A Chat with Tjernberg Brothers (06.08.24)
Surrounded by music from day one, it was nigh impossible that the Tjernberg brothers would not indulge in a musical adventure. Before the age of 10, Daniel, Mikael and Gabriel began playing music not as merely something to do, but to express themselves in a world of sonic creativity. We speak with the Swedish brothers about their debut single ‘(Easier with a) Song’, upcoming plans, what music means to them and much more.
OSR: This is our first interview with the Tjernberg Brothers, so could you tell us about the trio and what drew you to a career in music?
Daniel: We are three brothers from Sweden, raised in a musical home where playing music was always encouraged. Already at an early age, we discovered the talent for playing, composing and creating music. And I’d say, for all of us, there have never been any doubts about continuing down that path.
OSR: As brothers, what do you think are the pros and cons of being in a band with your family? Does the link make it easier to connect and create music than strangers?
Mikael: An obvious advantage of being brothers is in the way we grew up where we always had one another around. And of course, you’re not gonna schedule and engage in band repetitions and what have you at the age of five or so, but you know in a way, that’s what it was, and that’s what we did.
Daniel and I are close in age, not even two years between us, whereas Gabriel is a little younger. But let’s picture Daniel at five years old; finding others to play with at such a young age can’t be taken for granted, and is probably not gonna be easy. If you’re lucky there’ll be adults or older siblings capable and willing to play with you, but finding someone around your own age will prove difficult. Unless, then, you happen to have a sibling that’s about the same age as you. And that’s just how it went: Daniel and I started to play together at the tender age of about five and four respectively. Living in the same household undoubtedly made that arrangement a lot easier; I’d even say, it was a necessity. Because you need that continuity, you know. To play daily, for hours on end, how ever and whenever.
Growing up together like this will make your bond incredibly strong. And even though Gabriel is about ten years younger than Daniel and I, he became a part of that bond, too.
I cannot evaluate any other than our specific situation, because between them, all families, in one way or another will be different. Having said that, being brothers has definitely made things easier for us. We know each other inside out, and so more often than not we will finish each other’s thoughts and sentences. To be on the same wavelength as the one you play and create music with is certainly not a hindrance.
OSR: You recently released your debut single, ‘(Easier with a) Song’. What can you tell us about the track? Is there a particular theme or backstory to it?
Daniel: We wrote it intending it to be our contribution to a music competition. But we’ve never fancied the idea of competing in music, so before long we abandoned that original direction. By doing so, the restraints imposed by the competition were lifted and with it our inhibitions, and we let it bloom out in a longer format by adding a bridge and a coda.
The song is about deep connections and the way they’ll defy almost anything, perhaps most notably great physical distances. It’s about the sincerest and most genuine form of caring for another being. Not unusually for us, the lyrics came way after the music, but the music told us what it was about.
From start to finish, it took us eight years to complete the song. It may seem like an awfully long time for one single song, but again, it’s not unusual for us. We are perfectionists through and through; we don’t have a choice but to accept that time is a price we must pay in order for us to achieve our visions.
OSR: What do you hope people take from ‘(Easier with a) Song’, and what significance does it have for you?
Mikael: We’re glad if you just give it a chance. I believe it can speak for itself if it is only allowed to be heard. To us, it is significant not least because it is our first release as Tjernberg Brothers.
OSR: You also released an official music video for the track. What can you tell us about the video?
Mikael: The music video was produced by ourselves and PNW Production. It has a rather moody cyberpunk vibe to it, and we think the images and the atmosphere complement the music well.
OSR: Astrid Mellgren joined you on ‘(Easier with a) Song’ as a vocalist. What made you decide to collaborate, and can we expect future collaborations?
Daniel: Well, we wanted a strong vocalist, and Astrid was the obvious choice. She’s from the same small town as us, and we’ve known her since we were teenagers. At the time, we used to share the local scene with her in our respective bands. Astrid is a great singer with a beautiful alto tone. We would love to work together with her again.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Daniel: It’s everything. It’s the air that we breathe. The prime form of expression, the language of feelings and emotions.
OSR: What can we expect from Tjernberg Brothers in the future?
Daniel: We’ve been working behind the scenes writing music for Tjernberg Brothers for some ten years, and have thus accumulated quite a few demos and song drafts. Expect a hefty dose of funk, ambient, and not least jazz fusion with elements of progressive rock. But indeed, there will also be more pop songs in the vein of ‘(Easier with a) Song’.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Gabriel: We invite you to listen to our music and hope you will like it.
Many thanks to Daniel, Mikael and Gabriel Tjernberg for speaking with us. Find out more about Tjernberg Brothers on their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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