Swedish electro-pop duo Icona Pop has swept the globe since they were last in Toronto at the end of 2012. Their sleeper debut “I Love It” went on to hit the top 10 in 20 countries, and their debut album, This Is . . . Icona Pop, is poised to follow the success of its lead single when given a worldwide release this November. Xtra sat down with Caroline of the dynamic duo to catch up on the roller-coaster ride and once and for all get to the bottom of her friendship with group-mate Aino.
Xtra: Last time we spoke, you were on tour with Marina and the Diamonds, and Icona Pop has absolutely blown up since then. Take us through what these last 11 months have been like.
Yeah! We love Marina, and it was one of the first real tours we did in the US. It’s been almost a little bit overwhelming . . . it’s been the best year of our lives so far. We’ve been throwing our bodies across the globe and just trying to do as much as we can!
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when you found out “I Love It” hit number one on the UK singles chart?
We were in the States, and we heard it from our manager . . . It was such a moment; we were so extremely happy that we screamed! To be number one is, of course, a dream when you release a song . . . It’s a good start right? (Laughs)
Many musicians who find success and fame very quickly say they don’t get to enjoy it because everything happens so fast. As someone in that moment, are you enjoying it?
Yes we are! Even though it has been a lot to do and we’ve been working 24/7 for a really long time, we make sure that we enjoy it. I think it’s easier for us because we are two; we’re two best friends who are going through it together . . . So we hang out as friends and, yes, we do music stuff and work together, but we don’t even see it as work.
This is . . . Icona Pop is available now in North America. Is it a weird feeling to have the product of almost four years of work in your hand?
Yes. After working on it for so long and so hard to finally see it in your hand — I mean, it’s your baby! It’s a weird feeling for sure.
This is . . . Icona Pop has received amazing reviews so far. Does that matter to you, or at the end of the day is it all about the fans?
It’s all about the fans, of course! The fans are the people we dance with, the fans are the people that we talk to . . . Of course, if you get good reviews you get very, very happy . . . We released an album that we are proud of. We will never do anything that we are not proud of, and I think you will never be able to please everyone, but as long as you and the fans are on the same page.
As you gain notoriety, people seem to like to say stuff about you. How do you react, specifically the rumour that the two of you are lesbians?
A lot of people think and they ask, and we don’t mind what people think! But we are very obsessed with gorgeous guys. We always say that we wish we were into girls so we could be a couple, because it would be the perfect relationship! We never fight, we have such huge respect for each other, and I think Aina is the most gorgeous woman in the world.
Watch Icona Pop’s latest video, for “All Night.”
This is . . . Icona Pop is available on iTunes now.
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