We caught up with the brilliant and insightful It’s Called Whatever Feat. Sweedish a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, It’s Called Whatever thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
It’s not about starting sooner or later—it’s about being a female in the industry. I had to go through everything I went through to get here, and I truly believe everything happens for a reason. The industry often doesn’t allow you to fully find your voice; it wants you to look and sound a certain way. But the older you get, the more courage you have to do what you really want to do.
There’s this constant battle with voices telling you, ‘You’re too old!’ Success is often only measured by stats and numbers, not by the true joy of creating. But despite that, we’ve found the resilience to keep going. We create because we love to, not because we have to meet expectations.
Now is the perfect time for us because we have the courage to follow our vision and just create without fear.
It’s Called Whatever, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
In the 1990s, Sundsvall was a city divided by an invisible line. On one side was Nacksta, where Joanna grew up—a place marked by crime and social exclusion. On the other side was Alnö, where Jennifer lived, an idyllic neighborhood with sailboats and white villas. Though both were part of the same town, they were rivals without ever truly understanding why. Two completely different worlds, divided by a silent barrier. But now, these two women are about to release their first song together.
Jennifer’s musical journey began early, first gaining recognition through Melodifestivalen and later The Voice. In 2002, she left Sundsvall to pursue her career, but she never forgot where she came from. In 2010, she returned for a brief visit and reconnected with Joanna. What started as rivalry quickly turned into friendship as they realized they had far more in common than they ever imagined. Inspired by Jennifer’s bravery and determination, Joanna—who had always dreamed of making music—found new motivation to chase her own musical ambitions.
Years passed, and in 2022, Joanna moved to Nashville to study Social Justice. Despite the distance, her friendship with Jennifer, now living in North Carolina, grew even stronger. But it wasn’t until 2024, when Joanna met versatile music producer Sereena from Ohio, that something truly magical began to unfold. Known for her soulful R&B voice, Sereena and Joanna quickly bonded over their shared love for music. Together, they realized they had a unique creative chemistry, and soon they were working on music together.
This collaboration became It’s Called Whatever—a project born out of their mutual joy in creating without expectations. For Sereena and Joanna, it wasn’t just about releasing music; it was about enjoying the process and uplifting each other. One day, Sereena played Robyn’s, a Swedish pop icon, Show Me Love for Joanna, and told her I want to make a song like this, catchy and fun. Joanna, who grew up with the music of Robyn was instantly intrigued. When the song was mostly done, Joanna knew who they needed for the song to really pop. They needed Jennifer. Someone, who built her carrier with inspiration from Robyn and with a sound perfect their project.
In 2024, It’s Called Whatever released their first single featuring Jennifer. The track is a hybrid of pop and R&B, with strong influences from Robyn’s style, and is a true collaboration where all three women—Sereena, Joanna, and Jennifer—have contributed to both writing and production and mixing. The unique voice we hear belongs to Jennifer, better known as Sweedish. Together, these women are showing that when women support each other in the music industry, they can create something powerful and magical.
This is just the beginning for It’s Called Whatever—women united by their love of music, their shared stories, and their desire to inspire others.
We are all proud that we keep going despite all the obstacles. We keep making music, even using the obstacles as a source of inspiration and power to create.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes, the main drive behind our creative journey is simply that it’s fun. Songwriting is something we all genuinely love to do, and it’s an opportunity for us to express ourselves in ways that feel meaningful. The passion we have for music and for expression is a huge driving factor. Additionally, we hope to inspire others to pursue their own passions, whatever they may be. We believe creativity is a gift from God, one that should be used to its fullest. It feels like both a calling and a responsibility—one we approach with deep gratitude and enthusiasm.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson we had to unlearn is the idea that we have to fit into a specific mold. We’ve come to realize that staying true to ourselves and creating music that’s authentic to who we are is what matters most. For us, that means not limiting ourselves to one genre. We write all kinds of songs and explore whatever musical styles we feel inspired by. It’s okay to not sound like everyone else—it’s actually part of what makes our music unique and genuine.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: its_called_whatever
Image Credits
Judah Sparkowich
Chris Crutchfield