While growing up, it was taboo for Loreen talking about homosexuals – now she fights for equal rights – read Nöjesbladet exclusive Loreen interview

Helsingborg. Today she struggles to dispel stereotypes. But while growing up, it was taboo to talk about homosexuality.
– At the time I thought it was strange, because I had been taught, says Loreen to Nöjesbladet. After ‘Euphoria’ success in the Eurovision came Loreen Talhaoui, 31, to a crossroads. In the pop industry, everything should go quickly and there is little time for thought and reflection. So Loreen went into the studio again. Instead of living up to expectations and rushing a sequel to “Heal” which was released in 2012, she let it take time.
– In the pop world lets not get things to grow, it’ll go fast and quantity can be valued higher than quality. But for me, music is a reflection of myself. It does really hurt the soul to compromise, it has been one of the main driving forces for me, not to compromise.

“There are frames”

But it was not easy.
– I will talk about, that’s a tough thing while in the pop world, everyone working in the industry and also the audience has a picture of what pop music should sound and how a pop artist should be. What do you mean?
– There are limits how a pop act should be, you should be forthright, not so mysterious, it will sell and be garish colors, and it’s not me. I have full respect for all kinds of artists but I have had to fight for my artistry. I respect the rules of the pop world, but I accept them.
What is it you do not agree?
– You wished that I had been a little happier, a little more colorful, and didn’t paint in the face when I sit in television, that I wouldn’t be so weird.
It was in 2012 when Loreen had painted white in the face during an interview in “Nyhetsmorgon”.
– I’m advocating that you should be yourself, she says.
After the big breakthrough with ‘Euphoria’ and Eurovision-profit in Baku in 2012 she continued her career at a furious pace.
– I got angry when someone told me that “you have to strike while the iron is hot.” After a while I felt that I had gone over the limit when I haven’t had time to land in what I did, and then I stopped enjoying it. It was so huge dish that I stopped feeling. I was turned off.

“Tunnel vision”

Loreen was forced, among other things, set up a speech on human rights in the Swedish parliament and was then, according to Aftonbladet, exhausted by the pressing schedule. She describes it as an imbalance.
– I had tunnel vision and gave too much energy without gathering. This time I have given the art time, and I sound very different.
Have you had to fight for it?
– Really, I’ve got to take the discussion, which in my world is completely bananas. I have deliberately lost chances and I’ve done it on purpose because I do not want to rush things up. I have deliberately declined faster album release.
This week she released her first single “Paper Light” from an upcoming album. This time, Loreen is executive producer and songwriter on most of the album.
– Another aspect of it all is to be a woman in this industry. It’s still awkward with women who help themselves. As a woman, you must be even harder to be taken seriously. It gets more complicated when there is a woman who has requirements.
– At one time it went so far that I said “if I had a pair of balls between my legs” had you called me a man with ambition, but since I don’t have it, I’m messed up. You can ask my team how often I get pissed over this…
Loreen is working actively to erase stereotypes about masculinity and femininity, and gender roles in society. She points out that it’s not only the record industry’s fault but the whole society, that the view of the man and woman in the music industry extends far beyond the industry.
– These standards are everywhere. Deeply rooted norms we get with us as children. It’s unintelligent and easy to blame the record companies, this so much bigger than that. We have to fight to get away that men and women don’t have equal rights.
She corrects the knitted cap over the dark fringe. In a few hours Loreen is standing again at the Melodifestivalen stage.

Mixes masculine and feminine

Tomorrow night she is interval act with her new single “Paper Light”. On stage, she brought the Ukrainian group Kazaky, who previously worked with superstars like Madonna.
– They are three gay guys who today live in Russia, where gay rights are absolutely crazy, and that’s why I have brought them. There will be a presentation how the future should look like… The number is about breaking norms.
– I’ve mixed what is male and female. The standards are fabricated by man. When audience see the performance, they will be surprised. It has an image of me and I think this is going to be provocative in a good way.
In what way?
– According to me we are all ‘hen’. The performance is a tribute to Kazaky, it’s not about me. I want to raise questions such as: what is sexy, what’s not sexy? What is masculine, what is feminine? And so on… The song is about that we must start with ourselves, question our prejudices.

“A big question mark”

What prejudices have you had?
– I come from a liberal Muslim home with a mother who is a feminist, but homosexuality was not mentioned. At the time I thought it was strange, because I had been taught. There wasn’t talk about it. As a child I remember that I questioned it. How could one talk about a God who loves everybody, but still like this, and not that? It was a big question mark for me as a child. It was a huge confusion in me. I believe that the most free people are bisexual.
What made you change this perception?
– Most people in my life who have been those who picked me up were gay, and that’s no coincidence. The first woman who came into my life, a good friend, made me take the extra step and question it… she was gay, she has destroyed every prejudice I had.
That was when Loreen was 19-year-old and thought like many other teenagers about their own sexuality.
– I came to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter whether a person is male or female. They’re human person I fall in love with. It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or woman… It feels so good to be able to say it. Any kind of change starts with oneself and I believe in the collective consciousness, says Loreen. Or as she finished an interview in the magazine QX some time ago: “Love defined by if you have a penis or a pussy is quite sick”.

• Original link: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/melodifestivalen/article20422144.ab/promo?teaser=true
• Translation: via Google Translate
• Photogallery: http://gallery.lovely-loreen.com/thumbnails.php?album=455