Tove Lo: My Music Is a ‘Place to Feel Free’ for LGBTQ Fans

If you relisten to Tove Lo's first smash single, "Habits (Stay High)," it might have more of an edge than you remember. To the casual listener, it could sound like another early 2010s pop-party anthem about getting wasted, but a darkness hovers over the track. "I gotta stay high all the time/To keep you off my mind," she croons.

That was just the launch of her career, but it marks what we've come to adore about Tove Lo. Her new album, Sunshine Kitty, dropped last week. Honesty and vulnerability ooze of her voice while synth beats and pounding bass dare us not to get up and dance. 

PRIDE sat down with Swedish pop star for a candid conversation about her own bisexuality, LGBTQ fans finding joy in her music, and bop after bop after bop on Sunshine Kitty.

PRIDE: I actually saw you perform at SXSW in the Spotify house in 2014, before "Habits (Stay High)" blew up. And I vaguely remember that you were sick. You've come a long way since then.

Tove Lo: Those were my first two shows ever. Wow. Yeah. And I was like, "who knows me in Austin?" I knew nothing about it. I got really sick on the plane over there. It's like a whole thing, but I had so much fun. It was such a cool experience. 

You came onto the pop scene with "Habits" and you were kissing girls in that video and everyone was just like, "cool!" I know that you identify as bisexual, but you didn't really come out to the world or even your parents. Have you always just been open about who you are? 

Yeah, I mean, that's the thing. I feel like I've been very lucky in terms of growing up open-minded and in an open-minded environment, you know? It was never even a thing that I considered like something I needed to deal with. It was just a very natural kind of, "Oh, what is this? I'm curious about this. I think I want to kiss a girl also..." But obviously it took a second because it was assumed that I liked boys and that was just the assumption that was made.

There's this amazing coming-of-age movie called Fucking Åmål, which is a Swedish movie about these two girls in junior high, I think they're like 14 or 15. One of them knows she's gay and the other one doesn't really know what she wants. They fall in love and it's beautiful. It's in this small bullshit town in Sweden where it's not as open-minded, but they come out together in a really cool way. I saw that as a young girl and that's kind of where "Oh this is dope, I like this," sort of sparked. You know, until I like actually met a girl. But either way, it was never something that felt like it was something bad or something to be ashamed of. It was just part of my life. 

I feel like a lot of people do that. I remember when I was first coming out and the first thing I did was watch a lot of gay movies on Netflix to try and understand that part of myself a little bit more.

It's cool that's what still goes on, the access to the world that we have in a way and through digital and social media where we can find it. If I think back to that time, that was the one movie I can think of now. Now I can think of about a million, so that's pretty fantastic.

And I see that kind of representation a lot in your music videos, as well as a lot of humor and edge. Like the "Glad He's Gone" video, where you go to insane lengths to comfort a friend after a breakup. I love that you toe the line between darkness and comedy. Where does that come from? 

You do? I'm so proud of that video!

It has to do with the personal... I grew up very safe in this very loving family. There was nothing crazy traumatic going on in my life, but I would still go in and out of being depressed quite a lot as a teenager and early on in my life. I'd get upset with myself for being in this beautiful environment then just kind of not feeling... Like the irony of having everything that you're supposed to need and then still being not happy? So I guess, to be able to like deal with inside pain, you kind of have to be able to joke about it and laugh at it a little bit.

And then also, I think my problems are just ridiculous. And so I feel like being able to laugh at my own patterns in terms of being a little bit of a destructive person and creating your own drama so to speak, you know?

I also think whatever you [are] going through, being able to see the humor in things and being able to joke about things, it makes it easier. And it helps me cope with it better. No matter how big or small. I kind of feel you should be able to joke about everything. I know a lot of people don't agree with that but I'm kind of that mindset. 

Sounds like it's kind of therapeutic for you?

Yeah, exactly. It's different than joking on other people's costs and when it's something that you've experienced, you know, that's a big difference. But I think being able to sort of see comedy in the darkness helps you heal with it. 

A lot of queer people really like/identify with your songs. How does that feel knowing the gays love you and are a part of your fanbase?

I think that's amazing! What I take pride in with my songs is that they're honest and vulnerable and about being free a lot of the times, you know? Free to feel whatever you want and not editing yourself or editing for what would appeal to the masses. And I think maybe that's what connects because if you're a person who's growing up in a society where being gay hasn't been accepted and you've kind of had to make yourself into something you're not to be able to be part of that society... If my music is a place to feel free from all that, that's a really amazing thing. Just being open and honest and being yourself.

When I played Pride festivals, the feeling was just... First of all, you're looking out at a crowd that's just glitter and color and turnt up and happy and everyone is welcome. It just felt so loving and unpretentious and like, whoever doesn't want to be a part of that is an idiot. 

I was at the one in LA! It was an incredible experience.

Would you call any of your songs gay anthems? Cause I would...

I mean, yeah. [laughs] "Talking Body." I feel "Disco Tits" seems like it's become an anthem. And I have a lot of girls reach out to me about "Bad as the Boys." It really resonated with them because, and this is based on what a fan said to me, a lot of times girls singing about girls still becomes how it is in porn. Like it's for dudes thinking, "Ooh, this is a sexy moment," when this was just coming from a heartfelt place. That was special to her and that really stayed with me. That's really cool and I see the point.

I legitimately want "Talking Body" to play at my wedding. I'm not getting married soon, but it's going to happen.

[laughs] Please do! That would make me so happy!

Tove Lo's brand new album, Sunshine Kitty, is available to stream and download now. 

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.