Smith & Thell Wraps Stadium-Size Pop In Eloquent Folk On ‘A Chosen Family’ EP
August 23, 2024 BY Emma Orland
Award-winning Swedish duo Smith & Thell’s new EP A Chosen Family wraps stadium-size pop in warm and eloquent folk. The band lets their immersive storytelling take center stage, leaning into the inspiration from their own experiences and the individuals around them. Listen HERE.
During 2023, the band stole away to Southern California, holing up in a cozy house in Sherman Oaks for a writing camp and leaned into the stories around them, resulting in A Chosen Family. “In our music, we typically tell our own stories,” says Maria. “However, there are so many people who aren’t songwriters or artists, and their stories may never be heard. We’re exploring this concept on the record. We’re taking inspiration from our experiences and the individuals around us. We all have a story.”
“We really picked up on what our friends were going through and saying,” she elaborates. “As such, every song really has its own character. There’s a clear thread. By getting into these different mindsets, we had a lot of fun. There’s a lot of love in the record.”
A Chosen Family tracklisting:
- Waste of Time
- Little Altar Boy
- UFO
- At Least I Tried (feat. Wrabel)
- I Let The Good Ones Go
About Smith & Thell
Smith & Thell—Maria Smith [vocals, guitar] and Victor Thell [vocals, guitar, production]—have generated billions of streams, packed venues, and enraptured fans worldwide. Smith & Thell’s story began as teens in Sweden. Maria and Victor forged a friendship, fueling their creativity and collaboration. They enchanted audiences with the likes of Soulprints [2017], Pixie’s Parasol [2021], and Acoustic In Isby [2021]. Meanwhile, “Forgive Me Friend” [feat. Swedish Jam Factory], “Hotel Walls,” and “Year of the Young” each garnered millions of streams. Along the way, they shared stages with Young The Giant, Fitz And The Tantrums, and more. At the same time, they wrote music for Jennifer Lopez to Rauw Alejandro to Ava Max’s RIAA gold-certified smash “So Am I,” which won “Composer of the Year” at the 2020 Swedish GRAMMIS. Now, the band is back with their A Chosen Family EP celebrating the stories of all those around them.
