A frustrated girlgang armed with Buffalos, water guns and live mobile cameras robbers in their sleepy suburb. Loreen’s new video makes up with prejudices and celebrates the power of making things together. Here is the premiere of “I’m In It With You” and talk with Loreen on feminism, fashion and her secret project with Jean Paul Gaultier.
Loreen’s girlgang in the video has elements of Ruben Östlund’s “Guitarmongo” and is like a female and modern version of the film “Over the edge” with Matt Dillon. In the seventies, young people revolt in the suburb of New Granadas against adults and the police – it completely fails.
In Loreen video are of course major differences. The main characters in I’m in it with you are not raised in any middle class offense, but right next door. Their origins are as diverse as mixed. And they are not only frustrated – they are also hoping for the future themselves. It is director Emma Hvengaard of Acne who made the film.
– I wanted to work with a female director. Music, television and the film industry are so male-dominated and it is a long development process to get it equal. I want to do what I can. There are many details in the video that are feminist and I thought it was important to challenge the image of me. I think many people think I’m a little commodified. I hope to change it with this video, says Loreen when I meet her at the office hotel No18 at Stureplan in Stockholm.
What feeling do you want to communicate with the video and song?
– That there is a new generation and is sick and tired of the old one blowing all the time. The new generation does not make any distinction between borders or nationalities, and they are stools. In this gang is a blonde girl, one is Portuguese, one is Moroccan. They are in between and they are the future.
That sounds hopeful?
– Yes, and that’s it. We shall not believe in propaganda about racism that is spreading. The whole of Sweden is screaming … 40 million. There you have the majority. Segregation comes and goes, we can handle it.
How do you want to get it in the video?
– That’s what the song is about. It is not a love song. With the video, I also want to break stereotypes and norms. It’s a bunch of streetkids, often due to the fact that boys are vandalizing and delivering aggressions. But the frustration is not specific to men.
How was it to record the video?
– I’m not interested in vandalizing. I’ve been through too much in my life to resorting to violence. But I can see and feel the feeling in the body. And you must break some structures if you can.
Loreen is absolutely fab dressed in black. On her feet a pair of trainers from Marc Jacobs, whom she likes much more than the spacecraft shoes from Rick Owens she bought when they arrived. Used once and Loreen’s worst purchase. Her most expensive purchase is on her legs. There are a pair of skinny leather pants she bought in Ibiza of Plein Sud brand.
– I thought it would cost 2,000 and thought it was worth it. When the cashier showed 18 000 SEK, I did not dare admit my mistake but just closed my eyes and hoped there would be money on the card.
The dress and jacket she wears is from Ann Demeulemeester. Loreen is a big fan of the Belgian fashion scene. She is also a good friend of many international designers. It was, according to her own statement, she and her Moroccan hometown who inspired the London duo KTZ for their Berber collection. Jean Paul Gaultier has previously dressed Loreen in Swarowski-stretched dress in the 80-million class on a charity gala where they appeared together. Now Loreen says that they have more joint projects in progress.
– But I shall not reveal anything about it, we will create the future together.
What does fashion means to you?
– I love fashion. I’m moving in many fashion circles and I’m fascinated by how strong it is with some pieces of fabric on a body. One can be dressed to radiate intelligence without having it. Look at ASAP Rocky, super slim and smartly dressed. However, it is consistent with the lyrics “pussy, money, weed”. Well, not really!
You were topless (hidden by hair but still) at your recent Melodifestivalen performance and you always take out the turns artistically even in the mainstream context, do you have difficulty getting through your ideas with your record label?
– No, they’re backing up my messy stuff. But it’s a struggle. As a woman in the music industry, it is difficult to be taken seriously. Often my record company shake their head first at my ideas, even before Euphoria, they thought I was crazy. If I was dude, I had been spared this kind of discussion.. As I usually say, “If I had balls between my legs, I would have been called genius.”
• Original link: https://bon.se/blogs/annahbjork/premiarintervju-loreen-im-in-it-with-you/
• Translation: Via Google Translate
• Photogallery: http://gallery.lovely-loreen.com/thumbnails.php?album=505