What would be your description of your sound and songwriting approach to making music?

I usually say “Pop” when people ask me what kind of music I do. Pop is such a wide genre, and it feels like artists don’t want to say they do pop. Like it’s too generic, boring. It’s from the world “pop culture”; What people enjoy listening to atm, that newness. Sometimes I rap in my verses, sometimes I’m jazzy, sometimes I’m straight-up “generic pop”. But because I am inspired by so many different artists doing different stuff, all the blogs say I do “left-pop”. It’s hard to know what that means. I love synths, I love guitar, I love odd beats. And if I’m writing a song and can’t hear myself doing it live (when I really want people to feel something), I start from scratch again. I need people to feel uplifted by my music like they can do anything. Even if it’s a sad song. I guess that’s my approach.

Who has influenced you the most on your sound and philosophy?

I would say Kehlani, Foo Fighters, and Robyn. They’re my 3 pillars when I feel lost in what I do, and what I do it for.

What is your philosophy on writing that you would share or teach another writer

When I meet people who want to start doing music but don’t know how, I usually say “Just do it”. Write music, however, you feel comfortable. By the guitar, piano, or just singing melodies. Find someone who’s at their level (send a DM, email, text), and have fun w it! Try shit out, make it weird, ugly, too beautiful, too sad. That’s how you find your sound. And if you don’t enjoy it, you’re not doing it right. Try things out until you make it work for YOU. You’re gonna have good and bad days, just like any other 9-5 job. Don’t beat yourself too hard. If you don’t trust the process, the evil thoughts will take over, and you might eventually stop making music. If you remain open-minded and send out good energy to the world, good things will come back to you in one way or another. So, have fun and trust the process 🙂

What main tip would you share with any new and upcoming artist?

If things are going well with what you are doing RIGHT NOW, don’t stop! Stay in the flow. Keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t let people get to you, telling you what you should do and not. You can LISTEN, and take it in, but always make decisions based on your gut feeling.

What was the first Pop/ R&B / Soul music that you purchased?

Oh wow, I think I was mainly buying the ‘Absolute Kidz’ records, haha.
But I think my first “real” record was the debut album by the Swedish artist ‘Agnes’. She won the second season of Swedish Idol, and I loooove(d) her. At that time I hated the fact that I was too young (8y) to join the Swedish Idols, haha. Later on, I realized that wasn’t at all how I wanted to approach my career. I’ve never done music like hers, but I guess she has inspired me by having a steady career. She’s always kept her mystery around her, and I respect that.

What music are you listening to now?

Jaeger’s Spotify Fav’s

Artist Name: Kehlani
Album title: “It was Good Until It Wasn’t”
Record Label: Tsunami

Artist name: Flume
Album title: “Hi This Is Flume” (Mixtape)
Record label: Future Classic

“Gimme Love” by Joji
“Surely” by Yemi
“Juice” by Young Franco and Pell

Are there any artists, in particular, you would like to work with?

I don’t have any particular instrumentalists that I have in mind, but I would definitely like to have a bigger band. Right now, my band is me, my keyboard player (Björn Eriksson), and my drummer (Jesper Hättander). It’s working really well atm, but I’d love to have a guitarist, bass player, and two back singers. And of course, dancers!! I want fully choreographed live gigs. So, my dream band is basically people who I want to go on a world tour with, where we can look out for each other and have fun on the road. I’m sure I’ll find those people when the time is right.

While on tour what has been your best or worst experience?

Hmm. I got really pissed one time when they didn’t let me soundcheck. I was supposed to get 40mins of soundcheck, but they gave me nothing. They barely gave me an explanation and walked away. Since they didn’t listen to me, I had to call my manager and say that they’re acting like assholes. After 30mins the sound engineer came back and said “I don’t even know what you want soundcheck? What’s so important’? So, I said “Well you see, this is my job, and I’d like to it in the best way I can. Just like you should”. After that, he shut up and started talking nicely to me.

What’s is your greatest fear when you perform or record?

That people won’t feel anything after watching me for 1h singing my heart out. That would feel like such a huge failure.

Any special venues or towns that you just loved while touring?

Faroe Islands, no doubt. It was such an experience. The nature there is so beautiful, with the big mountains covered in green grass, the ocean, the islands. And we lived in a really old-fashioned hotel with the nicest hosts, just by the water. The crowd was amazing too, so kind and so happy even though it was cold and raining. I was seeing them smiling, jumping, and singing along to all the songs, and behind them, there were the big green mountains and the sky. I thought it was so cool that their language was a combination of all the Scandinavian languages, so; Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, and Icelandic.

What’s your favorite recording in your discography and why?

I’ve always loved my song ‘You Like Me’. I wrote this on my first songwriting trip to London, with Mona Khoshoi and Martin Luke Brown. Everything was so new to me, it was my first session where I tried to learn how to write songs with other people. And London felt so big to me. I even remember how the studio smelled when we wrote the song, haha. That summer it was playlisted by Sweden’s biggest radio station P3, and they played it all summer. That was kind of a big deal for me too since I released it 100% independent, just me. I really like my song ‘I Don’t Even Know What I’m Saying’. I just think it’s a banger. When I play it live it always gets people going.

What are 3 of your favorite personally written songs?

I love the one I wrote for Afrojack, Icona Pop and Yves V, “We Got That Cool”. Especially the verses. Otherwise, my favorites aren’t released yet, so can’t tell you 😉

What is the magic for you in writing songs?

When you’ve written a song that you wanna live in, stay in. Like, if you have a vibe that you feel like communicating. When you’ve managed to put all of the different components together (chords, melodies, lyrics, samples, beat, etc), and you made a song that lets you stay in that exact vibe that you wanted to share, you know you did it right. And you know that when you show the song to someone else, they just might feel the same. That moment kinda feels like magic to me

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Self-esteem. I started out only writing with female producers, and what I felt in those sessions I’ve carried with me. I rarely feel uncomfortable, and I’m not afraid to let people know what I think. I think that is something people should remind themselves of, that they have the right to speak up when something feels wrong or when someone is treating you wrong. You are you and no one can take that away from you. I’ve had to remind myself of that many times and listening to other female artists really helps. So I always try to reflect that in my music.

What song would you like to be remembered for recording or performing?

Wow, I’m right at the very start of my career so I don’t know if I’ve written that song yet.

What do you do during your daytime hours?

A lot of networking, songwriting, and planning for upcoming songs with my team over in the UK! Workwork. On my free time, I hang out with friends, or go rock climbing 🙂

Any thoughts on the future of live performances due to the current state of Covid 19?

It’s the most important part of the job, where you get to meet everyone and actually perform your songs. That’s where my heart is at least. Since artists rarely sell records anymore (except for Korea), your live shows are beneficial for your career. In Stockholm, it can be pretty hard to play live. We don’t have loads of venues (such as London) where they book ALL the up and coming artists. We also have loads of curfews, and a lot of venues have been shut down thanks to the people living nearby (like why did you decide to move next to a live venue if all you will do is complain?). So, I truly support every single small place that wants to provide more live shows here in Stockholm. It’s a part of the culture and it brings people together. Right now, it’s really hard for everyone ofc, since you’re not allowed to do that. But people are putting their energy somewhere else, and I kinda like that. We’re forced to think outside of the box, find new ways. All the traveling back and forth between gigs ain’t good for our planet either, it has been discussed many times in social media. So perhaps after this pandemic, we will find another, greener way, to play live. I enjoy when things change/develop 🙂

What are some of the essential requirements that you believe will help keep Pop, Soul and the Singer-Songwriter style of music alive?

I haven’t thought about this at all. In my mind, it will always be with us. If we just keep playing live, keep making music videos with messages that affect people, and keep making music that makes you feel something, it can’t die. Music is too compelling

How do you think music has changed over the years? Is it in a good place?

I think I described how I feel about pop in the first question. I feel that soul is pretty much everywhere. It is imprinted in all the RnB/Pop songs we hear today. There are so many songs today that have been made on samples from old soul tracks, so many remixes. I think Soul will stay with us, but it will be heard in a different way. It might not come back in its purest form, but everyone loves Soul. Right?

What do you see is the next phase of the industry regarding live performance, tours?

Perhaps VR, haha. “Pay 200$ for a private live gig for you and your friends”. That’d be crazy

What is in the near future for you?

Since there are not any live shows, I’m doing a lot of songwriting! I want to prepare for next year when all of this hopefully will be over, and the live shows are back.
I just release a new single this week, and a mixtape/EP coming out at the end of summer. I’ll be doing a live performance on Instagram with new and old songs, currently planning for that. Might try to get a music video together with the resources that I have for one of my releases…! And more. Some things need to be a surprise 🙂

Desert picks: What are a few of the songs you just love?

1.  Robyn – Dancing On My Own – Konichiwa Records
2. The Shins – Phantom Limb – Sub Pop records
3. Christina Aguilera – Beautiful – RCA Records
4. Foo Fighters – Statues – RCA Records
5. Rihanna – Cheers (Drink to that) – Def Jam Recordings

What is your favorite song to hum or sing in the shower?

I usually just sing in the shower. No particular song really. Sometimes I write whole songs while showering. The acoustics gives you such a boost, haha.

So Ms. Yaeger, if you were not a musician and artist, how would you finish this line…
I would be…

A Dancer!!! I always loved to dance. I think I’d be a freakin pro if I would rehearse every single day, hehe.