We recently connected with Linn Holmstedt and have shared our conversation below.

Linn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

It all really started when I was just a wee little toddler. My dad loved playing me his favorite records and my mother was part of a gospel choir in Stockholm, with which she was performing and rehearsing with quite a bit at the time. She’d bring me with her and they would pass me around the choir as they were running their repertoire. I think my very first musical memory was my mother practicing the harmonies for ”Oh Happy Day” in the living room, urging me to sing along and I like to think that laid the foundation for my mild obsession with harmonies and love for background vocals.

I began studying at this conservatory-esque school at the age of 9, with a more classical direction and from there I just kind of fell in love with creating music – whether it was singing in choirs or with my friends, writing, playing guitar, my brief moment playing violin or performing – I just kind of thought to myself that yeah, this is what I want to do. I kept studying music full time – from classical to jazz and blues, started my first band with my best friends and we began playing gigs around Stockholm. Around the same time, I discovered Fleetwood Mac and just became a massive Stevie Nicks fan. I cut bangs and set my sights on Los Angeles – much like Stevie once did.

To make a long story short, I stuck around and here I am still – singing and writing, hoping to keep growing and to be able to do what I love.

Linn, 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?

My name is Linn Holmstedt and I am a singer, songwriter, arranger and musician. I do all kinds of different projects, but my heart lies somewhere between background vocals and blues.

I am pretty heavily influenced by bands and artists such as the Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and Janis Joplin – but also by classical composers such as Fauré, jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Monica Zetterlund. I am Swedish, born and raised, and I moved out to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to sort of follow in the footsteps of my heroes.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me the most rewarding aspect of being an artist and doing what we do, are those little moments that are almost spiritual – when singing or performing feels like an out-of-body experience and everything else just kind of ceases to exists. When that just raw, true magic happens that is so vivid you could grasp it. Whether it is locking in with a band and everyone just disappears in the music, singing with others and the voices just melts into one – or just creating music that really means something, coming straight from your core. To me, that is the most spiritual phenomenon I know.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

A resource that I wish to have appreciated more earlier in my creative journey, is of the incredible people around me – the fellow musicians, friends, family, acquaintances, strangers- their journeys, knowledge and experiences. There is so much we can all learn from each other both musically, but also in life. To be vulnerable, open and honest – to support the music community around you, but also being open to receiving that support.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @linnholmstedt

Image Credits
Emily Hafele & Ryan Halub