The Swedish country singer debuts the new track “Paws of a Bear.”
For fans of: First Aid Kit and Jewel.
The song: “Paws of a Bear” is the title track off Swedish singer-songwriter Sofia Talvik’s upcoming album, available September 27.
About the artist: Growing up in Sweden, Talvik always made music that was in line with her Scandinavian heritage. But after a 16-month, 37-state long tour in the United States, her sound slowly developed into a unique Nordic-Americana hybrid.
Following the release of her 2005 debut album, Blue Moon, and her sophomore album, Streets of Dreams, Talvik began to get noticed. When her breakout album, Big Sky Country, dropped in 2015, it garnered rave reviews from New York Music Daily, which hailed it as “one of the most distinctively memorable Americana albums of recent years.” Now Talvik’s following up with the highly anticipated album Paws of a Bear.
The making of the title song: “‘Paws of a Bear’ turned out to be the most challenging song of the album,” Talvik says. “For some reason it just didn’t want to come together when pieced together one instrument at the time. Finally, we decided to record it live together — dobro, guitar, and vocals all in one take. The live energy ended up being the glue that was needed. Sometimes the feeling is only there when you play together, everyone at once. It needed the magic of music in the air.”
Why we like it: “Paws of a Bear” is a dark, yet whimsically romantic ride that hinges on Talvik’s crisp, soothing vocals that drive listeners into her transcendent and compelling lyrics.
Get an exclusive first listen to “Paws of a Bear,” below.
For more information on Sofia Talvik, visit her website.
Photography: Jonas Westin