A little bit of everything, Scarletified

Trying to put a label on Scarlet‘s musical identity isn’t necessarily the easiest task, and the duo themselves seem perfectly happy with that. Their journey has taken them through different phases, starting out as a metal band before exploring a harder rock direction and gradually developing the sound they have today. “We started as a metal band, went a little through a hard rock phase, trying to develop the brand and the music. We tried different styles,” they explain, reflecting on how their participation in the Swedish music competition scene also helped them reach a wider audience and take another turn in their musical development.

So, what exactly should we call what they’re doing now? Apparently, that’s a question they’ve been asking themselves as well. “Sometimes we say melo-metal. Or a bit of a house metal-ish. I don’t know. It’s kind of like a bag of candy. It’s like a little bit of everything in it. And then we make it Scarlet. Scarletify it.” It’s a rather fitting description for a duo that doesn’t seem particularly interested in limiting themselves to one particular genre or approach. Instead, they take the ingredients they enjoy and turn them into something that feels distinctly their own.

That openness is also reflected in their latest album, ‘Don’t Be Scared’, which brings a somewhat poppier edge compared to their earlier material. When discussing how they balance heavier music, catchy hooks, pop influences and their characteristic theatricality, the answer is refreshingly uncomplicated: “What comes out comes out, I think.” However, there’s more to this direction than simply following their creative instincts. The duo also have a very clear idea of what they want their music to achieve. “Our core purpose here on Earth is to inspire and strengthen young girls.”

They’ve noticed that incorporating more pop elements while retaining their rawness helps them reach a wider audience. It’s about finding ways to communicate with more people without losing what they enjoy about making music in the first place. There’s also a personal aspect to how their music develops. Experiences change, perspectives shift, and sometimes you simply reach a point where you’ve said everything you wanted to say about a particular subject. As they explain: “Sometimes you just need to get out certain stuff. And when you have got those things out, you’re kind of like, okay, we already said that, done that. Now we’re in this phase, in this mode, and we want to get this message out instead.” It’s a process of growing and changing while remaining recognisably themselves.

Don’t be scared to take a different path

The title of their latest album, ‘Don’t Be Scared’, is an interesting one for a project with such a dark and sometimes rather intimidating visual presentation. However, the message behind it is considerably more encouraging than one might initially expect. “Sometimes you’re scared of things you don’t know what it is, things you don’t recognize. Because it’s just, you know, a foreign and unwalked path, maybe.” Rather than allowing that initial uncertainty to dictate your decisions, they encourage people to look beyond their immediate fears and consider what might be waiting on the other side. “Don’t judge the book by its cover,” is one way they put it.

And the message isn’t limited to the more obvious situations. Sometimes taking a different path means making changes in your personal life, pursuing something you’ve always wanted to do or simply daring to try something unfamiliar. “Don’t be scared to try new things. Make new friends or travel or leave your partner or your job or go with your dreams.” It’s a surprisingly broad and personal interpretation of the album title, and one that leaves plenty of room for listeners to find their own meaning in it.

Of course, there’s also a slightly less philosophical answer to the question of what scares them. When the conversation turns to personal fears, one of the duo casually reveals: “I’m scared of birds.” It’s perhaps not quite the terrifying revelation one might have expected, but it does fit the playful spirit of the conversation rather nicely.

That contrast between serious subjects and a more humorous approach is also something they deliberately enjoy exploring in their music. Their songs can deal with heavier topics while simultaneously playing with expectations through unexpected sounds, titles and lyrical approaches. “Sometimes the meaning, I feel sometimes the meaning comes across even stronger when it’s not, you know, what you expect,” they explain. “And then you expect a certain sound. And when it has a different sound, it’s like, okay, you kind of listened to it and it would a different year. So it’s kind of just, you know, we like to just twist things up and think outside the box.” It’s precisely that willingness to surprise that makes Scarlet interesting. Something might initially appear rather aggressive or intimidating, only to reveal a completely different side once you get closer to it. And that seems to be a philosophy that extends well beyond the music itself.

Not just a Halloween costume

It’s difficult to talk about Scarlet without mentioning their visual identity. The makeup, costumes and theatrical presentation have become an integral part of the project, making them immediately recognisable. But are these looks characters they’ve created, or are they an extension of their personalities outside the music? The answer is delivered with characteristic confidence: “It’s not even an extension. It’s just what it is.”

They even offer a rather amusing distinction between their actual appearance and something that really would count as dressing up: “We were cats for Halloween. That was an extension.”

In other words, the people sitting in front of us aren’t necessarily putting on entirely separate personas when they step on stage. As they explain, the visual presentation simply goes hand in hand with who they are.

With Halloween approaching, it seems like a particularly appropriate time to catch up with the duo. Their recent social media content has included visits to places and people specifically intended to frighten them, so naturally we wanted to know whether this is a particularly special time of year for Scarlet or simply business as usual. It turns out that Halloween has gradually become something of a season for them, although it wasn’t necessarily planned that way from the beginning. “It’s that month when people celebrate with us.”

They explain that the idea of making Scarlet synonymous with Halloween actually came from their record label. Their PR representative expressed the ambition of turning them into the stars of the season, much like certain artists have become closely associated with Christmas. It seems the idea has caught on, although it also comes with its own workload. “It’s a very busy month for us, to say the least.” Considering their visual presentation and the playful darkness running through their music, it’s difficult to argue that the association doesn’t make sense. Perhaps we should expect even more spooky-season activities from them in the future.

Doing things their own way

Another aspect of Scarlet that might raise some questions for people seeing them live for the first time is their choice of stage setup. Rather than performing with a traditional full live band, the duo have opted for a setup featuring a DJ. It’s a decision that has attracted criticism from some quarters, but they are quite straightforward about why it works for them. They explain that the original arrangement with a full band was fun, but it also came with considerable logistical challenges. Travelling with a drum kit and organising everything around a larger setup can make it considerably harder to secure opening slots and travel for individual shows. “It’s easier to get, like, opening act gigs. And it’s easier to travel without a fucking drum kit.” For them, the current arrangement simply makes more sense. They also point out that the musicians performing on the recorded material aren’t necessarily the people who could be brought along for every live appearance. Their response to criticism is refreshingly direct: “A lot of people criticize us for going with the DJ. But, like, there are other bands you can listen to then, if you want to. Oh, but this works for us. Then we do it, right?”

It’s hard to argue with that reasoning. Not every band needs to follow the same formula, and Scarlet seem perfectly comfortable standing behind the choices they’ve made.

Hoping to return to Finland

Our conversation took place ahead of Scarlet‘s first show in Helsinki, giving us one final opportunity to ask about their expectations for the evening and their connection with Finnish listeners. Although this was their first Helsinki appearance, they were already aware of people in Finland listening to their music. Naturally, they’d like to turn those online connections into something more tangible.

“We really, really want to come back to Finland,” they tell us, expressing their wish to meet the fans who are already supporting them and hopefully build an even bigger following here. Their message to Finnish listeners is equally straightforward: “Thank you so much if you are streaming our songs already, and if you don’t, hopefully you’ll find something that you like.”

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