In 1974, a rather unorthodox collective of four individuals better known as ABBA took home one of the most internationally recognized songwriting awards as they claimed the top spot in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1989, a disruptive rock duo by the name of Roxette went straight to No. 1 in the global charts after managing to conquer the radio space in the US. Years after, in 1992, a mastermind of pop songwriting and production, Dennis Pop, emerged bringing infinite success to multiple acts such as Ace of Base and *NSYNC. Most recently, an unbelievable amount of catchy pop hooks can be attributed to a single human; if you’ve had a song get stuck in your head in the past couple of years, it is very likely that pop wonder child Max Martin (The Weeknd, Demi Lovato, Sam Smith, Zara Larsson, Tove Low, All Time Low, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, etc.) was involved in the making of it. All these people are, in fact, connected by a single, very particular characteristic: They are all from Sweden. However, as much as it would be great to decipher how and why are Swedes so well equipped to make incredible pop tunes, the real focus of this is to acknowledge the rise of the no-so-silent relieving generation of Swedish songwriters and producers. In particular, two extraordinarily fruitful young women, SHY Martin and Nea, who have come together to make and perform the next summer smash “No Regrets.”
With over half a billion streams as a solo artist and countless international awards for her collaborations with the likes of Larsson, Felix Jaehn, and Axwell, Nea steps up to the plate a Swedish singer, songwriter, and producer. Similarly, having generated over 2.5 billion streams thanks to her collaborations with The Chainsmokers, Alan Walker, Bea Miller, Bebe Rexha, and more, 27-year-old SHY Martin comes in ready to play. Individually, they’ve each managed to established a global presence as hitmakers and now, they come together to present what can only be described as a club bop that’s guaranteed to have you singing along.
“No Regrets” is a perfectly crafted pop piece that combines electronically enhanced organic sounds with a danceable beat that resembles the reggaeton vibe. This mix would not be complete without the smooth harmonies and powerful vocals that share a message of self acceptance, appreciation, and empowerment.
Beyond the beautifully strong intentions behind the lyrics “only me, no regrets, in the middle of the night / buying drinks to myself, and you won’t be on my mind,” it is inevitable to think that there’s an underlying message in the song. Both Martin and Nea have amassed huge songwriting empires by working with some of the biggest names in the modern pop scene, however they have also proven they’re more than just behind-the-scenes players. The two young artists have not only successfully developed loyal fanbases throughout the years, but they have also established themselves as remarkable solo acts who can write and perform their own hits. In this sense, the song is almost an ode and a reminder to themselves that they’re power players in the modern music industry.
Speaking about the opportunity to work together, Nea tells EUPHORIA., “For as long as I’ve known Sara (Shy Martin) i have looked up to her as a writer and artist so I’ve always really enjoyed writing music together no matter who releases it in the end. That being said, to now actually put out a song together where we both are the artists feels extra fun and thrilling as we now get to be in full charge of the music as well as all the other things around the release. Like shooting a video, taking photos, doing interviews together… it’s all been a really fun process.” The feeling of joy and thrill is also shared by Martin, who tells us, “It feels super fun. I’ve always loved working with Nea as a songwriter and I think she’s super talented. I’m also a huge fan of her as an artist and a very proud friend of the work she’s put out. So getting to collaborate with her both as an artist and a songwriter is really exciting!”
It is certainly refreshing to see old friends coming back together to make something truly magical. “No Regrets” is testimony of the supremacy of Swedes in pop culture and, in addition to this, the fact that there’s a new generation, spearheaded by Martin and Nea, ready to take over and continue to break the boundaries of songwriting is certainly reassuring.