack of interest in your passion. Many of those closest in my circle seems to not care at all, and to me that is strange as this is now becoming a big part of who I am. But in the end, I do it for me and not for them so it’s ok even if it can be hard to understand. I do not talk about it either as I think they are not interested. In Sweden we call it ”jantelagen”, you shouldn’t ”stick out” and talk about your successes too much because people will think you have hybris.
How do you structure your day?
I go up when I wake up since covid as I work from home most of the time. I work the normal 8-17 and I usually take a nap after I shut down to be able to continue to work on my musical projects and other projects. i’m an entrepreneur with many things rolling all the time. And then I try to exercise… I just bought my own padel racket, I love it.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Well yes, I love to hang out with my kids and family. My mom and I talk a lot on the telephone, she’s three hours away by car but I’m taking her back home in a year to live with me, just gotta rebuild my house first. I also engage a lot in business development as a certified board member. i love business development and networking.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Oh yes, I sing everywhere I’d say, even at work (that what got me record my first music project actually, but that’s another story).I sing Zara Larsson, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Natasha Theodoridou and Ariana Grande.
What are your plans for the future
I plan to release singles this year. A duett with a talented young man that I coached and a song to my children and parents is coming as well. Everything with so much love and with that vibe that even if I cry, I do it dancing!