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• http://www.myspace.com/swedishhousemafia

• source in Swedish: www.aftonbladet.se

• translation by Hightower

Swedish secret superstars

They write songs for Madonna, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake.But back in Sweden, the Swedish House Mafia are still unknown. Nöjesbladet tells the story about the country’s most secret music export. “We cost like a rock band to book. At least half a million (500,000 SEK = 63,000 USD) when we spin records together, excluding everything that is not related to the gig”, says Axwell.
Abroad the Swedish House Mafia – aka Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello – are, together with artists like Robyn, Sweden’s biggest stars. At least among the young dance music loving club kids.
When superstars like Madonna or Justin Timberlake want to get their radiohits to the dancefloors, then they call the SHM for a remix.
Despite all this, there are few people at home who can name one single of their tracks. Or even know they exist.

“I have to put on a game face when I’m going somewhere when abroad and would not be able to put up with it if it were the same at home”, says Axwell.
Even as solo artists they are all three considered as some of the world’s best dj:s – with big clubs all over the world as their working field. Within the house genre, under the name SHM, they belong to the very top in the world.
“We cost like a rock band. At least half a million* when we spin records together, excluding everything that it is not related to the gig. I don’t mind throwing around some numbers so that the trade council understands the publicity we do for Sweden”, says Axwell about the SHM.
Axwell is the most merited on his own. But despite that he has remixed Madonna, Michael Jackson and Nelly Furtado among others, he hasn’t met a single of his famous employers.
“Most often you receive an e-mail from their managers, then you work by yourself in the studio. In Usher’s case it was his mom who had to approve of the remix. If mom thinks it get’s her moving then it’s okay I guess”, says Axwell and laughs.
When Michael Jackson and his people weren’t satisfied with the remix of P.Y.T., Axwell did something that probably few music producers would have done.
“They asked me to remix P.Y.T. but then it was Akon’s cover of the same song they wanted me to do. I did a remix, but then they wanted to change everything. By then they had already payed me half of the fee so I kept the money and ignored them, all in accordance to the deal”, says Axwell and smiles.
Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello have also had several collaborations with superstars. In february they were in Australia and wrote songs with N.E.R.D.
The life as dance music giants has of course involved some funny stories. After a Friday gig at a music conference in Miami the SHM ended up at an after party at P Diddy’s house. Sebastian compares Sean “Diddy” Combs’ kitchen to a full size restaurant at Stureplan.
“But Diddy was pretty weird and spoiled our dance floor when he grabbed the mic all the time. He made his own echo when talking.”, says Sebastian.

In between dj-tours and producing Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso now live quiet family lives in Stockholm. Axwell has a seven months old son and a partner, Ingrosso has a girlfriend while Steve Angello lives in Los Angeles.
“We have calmed down over the years. Nowadays I can’t sleep any longer than to ten without panicing. You realise that if you are going to travel a lot and work at the same time you have to think about how you live”, says Sebastian.

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