Loreen: “I Love Broth” – On Her New Album Wildfire and the Secret Plans for Her 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 vibrate. 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 to enjoy a bowl of broth without a shred of 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 just as captivating as ever. On stage, she’s a mythological creature, but in real life, simplicity wins. With Wildfire, she’s managed to capture both worlds. It’s the dance floor, it’s the 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. It’s to us she comes home after her European tours, and it’s here she feels she can try out the wild stuff. According to intel I’ve heard from people on her team, she’s got something extra planned just for us. No details yet, but it’s about getting closer. Breaking down that fourth wall that usually stands between a superstar and the crowd.

“I’ve got something planned. Something that feels authentic. Because 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’ll be unforgettable. It reminds me of what an old tour manager once told me: Loreen is never better than when she gets to be close to the people listening.

More Than Just Music: The Names and Inspirations

When you dive into Loreen’s world, you notice nothing is a coincidence. 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 a lot to 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 elaborated on a thought-provoking idea about singing in a “sensual way.” It’s not about posing, but about letting her body be fully present. Letting the voice come from a place beyond technique.
• Balance: To keep it all together—tour life, the press, and the immense emotional release—she swears by Bach flower remedies. “It’s like cleaning the house inside. You need your tools,” she says.

From Packed Schedules to Freedom

There’s been a lot of talk about Loreen’s perfectionism, but in Wildfire, you hear something else. The looseness. She seems to have found a new level of control, which paradoxically means she can let go. During recording, there were times she just let the tape roll and experimented with her voice in ways that previously would have been 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 stood in the crowd when she won Eurovision, for everyone who’s followed her over the years, and for those just discovering her. I’d say this: keep your eyes peeled. This isn’t just going to be a regular show. This is going to 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.