BREGN on “Summertime”: “I wish the sunshine could fill you with the energy required to change a bad situation for the better”

For most people, summer can be the most memorable season of the year. It’s the time to relax, enjoy moments in the sun, do what you love, and spend time with your family and loved ones. But for some, summer can introduce moments of random sadness.

For BREGN, people sometimes have that feeling of longing or dreaming for something for so long. “Summertime” recognizes the joys and feelings of people experiencing summer. But it also allows others to feel their summer blues and welcome kindness in our lives. It introduces the concept of colors.

Analyzing how yellow represents the meaning of joy, energy, and happiness as one would feel under the sun. Then it also highlights the element of blue representing the sky as a form of calmness and healing. It’s a song for people who both enjoy the summer as well as for those who are quite out of touch.

It lets us know that sometimes, even in a place that is meant to be a happy time, we may be hit with an invisible, and random moment in life where we feel hidden and stuck. It’s important to allow yourself to feel your feelings and show kindness to yourself and others. That also means we can get back up and heal from it. 

Our conversation talks about a little history from my previous interview with BREGN as he introduces the story of his new song.

Before we start, I just want to say welcome back, Jonas! I remember our previous interview on your song “Dreaming”. How long has it been? Couple of months right? Congrats again on another beautiful song and thank you for being here once again. Can you share the writing process and inspiration for “Summertime”.

Thanks for having me again, Agatha and thank you so much for your positive vibes on “Summertime”. The song has taken many different shapes before ending up like it did. It is one of these songs that started one way and ended up completely different and unexpected. It was a wonderful process though. The song is about feeling sadness in the summertime. What inspired me to write the song is the situation where everyone seems to be happy in the summertime but where one is for some reason feeling sadness. A situation where one has been longing, waiting and dreaming for so long for this really nice summer season and when it is actually here the happiness isn’t there for some reason. One wants to hide away and is feeling trapped in blue. 

I enjoyed the calming, ethereal melodies of the song accompanied by your peaceful voice. What’s summertime like in Denmark?

A typical Danish summer is a mix of lots of rain and usually some sunny days with dry warm weather. I think the best thing about summertime in the Nordics is the long hours of daylight. I actually like summer rain where the temperature drops a bit and the air gets fresh and clean. For me, it is easier to stay productive in colder temperatures and I have an excuse for sitting indoors writing music and not feeling bad about “wasting” a great sunny summertime. Of course, hot summer days are in high demand as there are relatively few during the year in Denmark. And I must say a warm dry summertime imagining drifting away with the hot summer breeze is a really nice situation.

Previously, in your single “Dreaming” I described it as a feeling of being in a busy city meditating on who you want to be in life and just enjoying the hustle and bustle of it all. Now, with the release of “Summertime”, it feels like being on the beach, basking under the glow of the sunlight and enjoying the breeze. What message do you hope listeners will pick up as they listen to the song?

I hope the listener enjoys the soundscape and gets some good summer vibes from the song. If the listener has the summertime blues I hope the song will help ease the pain. I wish the sunshine could fill you with the energy required to change a bad situation for the better.

Can you describe your typical summer and the things you love to do during the summertime?

During summer holidays I often go to a small primitive cabin with my family. The surroundings look pretty much like a movie from Astrid Lindgren; houses are painted red or yellow and roads are small and curvy with stone fences along the road. Bathing in lakes is the only option for a shower during the stay. The weather is really dynamic which means that one day there is the most beautiful sunset at the lake and other times I am taking a bath in the lake in a windy thunderstorm. I must say there is a beautiful ambiance in every situation there and the weather is really an important part of it all. I think there is a minimal impact on the environment and the climate during these stays as the style of living is super primitive. I think that is awesome. 

If the listener has the summertime blues I hope the song will help ease the pain. I wish the sunshine could fill you with the energy required to change a bad situation for the better.

BREGN

If “Dreaming” is about facing your fears as you dare to dream by being the change you want to be in the world. What could “Summertime” be about?

Feeling summertime sad you should not feel alone even though it feels like there’s a wall of summertime happiness around you. “You are not the only person in the world having these feelings”. It may be incredibly hard to reach out to others and give and receive love but I believe in that. For people around a sad person I want to promote showing love for the person; gentleness goes a long way.

The song introduces a lot of colors such as yellow and blue. Can you share the meaning and representation behind those 2 colors in the story of the song?

Blue can have really many meanings like infinite clear blue sky or a contrasting feeling blue as a very finite and limiting kind of feeling. Some people also connect the meaning of blue to be cool, relaxing or calmness, excitement, and even a healing power. The use of yellow likewise could have many meanings from joy, happiness, warmth, being energetic, and spontaneous to friendliness. Some believe that the yellow color helps foster analytical thinking. I will let it be up to the listener to decide how these colors make sense in the song. There is room for finding very different meanings in the song and I really appreciate these open ends.

It may be incredibly hard to reach out to others and give and receive love but I believe in that. For people around a sad person I want to promote showing love for the person; gentleness goes a long way.

BREGN

Similar to my question before, what makes “Summertime” unique? As well as how is it connected to “Dreaming” and your previous songs?

For me, “Summertime” has contrasts both in the sound elements and in the lyrics. I like that colors can have so many meanings. With the lyrics, I hope to empower the listener which is similar to the purpose of “Dreaming”. The song is reflecting a situation that is often inherently invisible. One is trying to hide away and therefore is kind of enforcing the situation. I think the song reflects a kind of uncontrollable randomness in life. I want to empower the listener to break free of any bad situation and change it for the better. 

I’m really excited for more songs from you! For now, what can we expect, will “Dreaming” and “Summertime” be part of one album? Will you go on tour or release another song soon?

First of all, thank you so much for your excitement about my music project. I plan to release two more songs this year and the songs will likely end up on an album.

The song is reflecting a situation that is often inherently invisible. One is trying to hide away and therefore is kind of enforcing the situation. I think the song reflects a kind of uncontrollable randomness in life. I want to empower the listener to break free of any bad situation and change it for the better. 

BREGN

Listen to “Summertime” by BREGN here: 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Agatha Magsombol

Agatha is a college student taking up Psychology and a blogger who loves her dog and mom. Music is her way to find inspiration, excitement, and creativity in writing and in life. She dreams of becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor someday. For now, she helps people by sharing good music that uplifts and makes them deeply feel their vibes.