A glorious Swedish lake. A blonde and a redhead step out. “Mercy, mercy!” they cry. But these two aren’t begging anyone. The person who wronged them is the one who should be showing them mercy.
And so Le Kid was introduced to the world, and the sun shone down on it (well, for the duration of the video, at least). They were well received across Europe and everyone was excited.
“A big massive uncompromising thumbs up.” “Le Kid ooze pop brilliance.”
And so on.
So what happened next? Well, we waited. And Mercy Mercy was eventually released to buy. And we waited. And British fans got the chance to get Mercy Mercy on the Clubland 18 compilation. And we got some more songs. And Melodifestivalen. And then, an album – Oh Alright! – due for release in June this year. So only two years to wait.
But then we had to wait for longer. And now, we know it’s going to be released on 7th September. For sure. But only in continental Europe. Not in Britain. So it’s not Alright just yet.
It’s not easy being a fan of Le Kid – a stunningly formed pop band with the best ingredients and you can’t get hold of the music. We’re all suffering for their art. But perhaps we all enjoy the fact that they’re our secret. Except they shouldn’t be, should they? Le Kid should be all over the telly and providing the soundtrack to ridiculous TV shows and going on tours of the US east coast playing to hipster fans ‘in the know’.
If only that album could get released, then Le Kid can move onto the world domination bit of the masterplan…
Well, let’s hurry it up, because frankly, Oh Alright! is already on the road to being almost a greatest hits compilation. Indeed, while we’ve waited, we’ve heard some of the songs on the album already. But if you think you’ve heard it all, then you’re definitely mistaken. Oh Alright! is full of surprises.
“We are the drums!” cry Robot Johanna and Robot Helena in distorted voices right at the very start. Where have our girls gone? They’ve turned into a song. “We are the chords and the lyrics and the melodies, so come on!”
It’s an audacious start. This is our sound, Le Kid is saying. So you either like it or you can leave us to enjoy ourselves regardless. We’re all staying, aren’t we.
The attitude continues straight into Mercy Mercy, where the band emerges from We Are The Drums and turns into the five members of Le Kid we love. From the first hit to the most recent release, America sees the band in reflective mood. Almost as if they’re wondering if they’re doing the right thing.
Having been released in May this year, America was, perhaps, the post-Melodifestivalen hangover following the showcasing of Oh My God to the public at large. It comes before that song here, though, giving it a new dimension as a song of guarded optimism at what the future might hold.
Or am I reading too much into it?
It doesn’t matter, because Le Kid has its own response. It’s Bigger Than Jesus. Moving the electronics centre-stage, it’s the bastard child of the 80s thanking its parents (Pet Shop Boys, New Order) as it walks out of the house.
And then, because we can, we’re going to come over all honky-tonk with Kiss Me – a joyfully innocent (innocent? Le Kid? Yeah, right) ode to summer loving. Le Kid doesn’t require a bracket. “Kiss me, you know the first one is free.”
From a kiss to the full-on treatment – We Should Go Home Together sees Johanna and Helena getting very bored of kissing, and wanting to take things further. I won’t lie, I’d be in that taxi.
And then it gets slightly darker. “If I were 17, would you love me? … I’m not even illegally young.” You thought Le Kid was all about fluffy pop? Wrapped up in a jolly summer beat, Seventeen punches you right in the gut.
Telephone is a song that’s been out almost as long as Mercy Mercy – and well before Gaga picked her own receiver. Another great electro track, this is a song which needs at least ten remixes to accompany its release. I’d quite like that.
And then we end with an Escape. It’s a melancholy finish – the heart has been broken after all. But they don’t care, and neither do we. Because we’re totally moving on to Mr Brightside. Brandon Flowers makes everything better.
So that’s Oh Alright! It’s not what you think it’s going to be. It’s better.
There are four plates of barely touched food on the table before us, and Schlagerfiasko feels really guilty. I’ve been pressing Le Kid into saying something scandalous about Melodifestivalen for about a quarter of an hour, but they’re far too lovely to fall for my shtick. All except Hansi, Le Kid’s manager, that is. He’s eyeing me across the table with an amused smile on his face. As I would also be if I had to listen to this schlager loon asking increasingly deranged questions.
He’s finished his lunch, though.
I apologise for obsessing, and move on to talk about Le Kid’s reasons for being in London. The group have had a ‘cult following’ (if that’s not a cliché) in the UK for some time – part of the Swedish cool gang that certainly doesn’t include the likes of the cheesy schlager stars, eh?
Felix: I don’t know how many fans we have in the UK, but ever since we released Mercy Mercy, there’s been so much more reaction from here than in Sweden. I like to think that we make pop in the best British tradition, but I don’t know for sure.
Johanna: I think we’re attractive. We’re a very colourful, very visual band. In Sweden, we’re used to acts that are ‘poppish’, but also ‘in the box’, as well.
So you’re not very Swedish, then?
Helena: UK bands have an attitude, they’re angry. In Sweden, if you’re angry, you say, “I’m very angry with you!”, and that’s it. Le Kid has an attitude, and we take it as far as we can to make it extreme. Maybe that suits people in the UK more than in Sweden. But of course, in Sweden we’re all very lagom. Le Kid isn’t lagom, though.
Felix: Look at things like H&M – which is fantastic – or Swedish design. It’s all a particular way. Everything should look like a hospital or an astronaut to be really trendy. There should be nothing on the floor, nothing on the walls. Perhaps a weirdly shaped glass table, but that’s it – and that’s why it’s great. And then something like Le Kid comes along, and we say, “No! Can we not just fill everything up with colour? And what do you say to putting a glass unicorn over there in the corner?” It’s much harder to break through that wall in Sweden.
Helena: If the UK accepts you as a band, then Sweden usually follows. “OK, you’re cool now!” It’s like, the British love them, so we have to accept them now, too.
It’s an interesting point of view, and one that comes up again when I move on (at last!) to talking about Le Kid’s new album, Oh Alright!. It’s due for release at the beginning of June, and my four interviewees are visibly excited at the prospect.
Helena: It’s Alright, and you know it! The album is on the presses – all ten songs, which was our aim. [The album also includes Le Kid’s cover of The Killers’ Mr Brightside as a bonus track.]
Felix: Ten songs is the perfect number for an album. When artists release albums with, like, 14 songs on, there are always four songs that aren’t as good as the rest. We have a bunch of songs that aren’t on the album, because they’re not good enough. We could have put an extra 20 minutes’ worth of material on there, but what’s the point? Oh Alright! has ten singles on it, that’s how we see it.
Are you releasing a single before then?
Helena: Yes. It’s a song called America. It’s a little bit different from our other songs, and takes you to another part of Le Kid. We haven’t released any clips of it yet.
Felix: The sound of America is more Pet Shop Boys, too.
Goodness! I wouldn’t have put you with them…
Felix: Well it doesn’t matter. We see it as our sound, and that’s the point. Le Kid wants to do songs that sound like Rihanna, or the Pet Shop Boys, or the Ting Tings, or the Saturdays, or Robyn. Everything is pop. We don’t care if it features a guitar, a string ensemble or synths. It’s pop.
Märta: It’s true – and when we produced the song, we got totally tuned into it.
Helena: When you hear it, you’ll know it’s Le Kid straight away. If you’ve only ever heard Mercy Mercy or Oh My God before now, this completes the picture of Le Kid. America is like our other side.
Do you have a favourite song on the album?
Johanna:America, definitely.
Helena: I love them all!
Märta: I think Kiss Me or Bigger Than Jesus.
Johanna: Yes, that’s the newest song, we only finished it about three weeks ago.
That’s an interesting title, and quite familiar…
Märta: Yes, it’s a quote by John Lennon.
Johanna: It’s a song about love.
Märta: Perhaps we might have to take that track off the album when we release it in the US, though…
Felix: It’s an amazing quote, isn’t it? Why not use it? The song is not about us being bigger than Jesus. It’s that our feelings of love are bigger than Jesus.
Märta: Yes, it’s all about the emotion.
Felix: And it’s kind of romantic. It’s not that provocative when you look at it that way.
Helena: It’s a great line, too. When you look back at it from a historical point of view, what Lennon said was quite cool.
So it’s coming out across Europe? We find it quite hard to get hold of your stuff on iTunes here in the UK.
Märta: That’s why we’re here in London! We’re working on that.
Felix: We are releasing it everywhere, starting in Denmark.
Helena: Denmark was really quick to accept us.
Johanna: They’re very pop-friendly there. They have Alphabeat, who we supported a year ago.
So the Danish scene is quite different to Sweden, do you think?
Felix: In Sweden, it’s the exception when songs from people like Mika, Marina And The Diamonds, La Roux or Scissor Sisters get successful. But in Denmark, that’s what’s played on the radio all the time, which is amazing. They can’t make songs, but they know good songs!
Märta: A lot of Swedish acts are popular in Denmark, though.
It’s really interesting to hear who you like and who influences you. Robyn is the only Swedish act you’ve mentioned, and she’s heavily influenced by American sounds.
Helena: Well, I’m always on Spotify looking for new Swedish music. It’s just that in Sweden, everyone wants to produce Swedish music, but not listen to it!
Felix: We do like many bands, especially those from the UK. There’s also acts from the US, like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and The Killers, who are great, but sound like they should be from Britain, not the States! In Sweden, I love The Knife.
Johanna: I love Miike Snow.
Felix: And The Sound Of Arrows. So we do listen to Swedish music. It’s just a shame that we can’t call them pop.
Märta: You know, Hurts is that kind of pop band. They’re definitely pop, but have great lyrics and music you can love.
Johanna: And their image is amazing.
Märta: In Sweden, it seems like you have to decide what side you’re on. If you’re indie, you can do that, but if you’re mainstream, you have to do something else.
Felix: So basically, your guitar can be out of tune and you can’t sing, but you can be really good. Or you can sing Manboy.
Märta: Why can’t you just produce good music?
Felix: It might be that we’re not as good at speaking English in Sweden, but there’s a gap. In the UK, it’s not strange to be like La Roux, Marina And The Diamonds or Little Boots. It’s OK to make pop music without being labelled as stupid. I don’t mean to sound negative, but that’s the way it is. We are good at making music in Sweden, but for some reason, we only listen to you guys.
It was quite a surprise to realise that soft rock, like Nickelback and Takida, is huge in Sweden, too.
Helena: Oh, it’s really depressing, isn’t it? Soft rock! I agree. That’s the difference between switching on the radio in Sweden and Denmark. We seem to have a lot of sad people playing guitar.
Johanna: My home town of Eskilstuna – where Kent is also from – is a real music town. Everyone plays music, but with guitars and things in their hair. They’re feeling!
Märta: Then they go off to the factory to work.
Johanna: It’s a bit depressing, but also charming.
Felix: In a world where everyone is healthy, you wouldn’t choose to be a doctor. In a world where no one eats, you wouldn’t choose to be a chef. In this world, people get sick, so you need doctors. I want to be a doctor, because Nickelback is still on the radio in Sweden. We need to cure that, and that’s why Le Kid exists.
Märta: We need to save people!
Johanna: So we are bigger than Jesus after all!
I’m glad to hear it. OK, you’re food’s cold now, so I need an exclusive before you throttle me. Give me anything.
Märta: We’re working with Kate Ryan right now. Her first single is out soon.
Felix: Kate’s in the studio, and we left Anders [Hansson] with her to do all the recording!
Johanna: And Helena and I are Kate’s backing singers!
Felix: These two have done backing vocals for Agnes, Malena Ernman, Emilia… They know what they’re doing.
I don’t doubt that. Thank you.
Felix: There’s one or two exciting things in the pipeline, but we can’t tell you about them.
Märta: But you’ll be the first to know!
And with that, Le Kid get back to their cold food. They haven’t called since.
Le Kid’s new single, America, is due to be released soon, and the album, Oh Alright!, will be out in June. For a preview of the album, the marvellous Swedish Stereo has collated various clips from around the internet. Have a listen here.
A glorious Swedish lake. A blonde and a redhead step out. “Mercy, mercy!” they cry. But these two aren’t begging anyone. The person who wronged them is the one who should be showing them mercy.
