Loreen: "I’m obsessed with broth" – on the new album Wildfire and her secret plans for Swedish fans
It’s a quiet afternoon in Stockholm, but Loreen herself is anything but still. She’s just finished a rehearsal for the summer tour and dives into the conversation with an energy that makes the room buzz. Soon, she’ll release the album Wildfire, and if you thought her last record was intense, you haven’t seen anything yet. This is about burning, expanding, and – perhaps most importantly – finally allowing herself a bowl of broth without any guilt.
“I love broth. It’s my thing. People ask me about luxury, and I always say: a really good broth,” she says with a laugh. It’s this down-to-earth contrast that makes her so endlessly captivating. On stage, she’s a mythical being, but in reality, it’s the simple things that win. With Wildfire, she’s managed to capture both worlds. It’s the dancefloor, it’s a cathedral, and it’s a voice that refuses to compromise.
Secrets, Swedish fans, and that special connection
For those of us who’ve followed her since Melodifestivalen, it’s no secret that Loreen has a special bond with the Swedish audience. We’re the ones she comes home to after European tours, and it’s here she feels she can experiment and be her wild self. According to whispers I’ve heard from people in her team, she’s got something extra planned for us. No details yet, but it’s about drawing closer. Breaking down that fourth wall that often exists between a superstar and the crowd.
“I’ve got something planned. Something that feels genuine. Swedish fans are so good at seeing right through you, so you have to give them the truth,” she says mysteriously, but with a wink that promises it will be unforgettable. It reminds me of what an old tour manager once told me: Loreen is never better than when she’s close to the people listening.
More than just music: The names and inspirations
When you dive into Loreen’s world, you realise nothing is by chance. Not even the name. People sometimes confuse her with the Canadian icon Loreena McKennitt – and it’s not entirely off base. There’s the same spiritual undertone, the same sense that music is a portal. But Loreen (Loreen Bender, for those wondering) has always forged her own path. Over the years, she’s spoken about her full name, Inka Loreen Minden, and how it carries a history of journeys and identities. It’s as if her entire artistry is one long bridge between the personal and the universal.
- Inspiration: During the writing process, she listened to a lot of film scores and old folk music. The contrast between the grand and the intimate is clearer than ever.
- The Voice: In a major interview, she offered a thought-provoking reflection on how she “sings in a sexual way”. It’s not about posturing, but about letting her body be fully present. That her voice comes from a place beyond technique.
- The Balance: To keep it all together – life on the road, the pressure, the huge emotional release – she swears by Bach flower remedies. “It’s like cleaning the house inside. You need the right tools,” she says.
From tight schedules to freedom
There’s been a lot of talk about Loreen’s perfectionism, but on Wildfire, you hear something else. A sense of ease. She seems to have found a new level of control, which paradoxically means she can let go. During the recording sessions, there were times when she just let the tape run and experimented with her voice in ways that previously might have felt too “unpolished”. The result is an album that breathes. It’s pop, sure, but it’s also something rawer.
And soon, she’s coming home. For all of us who were in the audience when she won Eurovision, for everyone who’s followed her over the years, and for those just discovering her. I’d say: keep your eyes peeled. This won’t be just another gig. This will be an experience where Loreen – Inka Loreen Minden – shows exactly why she remains one of our most talked-about artists. And who knows, maybe she’ll be serving broth in the green room.