‘Troye Sivan’ is the new single by Danish independent artist Mattias Kolstrup aka Liberty. And yes, this alternative pop song is a tribute to Troye and while the lyrics might seem all simple and naive it also takes on a more complex theme of religion and sexuality. ‘Troye Sivan’ is a celebration of attraction between human beings no matter their gender or sexual orientation. 

Tell us about the story of Liberty…

When I was 9 I realized that I was the 19.465th person in line to ascend to the Swedish crown, despite being from Denmark. Anyway, it seemed quite unfruitful to aim for that job and I decided on the next best. Music. I formed a band called Dúné when I was 12 and became a rock star as a young teenager. We toured the world and broke up in 2018. I decided to do a solo project, but didn’t wanna use my birth name (it’s Mattias Kolstrup… Hi, nice to meet you) and one day remembered what Dave Grohl once told me backstage when we supported Foo Fighters: “Music is liberty, maaan”. Henceforth I would be known as LIBERTY! Sounds like a stripper, which I think is quite cool. I released my first LP “Haven’t Felt This Great Since 1988” last year and I’m ready with a follow up later this year.

What are some sources of inspiration for your lyrics and storytelling?

Everything from cradle to grave, between the spaces and the spaces between. Everything needs to come from a space of creative liberty. If I wanna sing a song about Troye Sivan and Jesus or about having fun at the beach I’m gonna do it. Fearlessly.

Tell us about your latest single ‘Troye Sivan’ and how it came about

I wanted to write an ode to Troye Sivan. I’m a big fan of his music and think he’s incredibly handsome! When writing the lyrics I was taken over by some kind of exterior force (God?). This force transformed the lyrics from a simple ode to Mr. Sivan to incorporating themes of religions historic reservation to same sex attraction. In this case exemplified by Jesus. It’s all written in the spirit of love, but I realized that I felt a certain anxiety when playing it to people. A feeling I found incredibly compelling. That’s why I knew I had to release this song as part of my mission to set us straight men free of our own limitations.

Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?

Troye Sivan, Parcels, Charlie Watts, Beabadoobee  and Drew Sycamore.

All time favorite record?

That’s hard!! The Strokes This is… no… The Beatles Revo… no, Sgt. Pep… no… maybe it’s Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors… currently.

You seem to be fusing several musical genres. What inspires your sound?

I can’t help it! I like music too much. Sometimes I wish I was an angry goth rocker who hates everything but a specific genre, but my playlist is full of Bach, Beastie Boys and Beatles. The silver lining for me, though, is a great melody. One of the cornerstones of Liberty is the live element. The stage is my domain so every songs gotta be a great live track.

What excites you the most about what you do?

Groupies…

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I just hope I’m still alive and kicking, really. And playing arenas around the world.

Your style is very original and elaborate. How do you take care of your aesthetics?

Oh, thanks! What really excites me about what I do, apart from my earlier answer, is all the different things I get to do and experiment with. Music is, of course, a big one, but fashion, visual art and business too. I am very conscious of my aesthetic choices and always find inspiration all over the place and love to play around with different visual ideas in apps and on the computer. My wife is a big inspiration, fashion wise, too. She’s great with that stuff. I hardly ever chose anything to wear without her thumbs up. 

What was the most daunting moment in your career so far?

I released my first Liberty single in the same week as the corona lock down went into effect in Denmark. My team and I had spent months planning the roll out of this new project and it all got canceled in a single day. After that it was making it up as we went along really. That and the fact that I lost my voice for a long time a couple of years back. That was two big slaps in a row from the universe. Puts things in perspective, really.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Right here, right now is all you’ve got.