Note: The following interview has been edited for clarity.
This summer, Winona Oak takes listeners to the prismatic landscape of Sollerön, Sweden, where her story began. Her new album, “Island of the Sun,” explores Sollerön across 13 tightly-knit tracks. Humility, safety and love reach every corner of the album like sunlight touching Sollerön’s hills after dawn. Taking cues from the infectious sounds of pop music today, she is reworking pop to best tell her story. Each track is a piece of her.
Music was never too far from her. Her sound comes from a lineage spanning generations. Two of her grandparents were musicians but “didn’t have the money to fulfill their dreams,” she said.
But Winona was determined to push forward with her dreams. Working day in and day out making music in Stockholm, she honed her sound and brought listeners in through hard work. Now touring the United States and Europe, her efforts have paid off and continue to work for her. “Island of the Sun,” takes listeners through four years of Winona’s creative growth as an artist.
The New University spoke with her about her emotional homecoming and her direction from here.
Q: How does it feel bringing your tour to North America? Is it any different than performing for other continents?
A: I think one of the biggest differences — especially compared to Sweden — is that you get to see so many different types of climates and landscapes while driving through the same country. I’ve been able to see some really magical places: snow covered mountains, deserts and dozens of city lights on the horizon. I also think that the audiences have been really amazing in all the different cities.
Q: You come from a line of musicians but you didn’t quite start as one, is there a specific event that brought you to Stockholm? Do you handle fame the same way you did back then?
A: Growing up, I didn’t know anyone that was working with music on a professional level. Two of my grandparents were talented musicians but they never had the money to fulfill their dreams. It felt like a very distant parallel universe for me to be working in music even though I was very drawn to it. Moving to a bigger city was never a question for me, I always knew that I needed more space to bloom and that I wanted to explore the world. I don’t have to worry too much about being famous so far. I’m just very grateful that there are people out there that appreciate and love my music. The music industry can be really tough so I think it’s important to keep your feet on the ground and to be kind and humble. As much as I share of myself and my experiences, I value my mental health and my private life above it all.
Q: What did the Chainsmokers feature mean for you as a musician? Are there any other artists you hope to work with in the future?
A: It definitely gave me a lot of confidence moving forward. I am very happy that Alex and Drew took a leap of faith and introduced my voice and songwriting to the world when I didn’t have a single song out and was just about to sign my record deal. They definitely played a big role in helping me reach out to lots of listeners and are still very important people in my life. There’s definitely a lot of talented people that I’d love to work with in the future, I love collaborating with other musicians.
Q: What does “Island of the Sun” mean to you?
A: “Island of the Sun” is the place where I grew up, a small island in the middle of the Nordic forests in Sweden. It’s the place where it all started, where I wrote my first song, where I felt my first heartbreak. It also represents a very safe place for me, a place where I’m allowed to be me and to feel all of my feelings — that’s what I want people to feel like when they listen to this album, I want it to be a safe place for them to escape to. There’s songs for both sunny and rainy days.
Q: What were the origins of this album? Were there any musical influences in its production/writing?
A: These songs were created over a four year period so all the different sound landscapes have been growing and developing along with me.
Q: What are your feelings around the release of the album? Any favorite tracks of yours?
A: It’s so hard to describe all the emotions that I feel around the release of this album. It’s all so nerve wracking and scary and exciting and amazing at the same time. I’ve put my heart and soul into this album. I’ve turned my experiences, all the beauty and the pain into 13 songs that the world will get their own piece of now. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite because they all are so different …
Q: How would you describe your new album in three words?
A: Pieces of me.
Mason Stoutamire is an Entertainment Editor. He can be reached at mstoutam@uci.edu