From basements to Baz Luhrmann soundtracks: The Cardigans revisit their rise to stardom

Sveningsson begins with a polite apology about Persson’s vocal rest-fuelled unavailability. When asked about the formation of The Cardigans, he recalls, “It was the late 18th century,” before correcting himself. “No, it was 1992. We rehearsed in Bengt’s parents’ house. They were very patient, nice people,” he continues, reminiscing on disturbing the peace of a quiet Swedish neighbourhood, a far cry from the shiny, pop-rock outfit that would dominate global charts. 

Humlebo proceeds to exit the interview, so I continue with three-fifths of the band. They touch on their six-year hiatus, citing an unrelenting tour schedule, constant work, and a record deal that demanded “an album almost every year,” as the root causes. It becomes increasingly difficult to avoid the elephant in the room–Lovefool–the song that catapulted them into worldwide fame. 

Written with unassuming bossa nova influences, when The Cardigans weren’t “part of the media circus in Stockholm and could keep hidden,” Lagerberg explains that Lovefool wasn’t an overnight success. “We didn’t experience it that way. We had been performing it live a lot in Europe like any of our other records.” 

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Then came the movie that put them on the map, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. The film’s 1996 soundtrack became a cultural phenomenon, with Lovefool adding to Luhrmann’s notoriously contemporary takes on classic literature. “We spent all of ‘97 in the US because of that movie. We spent a year promoting that song,” admits Sveningsson.

The temporary fatigue caused by their biggest hit is evident in the band’s evolution. From the saccharine First Band on the Moon to the cynical, unapologetic Gran Turismo, the five-piece are no strangers to metamorphosis. “The driving force was probably to reinvent ourselves for each album to keep it interesting,” says Lagerberg.

“We’re fortunate to have Nina as our singer. She has a very specific sound,” Johansson continues.

“That’s our secret weapon,” adds Sveningsson, pinpointing Persson’s magnetic voice as the one constant of their ever-evolving catalogue.

The Cardigans find muses beyond Persson’s vocals, though, and tell me about drawing inspiration from “the B-side of Abbey Road with the short songs.”  When asked what song they would ‘Cardiganise’ from one of their favourite artists, the band lights up. “I would love to hear us cover Bruce Springsteen,” Sveningsson says. I expect them to name songs in the same vein but, from across the room, Lagerberg mentions “There’s this song, XO by Beyoncé. I think we should do that.” 

“I think it’s the coolest thing–this video of Beyoncé and her sister singing Lovefool when they were teenagers. She’s now the biggest female artist in the world. That’s so surreal,” Sveningsson elaborates.

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I ask them if a particular song in their discography has taken on new meaning over time and despite their tumultuous relationship with it, Sveningsson answers, “It would actually be Lovefool. We didn’t play it for many years but then we played it in Russia and it seemed to be a very important song for marginalised communities. It sort of became political. That wasn’t our intention but that gave the song a new meaning for me.” 

The Cardigans continue to be in disbelief about the magnitude of their reach. Lagerberg tells me “We’ve never been to Malaysia before so we’re really looking forward to the show. It’s always fun being in a new country and meeting the audience, seeing how they react.” 

Sveningsson continues with a poignant memory of performing abroad: “I remember the first time we played in Jakarta. We played one of our earliest songs, Rise and Shine, which we wrote in Bengt’s parents’ basement. We were on the other side of the world and everyone started to jump and scream. It was very nostalgic, having a new audience know one of the first songs we wrote together.” 

They remain elusive when I ask about their plans for the future, with Lagerberg stating, “If we were to make new music, it’d sound a lot different to our latest album.” As our conversation winds down, Sveningsonn mentions a personal trip to Borneo on the horizon and the band shows me their matching tattoos of cardigans, a sign that The Cardigans are more than likely here to stay. 

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