Sweden’s imprint on Taylor Swift’s new album
Taylor Swift recently highlighted Swedish influence in her work when she posted on Instagram, thanking long-time Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback as friends and mentors. Their collaboration, alongside a broader Swedish crew, underlines how the country’s music ecosystem continues to shape Swift’s sound on her newly released project, The Life of a Showgirl. While Swift remains the face of the release, a notable line-up of Swedish musicians contributed across the album, lending strings, orchestration, and technical finesse that critics and fans alike are beginning to note.
Pitchfork has compiled a detailed list of Swedish contributors on the album. Among them is Mattias Bylund, who oversaw the recording on several tracks. Bylund isn’t new to Swift’s orbit; in 2016 he earned a Grammy for string arrangements on 1989, a project that helped cement his reputation for blending classical textures with pop productions. He also serves as the conductor for Bingolotto, Sweden’s long-running television program, illustrating how versatile Swedish musicians often balance concert hall, studio, and television work with ease.
Another central figure is Lasse Mårtén, a seasoned sound producer who has previously helped artists like Adele. On this album, Mårtén is credited as a recording engineer for the entire project, lending his expertise to ensure consistency and clarity across the songs. His approach to the capture of Swift’s performances—balancing intimate vocal takes with expansive instrumental atmospheres—helps the album maintain its dynamic range from track to track.
Erik Arvinder also appears prominently, directing the musicians on the track Cancelled and contributing as a violinist on several other songs. Arvinder’s role underscores how Swedish conductors and string players frequently navigate both the studio and live settings, bringing a refined sense of phrasing and ensemble balance to pop productions.
The Life of a Showgirl: a string-led centerpiece
On the lead track The Life of a Showgirl, Swedish string players form a significant part of the sonic texture. Among them is Conny Lindgren, a violinist whose resume includes collaborations with Avicii, Pink, and Charlie Puth. Lindgren’s presence signals a cross-pollination of pop and contemporary classical sensibilities that Sweden’s string section companies have cultivated over the years.
Beyond the strings, the album features other Swedish classical and wind players who contribute to its orchestral reach. Daniela Bonfiglioli, affiliated with the Kungliga filharmonikerna (Royal Philharmonic of Sweden), brings concert-hall discipline to the recording. Fredrik Syberg, from the Kungliga hovkapellet (the Royal Court Orchestra), also lends his wind expertise. The ensemble is completed by a group of seasoned wind players—Magnus Johansson, Janne Bjerger, Wojtek Goral, Tomas Jonsson, and Peter Noos Johansson—whose coordinated playing helps shape the album’s wind textures and overall balance.
Together, these Swedish musicians and engineers contribute more than just a few tracks; they help weave the album’s core identity—an elegant fusion of pop production with rich, classical-inflected textures. The collaboration reflects a broader trend in contemporary pop: global productions are increasingly shaped by specialists who bring distinctive training and sensibilities from classical and orchestral backgrounds. In Swift’s case, the Swedish crew’s precision, warmth, and versatility add depth to The Life of a Showgirl, aligning with the producer-tradition that has defined a generation of Swedish hitmaking.
For fans and industry observers, the album reinforces Sweden’s continuing influence on global popular music. It also showcases how a small but highly skilled cohort of musicians, engineers, and conductors can contribute to a major artist’s creative vision across a project’s various tracks. The collaboration exemplifies how Swedish professionals—whether working in studios, on television, or in concert halls—remain central to the evolving soundscape of modern pop.
