Neu Skott: Glitter and Gloss

Despite what you might have read, Swedish singer Skott did not, in fact, grow up in a commune. “When I was first asked to describe where I was from I used ‘commune’ because it sounds like the Swedish ‘kommun’, which means an area of land,” she says, clearing up the misconception. Rather, she says, she grew up in a small village north of Stockholm that has a full history of folk music (her village has its own traditional folk costume). “In my family we didn’t listen to [contemporary music],” she continues. “My sisters and I played folk violin, we didn’t even have a piano.”

Yet somehow along the way, Skott discovered video games and became enamoured with 8-bit synthesizers, a stark contrast to what she was raised on. But, as she puts it, these two seemingly opposing musical factions were the foundations for her sonic development. “When you play and write for the violin the melody has to be really striking and strong because it’s so naked,” she explains. “Video game music is about creating a world. Even though it was very basic back in the day, you still have to paint a picture. So, when you put those together, a really strong melody and something that really paints a mood, I guess you get to the music that I write,” she says.

Skott’s sound is entrancing, with flecks of Scandinavian darkness and melancholia, visceral vocals and well-developed production – all of which, when combined, create enchanting yet brooding pop. Yet it’s her ability to express fragility that is both unsettlingly heartbreaking and inherently powerful. “I’m very open about being fragile,” she says. “But I’ve found it strengthening to present those emotions. It’s like being naked but it makes you feel strong when you can be honest about being weak.”