Big interview with Omar: "Sometimes I hang out with guys, sometimes with girls. It varies."
Omar Rudberg had his big break with the group The Foo Conspiracy when it was formed in 2013. The group changed its name, lost a member, changed its name again, and finally split up completely. Now it's time for Omar to go solo.
On TV, the 20-year-old feels like an obvious star. Pondus, self-confidence and with a clear direction. As if he belongs in every environment he finds himself in.
QX has met Omar Rudberg for a big interview about the interest in his disposition, identity, dreams, upbringing and goals.
You have a bit of an "I don't give a fuck" aura about you. In a good way!
- I probably had to get it. I was very vulnerable in elementary school. There were no other immigrant kids, it was a nice area and a "white" school. I couldn't speak Swedish as well as the others, looked different and was the only student who danced and sang. People could say a lot of stupid things. I never got into a fight, but I had to take a lot of crap. After sixth grade I wanted to change schools, so did my mother. People just bothered me. The new school was bigger, we were older and I just felt "I have to fucking defend myself now, I can't take this anymore".
Omar says he remembers his first day at the new school very well. He walked into the school with his head held high and all the new students were sitting around a gathering place. Some recognized him from his previous appearance on Talent and performance at the Kristallengalan .
"Sometimes I hang out with guys, sometimes with girls. It varies."
– About a month after I started school, I started in The Foo Conspiracy and as it took off, I got a lot more confident. Then it was really “I don’t give a shit” anymore.
Why do you think they picked on you?
– I don't know. My mother and I usually have the same problem. People get annoyed by happy, loving, goal-oriented people.
Have you met them afterwards?
– Yes, it's Kungsbacka so you run into each other sometimes. Nobody says hello. Not me either. I've let it go and moved on, there's nothing to say to them. What the hell am I supposed to say?
Do you get hate today?
– Not nearly as much anymore. Almost none actually. Only if I say something crazy ( laughs ).
Like that time when the Instagram account @dyngbaggegalan posted an interview with you after you went out on a limb?
– You mean when I said “I’m too good for limb”?
Exactly!
– Well, that thing is funny. It was the last interview I did so I had been talking for like 40 minutes straight. I barely knew what I was saying to people.
You meant something else, is that what you mean?
– No, but who goes out and says “I’m too good for mello” after coming second last ( laughs )? What I meant was that my song was different, it stood out. I stand by that part, but that I’m too good for mello just slipped out of me.
Does it feel a bit odd that people get angry because a person openly expresses that they think it's good?
- Yes, but maybe a little. I have to be able to think that I'm good. I think I'm good. People get irritated as soon as you have a little skin on your nose. I probably sound like the world's cockiest dude, but I don't. I know that not everyone likes my music. Some will like me and others won't.
I understand that many, especially followers on social media, are interested in who you are, what you are, boy or girl and so on?
– That's the most common question I get, yes. Besides all the cute things that fans write. But there is at least one comment on every picture.
“Why should I tell someone about my sexuality who just wants to know, for the sake of knowing?”
How is it?
– Sometimes a little tiring of course. If I post a picture of me and my girlfriend I can get comments like “Cute girls”, “Who is the brown girl?” or “Is that a girl or a guy standing there?”. Sometimes I just think it’s so obvious that I’m a guy? Then absolutely, I wear unisex clothes and have long hair. I’m very androgynous.
Do you take offense when people write like that?
– No, I don't take offense. This is how I feel, when it's clear that I'm not a girl, why should people keep asking about it?
Are people equally interested in your orientation?
– Like. I usually ask the counter-question “Are you interested?” because most of the time people just want to know because they are curious. Why should I tell someone about my orientation who just wants to know, for the sake of knowing? I don’t have a “label”. As a person, I am very open-minded.
– I don't dare to put a title. It feels so fucking scary. Sometimes I hang out with guys, sometimes with girls. It varies. I don't know if it's because of my age, that I'm still young. I feel like I'm lost, not in a bad way, but just lost in life.
Solo career on g
Omar is writing music, planning an album and is in the process of creating his own solo career. He says that he has now started writing about his own feelings in his lyrics, something he has not done before. His new single, Telephone , will be released on June 14 and was written together with Robin Stjernberg who also co-wrote his contribution to mello.
How is it, writing about your own feelings?
– It feels nice, I get a completely different feeling for the songs because they are my words. But also a little strange because everything is true. Suddenly I'm listening to things I've been through in a song.
Is your solo career really taking off now?
– Yes, I've started to get going anyway. At first it was a lot about "getting it done". As an artist, I'm very broad and there are several different markets I want to focus on. I partly do things in Sweden, in Swedish for the Swedish people, but then I want to do Latin America and the USA. It's taken me a little time to find my way, I still haven't done it of course, but I still think it's going well.
In which genre do you feel most at home?
– I'm mostly American, but of course I have my "Latin roots". However, I will never be as Latin as the biggest artists in Latin America. I'm too "pop". If I compare myself to, for example, Maluma, who is a huge Latin artist, it's more reggaeton.
You have two big role models. Prince and Rihanna. Who is on top?
– Rihanna is number one. But Prince is so cool. Rihanna is my idol for music and Prince for style. But I have found another idol!
Well, who?
– I saw the movie Bohemian Rhapsody not long ago and now I'm in love with Freddie Mercury. So cool and his personality is incredible ( laughs ).
There are no unknown role models. Is that where you want to go?
– Yes, I would love to. I just have to find my way there and I will.
