ME: I don’t think I can start this without asking first and foremost; where does the name come from?
SIR WAS: I got inspiration from my surname; I wanted something that was silly not pretencious and I thought of 'sir' with 'was' and how informal it became together, and I was also inspired by a madlib beat maker!
M: You’ve released a couple singles this year but your last album was in 2021, can we expect anything new soon?
SW: yes! by the time this interview is out I will be able to share that I will have a new album out!
M: A massive amount of your songs have millions of streams. Did you ever think you’d get to reach so many people?
SW: Honestly, I had no expectations. I started as a jazz saxophone player but I needed to do my own thing. I felt so much anxiety, pressure, and just want to focus on the music, you know?
M: There’s a theme of lighting and trick of light with your single and album covers; what has been the idea behind that theme if done on purpose?
SW: They're very alike the first vinyls I knew and wanted to make one similar, they remind me of my home town and my childhood where I learnt what music is and in that way it's very nostalgic to me. They both [the covers] almost happened by chance!
M: You’ve worked with the likes of little dragon, who I love also, what caused that collaboration?
SW: I worked in the same space as them and one day they heard my stuff; they asked me if they could make something with me and I was like yeah of course but I didn't even plan on releasing anything yet! It was great to be in the studio with them, they have such a special vibe and we've now known each other for so long. I love them!
M: Are collaborations something you find important in your work?
SW: I'm conflicted about it - I would like to but I'm a bit of a control freak, haha!
M: You’re from Sweden, moved to South Africa, what was the music industry like in both places?
SW: I'm not sure, I'm not big in Sweden and I've always worked remote when I'm here - my agent isn't here, I wasn't signed here, I barely play here. I'm more so in London, Berlin, etc. There's a lot more in the industry in those spaces and places because they're so much bigger!
M: I believe you studied music. When did your love of music begin?
SW: My parents always played vinyls and albums, I was brought up in a big old house where we listened to the Beatles, Annie Lennox, it played so loudly it reverberated a physical sound into the heart and my body and I just thought, wow, what is this?
M: How has your journey with music been?
SW: it all started with saxophone, cello - my family always listened to jazz jazz, Charlie Parker, etc. I found talent and appreciation as I was captivated by such music. So, I ended up going to jazz university. Di’angelo also inspired me and then I got into more groovy things - I didn’t wanna play by the standards, I found what I wanted to do with soul and beat. Then YouTube came out and I went to South Africa - everything changed and I am here now because of it all.
M: I like to always end on a fun one. If there was a musician called mrs Wasn’t what music would they make?
SW: Real hip hop! Raw, honest, not afraid! I love it!
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