Life of Guangzhou - "Hello Saferide": I Just Want to Tell Stories in My Music

Annika Norlin (left) and Maia Hirasawa of "Hello Saferide" sing at C-Union pub, Guangzhou in mid April.

Their simple, limpid and melodious Scandinavian ballad in warm and hearty voice flowed like breeze with natural fragrance, and reminded me of the songs by "Everything But the Girls" and Swedish big name Abba. Their lyrics extend to some thinkings and sensibility. Their one-hour performance aroused sort of sensation and big hands at a mid April night at C-Union, a pub famous for small concerts to the middle class and art-flavored people in Guangzhou.

They are "Hello Saferide" from Sweden, featuring Annika Norlin and Maia Hirasawa. The female indie pop band visited the city with a delegation to promote Swedish music here.

Leading vocal Annika Norlin used to be a music journalist. She said "I just want to tell stories and make up a lot of stories in my music", and "lyric is more important to me" compared with melody, during our exclusive interview.

She was amazed at Chinese audience's "full crowds and clap around" in Beijing and Guangzhou, the two stops ahead of Taipei later in their China Tour.

Our exclusive interview:

1. Your music seems to have something similar to Abba's, lovely melody easy to follow, lyric good to understand. Are these the characteristics of Swedish or Scandinavian music?

Annika: Just sweet sweet love in pop music. Everyone (there) does music very melodious. Almost all Swedish musicians are extremely good at their instruments and finding melodies. Maybe you are right.

2 Have you ever got some elements from the music of Abba or Roxette?

Annika: I never listen very actively to Abba or Roxette. They are the biggest Swedish bands. Everyone from Sweden got the influence of Abba in one way or another. I love their way to sing. Their voice is very sad and melancholy; sometimes they sing very happy songs.

3 What do you wanna express in your music?

Annika: Basically just want to tell stories. I make up a lot of stories in my music. People cannot be always happy or sad. When you are happy, still something sad inside, and the other way around.

4 Which do you pay more attention to, lyric or music?

Annika: I love melody. But I'm a writer from the start. I'm a music journalist myself, written lots of songs. Always the lyric (is more important) for me.

5 Which songs are your favorites personally?

Annika: Indie pops.

6 Why did you have such a band name? Anything interesting?

Annika: I took the name when I studied in US. Everybody there took Heroin, a dangerous city. My school had taxi service, coming to pick you up so that you did not roll out alone. The driver always said, “Hello safe ride”.

7 Do you wanna express some connection with life? Safe Ride along your life?

Annika: Yes. I'm hoping to.

8. How do you like the Chinese audience?

Annika: Amazed! In Sweden, we did not expect anything. Here are Full crowds and clap around. I’m impressed by them.

9. Have you had any contact or impressions of Chinese or any other Asian singers or musicians?

Annika: We talked with some Chinese bands and singers in Beijing about the operation of music. It was interesting.

10. Do you have any plan of career development in China? Or in Asia?

Annika: We will return to Japan, where we ever released an album. I Hope to release one in China. We have such a good time here.

11 How long have you co-operated with Maia?

Annika: Two and a half years. When I had a record deal, I had no idea of anything. I had to get a band and wanted to have a girl who does backup singing. She is a friend of my friend. She is an expert and plays different instruments.

12 A Swedish singer September ever came to Guangzhou.

Annika: Oh, She has a nice voice. I wanted to write a Jazz Album for her.

About Hello Saferide

Behind stage name Hello Saferide is songwriter Annika Norlin. She'd been writing songs for most of her life, never aspiring for anyone else to hear them, when she recorded the song "Highschool stalker", about a young girl stalking her crush. "Highschool stalker" was an instant Internet hit with all of your favorite twee elements: handclaps, a Shangri-Las ask-and-tell chorus, a scrunched-up trumpet, and a weak guitar. Hello Saferide immediately got a record deal and her first single, "My best friend", featured the lyrics "Damn, I wish I was a lesbian/so I could fall in love with you." It immediately got radio airplay and had the toughest of tough men crying they, too, wanted to be lesbians. She released her debut album, "Introducing...Hello Saferide", in late September to a massive critical acclaim. "The strength of this album is that there are no weaknesses", wrote one reviewer, while others stated this was the debut of the year - or the diary of their lives.

(Reported and photographed by Ronald Li)