Nina Persson Opens Up About The Cardigans' Future and Personal Journey
In a revealing interview, Nina Persson, the iconic frontwoman of Swedish pop band The Cardigans, has shared insights into the band's potential return to recording, her transformative experience with cancer, and memorable collaborations with music legends. The conversation offers a rare glimpse into the artistic and personal evolution of one of the 90s' most distinctive musical voices.
The Possibility of New Cardigans Music
Persson confirmed that the band members "do toy with the idea of making new music," though she acknowledged practical challenges including family commitments and day jobs that have complicated their reunion plans. The singer revealed that after their 2005 album Super Extra Gravity, the band initially planned to record another album immediately but decided to take time off instead.
"We were on a roll making that album and in our enthusiasm decided to make another right away," Persson explained. "Then I started to hesitate... throwing myself into another album and tour cycle would make me another two or three years later in trying to start a family."
The singer expressed inspiration from seeing other 90s bands like Suede creating new material successfully, noting that "it's not cringey middle-aged dudes looking hard in leather jackets. It's really good stuff." She suggested any future musical output might come "whether as the Cardigans or in a different form."
Life-Changing Cancer Experience
Persson spoke candidly about her cancer diagnosis around age 30, describing how it fundamentally changed her perspective. "Until I was around 30 I'd hardly ever had a cold, so it was really weird at that age to face something with a possibly deathly outcome," she shared.
While her cancer was operable and didn't require chemotherapy, the experience left a lasting impact. "I think the consolation prize for any kind of suffering is that you can appreciate things – art, for example – in a different way," she reflected. "You realise these things can happen to anyone."
Now in her 50s, Persson acknowledged that "it can totally happen to me again," demonstrating a sober awareness of mortality that has informed her artistic outlook.
Memorable Musical Collaborations
The interview revealed fascinating details about Persson's work with other musical icons. She described Tom Jones as "super sweet" with "a real curiosity and joy for what we were doing" when they collaborated on a cover of Talking Heads' Burning Down the House.
Her collaboration with Manic Street Preachers on Your Love Alone Is Not Enough came about because "Nicky [Wire] really liked our song Holy Love – there's a certain recklessness, which may be why they chose me." Persson praised the experience of recording with James Dean Bradfield in person rather than exchanging digital files.
Perhaps most memorably, Persson revealed that Ozzy Osbourne once told her the Cardigans' lounge-style cover of Black Sabbath's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was "the creepiest thing he'd ever heard," which she considered "the biggest compliment" coming from the metal legend.
The Swedish Musical Landscape
Persson offered insights into what made Swedish 90s music so distinctive, noting that "artistic expression was encouraged and we were helped to be creative" through Sweden's cultural policies. She described how children received free musical instruments and loans, making music accessible regardless of economic background.
The singer also pointed to Sweden's musical heritage, explaining that "the traditional music has a sadness, a harmonic beauty with melancholia" that influenced their sound. She noted that even children's television shows were "scored by the best jazz players and musicians," exposing Swedes to quality music from an early age.
Personal Reflections and Future Directions
Persson spoke movingly about her friendship with the late Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse, describing him as "incredibly kind, soft and funny" despite his struggles with mental health. She revealed that her son's middle name is Link in tribute to her collaborator.
The singer also discussed her musical evolution, particularly the shift toward Americana influences on albums like Long Gone Before Daylight. "Before then, I thought sentimental music was cheesy," she admitted, "but I realised you have to open up to sentimentality and rawness from the heart."
As The Cardigans prepare for their London performance at Eventim Apollo on 27 June, Persson's reflections offer both a retrospective on their influential career and tantalising hints about what might come next for one of Sweden's most beloved musical exports.
