Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebecka Larsdotter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rebecka, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

I don´t know if its possible to name the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me. I have been shown kindness in ways my heart can only smile and grow bigger from.
Since this story is about my music, what comes to mind is the incredible kindness my friends , who also happened to be monster musicians, showed me throughout the years. Without that, I would not have been able to be where I am now. The time they gave, the inspiration, the believing in me, and the happy times that just made all the struggles around this music life worth it. We are all struggling, and so to be given precious time and support by someone in the same boat, is honorable, and has surely kept me going in times when I might have otherwise given up.

Rebecka, 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?

I started playing music as a little girl, beginning with the violin and piano and writing little songs as soon as I could talk. I grew up in a church, and we had to sing in it. They were short of people to play the piano for the hymns and entertain, so that is where I started. It taught me a lot about chords, how to be comfortable holding down the music, and creating the vibes needed for the different services. Music always kind of just felt like a part of me. I don’t know how I wouldn’t be able to do it.

I grew up in Sweden, where choosing a path in high school is expected. I was considering becoming a doctor or going into business or finance, so I decided to explore science. However, music was such a deep part of my heart that I didn’t want to let go of it, so I prepared all the material and auditioned for the music school on my own and got in. I told my parents how I had to do it because it is so hard to get in and that I would only go for one year just for fun, but then of course, that didn’t happen, I didn’t quit. My heart knew that’s what I was going to do.

While in music school, I applied to the Musicians Institute in Hollywood and went there for an exchange year. I was initially in music school to become a music teacher, but when I was in school, I started to pursue voice and songwriting seriously and play for audiences more. While in Los Angeles, I began to feel pulled in another direction. Someone told me I should move to New York, so I did…

When I made the move to the Big Apple, I instantly got immersed in the jazz scene, I started very much as a singer-songwriter like Jewel, Joni Mitchell, Anita Franco, Alanis Morrisette, that sort of thing. It evolved into jazz when I moved to New York. But after a while, I felt that my stories were being hidden as a jazz singer. I wanted to connect with people differently, so I started navigating back into songwriting where lyrics and message are the dominant factor, i.e., pop/singer-songwriter, whatever genre I am now.

What do I provide, and what am I most proud of? I sing and write a lot of songs that I sometimes turn into albums. Ive been blessed to perform in some of my favorite venues around the US and Scandinavia, and have also lately had my single on top 40 national radio charts. I am grateful for that! I dont know if I solve any problems lol, other than providing a place for people to connect with their hearts and know that at the end of the day , someone out there has always felt what you feel, longed for what you long for, and that maybe in that place we all share, everything is always ok , somehow.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I went to music school and got a Masters Degree. I played violin since I was 4 years old.
Even though I always had the improvisational gene deep inside, which was the only way I fully got joy and could create in music, I somehow thought that the more intellectual I got with it, the better I would be.
At a point after Music School, I took deliberate time to “unlearn” music theory, and only listen again.
It was very rewarding and I do feel that even though theory and all that is a great and maybe also sometimes necessary building stone in order to communicate with and through music in the structure we live in, to be able to know music without that is absolutely necessary in order to fully feel and express.
I could be wrong, but then, I will have to unlearn that too ;)

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Find a better way to pay for the music that is created.
Sure, internet and streaming is great. But we are starving . Artists are starving, and listening ears are starving.
AND, on top of that, artists are also bombarded by marketing teams, producers, news papers, venues , playlisters, promo services , etc etc etc , who want us to pay for them to work with the art we have created . And somehow be grateful for that.

We definitely need to change the landscape of how we value music that is being created and put out for people to hear.
And maybe get back into more old school forms, where not everyone can sit at home and release the first song they ever wrote , thinking it will be the new Taylor Swift hit ;) . Value the work true artists put into their craft just as much as any other service. Because , at the end of the day, what would happen if the world got completely silenced from music?
And, wouldnt we want to take our ears back to what is skilfully crafted, rather than wash them out with noise that someone has paid for to be played for you?

I have no final answers. Just thoughts that maybe can feed into solid ideas and plans by someone better at that than me!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rebeckalarsdotter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larsdottermusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeckalarsdotter07/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecka-larsdotter-25802113/
• Twitter: https://x.com/rlarsdotter?mx=2
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@larsdottermusic
• Other: Spotify!

  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rDX4jCNV1rMjU2bUsiGRO?si=Z1eIkwlIRjG-6uwfapEKjw

Image Credits

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