After a successful national as well as international career, Ola suddenly left the spotlight. Now he’s returned with a new name, new sound, and new collaborations. Part one of the long awaited debut album “PoP Poetry” will arrive on February 25th and includes previously released singles “People”,“Naked” and “Living In A Zoo”,as well as new tracks such as the focus single “Hello Life”. The album introduces star-studded collaborations with the likes of Neiked, Fat Boy Slim, Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn and John), Fred Gibson (Fred again…),London Community Gospel Choir and Steve Mac (Chvrches, Ed Sheeran).

The focus track for part one of the album, “Hello Life”, describes in many ways the journey that Brother Leo’s been on for the last few years, both personally and as an artist and songwriter. 

– In a way I’d say ’Hello Life’ is about me searching for answers, both inside and outside of my body. A search that in many ways became the start of Brother Leo and a more unafraid, playful, creative freedom. So it just felt right to open the album with that song. Some songs just come to you in an almost magical way. ‘Hello Life’ is definitely one of them. 

Geographically, Brother Leo moves between London, Berlin and Stockholm. Genre-wise, he moves with Olympic flexibility on multiple levels. Described by Music Week as “a non-conformist creating his own lane in the world of pop music”, Brother Leo possesses the rare ability to connect across the whole spectrum of the pop landscape. With his creative alt-pop flourishes he writes about his own life and experiences with vulnerability and a dark, sometimes provocative, humour that he combines with colourful melodies. 

–  I’m just trying to be as free and honest as possible in everything I do whether it’s in my lyrics, soundscapes or visuals. We are all prisms with a thousand colours, and I wanted to express as many of mine as possible on this album. It’s more honest and inspiring that way. When I listen to all the songs I’ve written for this album, it’s about everything from escapism, betrayal and instant love to questioning God, the society and myself. Brother Leo is mainly about creative freedom to me. 

Calling Brother Leo a “newcomer” is, however, a qualified truth. Behind the project is Ola Svensson; one of Sweden’s most well-known songwriters and artists. In 2010, Ola started his own record label Oliniho Records and by now he has cultivated a swarming basket of breathtaking pop fruits, both as an artist and songwriter. Among others, he has collaborated with producers and songwriters such as Shellback (Adele, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift), Klas Åhlund (Robyn, Teddybears), Fred Gibson (Ed Sheeran, Twigs, Stormzy, The xx), Patrik Berger (Robyn, Lana Del Rey), Coffee (Dua Lipa), and Elof Loelv (Rihanna, Tove Lo, Tove Styrke). Four albums, seven chart-toppers, European tours, Swedish Grammy nominations – and sublime pop for years and days. Brother Leo inhabits a world of his own, an alternate reality where he effortlessly blends genres and styles into his own bittersweet pop poetry.