An interview with Winny Lee

RIO DE JANEIRO - Do you remember in which state of mind you were two years ago, when your first album was released ? How do you feel now?

I think that Open your book was just a side project from the start because when those songs were written the members in Winny Lee played in other bands, but it became more serious when we started to record it. We started Winny Lee to release music and lyrics which had been locked up for a while. It was just something that just had to come out. But as I said, when the record started to take shape everyone took the work we hade done to whole other level. That was when we realized that this is something we all want to do. So this became the start of Winny lee. She released her first record and opened the first chapter in her book.

2, What is your opinion right now about Open Your Book? What would you change in it?

I don’t think I want to change anything. The first record is always the first record even if we can see things we could do different now; we don’t want to change it. I can say that we have learned from it and that’s more important.

What’s your objective now once So Here We Are is out?

We want to play music live. And we think that’s how you should hear us. The whole idea with So Here We Are was to get the live sound out of us. So the record is more a promotion thing, that’s why we release it for free. We are going to keep on promoting the record as good as we can of course. It has already given us gigs in March and we have a tour coming up in Sweden in May.

How prolific is your songwriting process?

I write songs all the time. Of course there are moments when you can be more creative. I think that my emotional condition decides that. But I can reveal that new songs have already been written, and I have never thought about stop writing.

Tell us about your record sessions at a farm and in which way it has an impact on your album (if it has any)?

At first I have to say that record a record is tough thing, emotionally and physically. We hade a rough start but once we got going we just went with the flow. This house was wonderful, a little cabin from the 19th century - what more can you ask for? Not a car for miles, no cell phones with any contact with the world. So the environment was really relaxing.

But we hade one thing against us - time! We hade to record everything in just 4 days. The first day after we hade put everything in order we played for 16 hours nonstop. It was hard work but we don’t regret a thing. It was really great and the sound that bounced off those cabin walls was exactly the sound we were looking for. But the most important thing was that it sounded live, just like we wanted it!!

How do you see the Swedish musical scene now compared to British and American ones?

Indeed, the Swedish indie scene is flourishing, and there is plenty of great new artists out there. However, scene is quite narrow. If you take a look at most recent releases you will find the same names re-appearing. There are a handful of really talented people pulling the indie-strings right now. That might perhaps make it harder for smaller bands making themselves heard.

I believe the American scene creates more possibilities for new and unestablished artists. There are more venues to play and the audience seems to be more open to new music. But on the other hand I believe it is harder getting yourself heard bypassing the major establishments. From what I can see, the DIY-scene seems to have weakened in the US.

What do you think of the present indiepop scene? Are there any artists you feel akin to yours?

The alt-country genre seems to have a recent upswing in Sweden right now. Christian Kjellvander has always delivered great music, but aside from that the scene has until now been far from saturated. I guess that’s why we have looked abroad to find inspiration. Anyway, I think we will see more artists in Sweden filling this void in the near future. One confusing thing is that you hardly ever see bands producing alt-country, neither in Sweden nor abroad. It’s almost always about a single guy and his guitar. In the best-case scenario, he has a backup band that stays intact for two releases. To sum up, I think it’s hard to find a band that is similar to Winny Lee, although we get inspiration from many songwriters, mainly from the US. Let’s hope for some more bands. And some more female front-figures in these bands.

This is something I never cease to ask myself: why there is so much great music in Sweden?

hehe that’s an interesting question. I think that we have lots of great bands here in Sweden but I feel that it doesn’t matter where you are from. That feeling will always be there. Maybe it’s because I get my inspiration from other countries.

Let a message for those people who are enjoying Winnie Lee by now.
We hope that you enjoy our new record “So here we are” Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of this, and we hope that we will see you soon

/ love from Winny Lee

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Track by Track So Here We Are Review

So here we are. So why are we here? Let’s start with the fact that we all love music. It’s in our little family; it’s in our need to create music. The lyrics are different characters but they all come from the same person. Places come from a written history or from a deep mind. Sometimes they are so real that it scares me. Places I’ve been to, faces I’ve seen or maybe just that feeling when you know that you’re right. So, let me introduce you a little closer to our family.

A secret place I had that little place when I was about 13-16 years old, my secret place! Maybe it was there I started to write music, I can’t really remember, but I remember that I often had my guitar with me, sometimes just a piece of paper and a pencil. I could sit there for hours. It was that place where I could release my mind. Maybe it was something with that age, I don’t know. But I know that I solved many problems there. And that place just keeps on coming back to me, mostly when I am writing. It’s like I’ve made a room for that place in my head and it goes wherever I go.

So here we are Started out like a love story between two people. As I was writing the people changed and became one with the time they represented. In that moment I couldn’t separate these two people from each other, nor from the time. That time became so important that all I could see was my own reflection. I thought, this is what we have created this far and it is wonderful, so I am very curious about what’s going to happen here next. I just can’t wait to see.

Blacksburg I’m not going to explain what this song is about. I think that it speaks for itself. I have one sentence in this song’s lyrics that frightens me; “please let them go”. I know that I wasn’t there, but I can see that picture so clear in my head, it feels so real and so wrong.

I keep on asking myself why I write these kinds of lyrics. I’m not looking for that. But the US has always been a great inspiration for me so I guess that I’m just disappointed.

Collection of moments I think that there’s something in everyone which can affect others more than we know. That thing you say or do can mean so much. That thing can really shape you. So when someone asks you, why did you do that? Maybe you have the explanation but you can’t really understand it. That gets me to the past. We can’t change the past; we know that, so why bother? Ok, you get relieved by talking about it, I can buy that. But the persons you have met and the situations you have been through are still there, because they are a part of who you are.

A bag with some bottles I remember when we took this song by the hand. It felt forbidden but at the same time it was very relieving doing this up-tempo thing. I think that it was just the kind of thing we all needed. A slap in the face! Let’s do this! And it became just like we wanted. Maybe that’s “magic”.

That sound I know I think that my father and I are so much alike sometimes. But the reality comes to you when you have higher dreams and expectations of your life. I know that he wants to understand that. “That sound I know” is not just about my father. It’s also about taking new steps, moving forward and not getting caught in bad habits. I know that this is a classical thing but listen to your heart because that’s where you can find your own sound.

I refuse to Let the mind speak before your mouth does, not the other way around. I think I heard that somewhere… anyway I like that. There are so many people that are not so good with words. There are terms for everything. How shall I answer when I don’t know what you are talking about? So many talented people who never get the chance to speak! Many of them have already given it up. Maybe that’s why I transform my speech into songs.

To another land is not the land you hear in Blacksburg. I like to use metaphors for things just like I do in “a secret place”. This land is a beautiful summer place. You have to go there by boat. When the coldest days are here I promise you that this is the place to go to in your mind.

Closet full of stories Behind every face there is a human being. Sometimes you have to put on that face to survive the game, in this place especially. I never really liked it but there’s something that drags me to it. Losing control is nothing to be proud of, but saying things like this is wrong is a step in the right direction.

Days become years So the worst thing I’ve been through is maybe the best thing I’ve been through. When you are healthy and spirited you are always looking for new goals. And there’s nothing that can stop you. Then something happens and you have to take life seriously. Starting to realize what’s important to you. And when you have come to that knowledge everything turns. Thinking back about happy things and lovely times - that’s a good feeling!! I don’t think I am religious but when you have felt that biting in your heart once, you think that these kinds of things are gifts.

Down by the water I like to tell you how we recorded this song. It came to the studio (räntemåla) in the forest like a bomb, ready to explode anytime. There was so much going on that we couldn’t control it. With the help of the Press Rec. crew Johan and Johannes we cut it down piece by piece and started to rebuild it. We gave it a whole new sound and whole new feeling. It became a song with hope.

Over and out / Martin, Winny Lee

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