Asbjørn returns to Berlin to play at the Midsommar Festival

«Keep that pussy high, brave dick will follow!» Asbjørn introduced his forthcoming BOY PWR project more than a year ago – without sugar coating: The 1 minute 40 seconds fast-paced title-vignette Boy Pwr is an ode to the girl power that changed the female ideal in pop music, as well as an appeal to his fellow boys. – «I want us to be braver, I want us to not give a f**k about what society defines as «masculine» and start defining it ourselves»,  Asbjørn says.

In his six-year career, Asbjørn has found devoted followers all over the world, and the idea for BOY PWR came from interaction with fans, often writing their (life) stories to him on social media.

«It’s both a privilege and a responsibility to have such a dedicated audience. I give myself to them and they give themselves back. Whether we’re in Brazil or Berlin, we’re all dealing with lack of acceptance from others, or ourselves. BOY PWR is a universe where we can be exactly the version of ourselves we want to be», the 25-year old singer, songwriter and producer explains.

Asbjørn spent most of 2017 writing new material, and playing a few shows in Germany, Switzerland and his native Denmark. In November he was signed to Virgin (Universal Music) in Germany, and the first song, Nothing 2 Lose off his forthcoming album, was released on February 23.

A second single, We & I came out on May 18. Asbjørn describes it as a «fuck-you-but-I-love-you-kind-of-song». – «Writing it was like taking back the power over my own heart, like a personal mantra to celebrate that, despite of the heartache, someone finally hit me so hard that being myself was no longer enough; it had to be we instead of I», he elaborates.

Although there is still no release date on the full album, Asbjørn is happy to talk about the concept: – «BOY PWR is a reaction to the lack of diversity for men in pop culture. Decades of female artists fighting for the right to be themselves changed pop and youth culture for girls. We are not victims of the pop industry. We shape it, too. And reality is that a lot of boys don’t identify with today’s male ideal – we got to grow some balls and change that», he says.

As a kid in the 1990’s Asbjørn danced in his room to Destiny’s Child and Spice Girls, and today he still looks to them for inspiration. – «I wanted to be like them. The girl power movement resonated with me because I felt different from the boys in school, and I wanted to explore what it meant for me to be a guy on my own terms. BOY PWR is about freeing yourself and celebrating the diversity of being male», he points out.

With his two experimental pop albums Sunken Ships (2012) and Pseudo Visions (2015), Asbjørn marked his spot on the international scene. With his upcoming project, he steps into new territory. – «I have always been a total pop geek, and my new project is a tribute to the music I grew up with from the ’90’s mixed with my vision for pop music today – with all the heart and balls I can muster», Asbjørn declares.

Until recently Asbjørn lived in Berlin but he is currently living and working in Copenhagen.

On June 22nd Asbjørn returns to Berlin with his new band that among others features Berlin-based DJ La Boum Fatale in order to play the Midsommar Festival – one of his personal favourites: – «I can’t wait to be on stage at Midsommar after being a guest for the last three years. It’s one of my favourite traditions in Berlin, and I am so excited to see the beautiful peeps with flower hats dancing with me into the warm summer night!»

Photo by Mirjam Wählen