Just now I was sitting with friends, talking about how life moves in chapters. It wasn’t one of those philosophical conversations meant to figure things out, more a clear reflection on how life quietly rearranges itself. One of them said: what mattered to us years ago doesn’t always matter in the same way later on. He was right. And somehow it felt like the perfect way to think about Apollo, the new single by Jeremy Olander.
The track marks the beginning of a new chapter in his life. It sounds light and warm, electric and danceable, carrying that special feeling of something opening up again. Apollo, created together with Moontalk, is the first step toward his upcoming album When The Rain Falls, released via Vivrant – a record that arrives after many years and many changes.
A lot has happened in Jeremy’s world. He became sober. He became a father. None of it was an easy road, and life keeps placing new challenges in front of us all. What feels beautiful is when those experiences find an output – when they turn into something meaningful. In his case, into music. “Change can be messy, even if it’s the right direction.”
It’s this moment we wanted to talk about with the Swedish producer – the road that brought him here, the changes along the way, and what it means to make music when life itself has shifted.
header photography by Jonas Dyrsmeds
Hello Jeremy, how are you doing today, and where are you joining us from? (smiles)
I’m doing well, thank you. I’m in Stockholm today.
Apollo is the first doorway into your new album When The Rain Falls. How did you know this was the right track to introduce the record?
It felt like the clearest first statement of where I am now—emotionally and sonically. It has warmth and momentum, but it also hints at the more cinematic, reflective side of the album. It opens the door without explaining everything.
You’ve released a lot of music over the years. What made you feel that now, after more than a decade, was the right moment to create and release a full album?
I’ve always been quite protective of the idea of an album and the longer you wait the harder it becomes to actually do it. I just got to the point where I think I was ready and in need for the challenge.
Let’s talk about something very personal. You’ve spoken openly about your journey into sobriety. Was it a difficult decision to make – and a difficult path to stay on?
Yeah, I decided to abstain from alcohol since it just really brought out the worst in me. This is a line of work where no one will ever question your choice of medicine, which I think validated me to drink pretty much all the time.
I had known for a long time that my relationship with alcohol was bad, but it reached a point where it didn’t only numb my thoughts and anxiety, but also numbed my interest in pretty much everything. It’s difficult at first because you are so used to using it as a crutch to deal with difficult things in life and you think how am I gonna manage these feelings without it? How will I enjoy having a nice dinner without wine, what about those pub sessions with your pals? But then you slowly realize that if you don’t enjoy doing it sober, do you really enjoy it at all?
“I wanted the album to work as a full listen, not just a collection of tracks for my DJ sets.”
You also mentioned that this transition came with collateral damage, that you “hurt people close to you.” Looking back, do you feel this can happen unintentionally during major life changes, even when the intention is to heal and move forward?
Yes, I think that can be true. Change can be messy, even if it’s the right direction. However, for me the damage I did wasn’t necessary for my change at all and it came from me neglecting myself, my moral compass and just life in general without regard for the consequences. For me right now, it’s about accountability—trying to repair what you can, and learning how to show up better going forward.
Becoming a father was another big shift in life even though not as recent. Even if it’s often described as something natural, it also marks the beginning of an entirely new chapter. Has parenthood changed you as an artist, or the way you relate to your work?
My kids are getting up there in age but it did and still does affect my perspective of life more, and my work consumes so much of my life due to the travelling so the two are very intertwined. I’m more intentional with my time, and I value meaning over noise. I still care deeply about the craft, but I’m less interested in chasing things. I want the work to feel honest and to last.
You’ve also spoken about losing your creative spark for a while. What helped you reconnect with it?
Multiple things. I came to a point where I opened my eyes to a lot of stuff, and one of them was that I had grown too content. I didn’t move forward as a producer. Stopping drinking and not focusing on the party side of things has really helped immensely and I’ve found myself so curious about music again in a way that reminds me of the feelings I had coming into the scene.
How do you take care of your mental and physical health today, compared to earlier in your career?
Earlier on I didn’t think about it much — I just worked and toured and pushed through. Now I’m more aware of balance: sleep, exercise, keeping my schedule realistic. It’s not perfect, but I’m paying attention in a way I didn’t before.
In a previous interview, you spoke about how the Swedish climate influences music – how long, cold seasons and the longing for summer create a certain melancholic mood. Does that feeling still resonate with you today?
Definitely. It’s still there. There’s something about the light in Sweden—how it disappears and then comes back—that shapes your emotions. I think that contrast naturally ends up in the music: darkness and hope sitting next to each other.
“I’m more intentional with my time, and I value meaning over noise.”
Let’s come back to Apollo. How did the collaboration with Moontalk come together?
Our managers actually connected first and when mine finished the meeting he called me and said I have to work with these guys. I pretty much instantly liked what they were doing — there’s a groove, originality and confidence to it. It’s a lot more house oriented than what I’ve done in the past and it helped me widen my horizons. We started sharing ideas, and it clicked quickly. It didn’t feel like a “feature,” it felt like building something together with a shared mindset.
The track carries a very positive, hopeful feeling – it almost feels like a fresh start. I really love that! Was that sense of optimism something you consciously wanted to express, or did it happen naturally?
A bit of both. We didn’t sit down and decide to write something optimistic, but I could feel that I was in a different place. So it came through naturally. I’m not trying to paint everything as bright, but I wanted the album to have light in it.
For me, Apollo works beautifully both on the dancefloor and in a more intimate listening context. Does this feeling carry through the album as a whole?
Yes. That balance is a big part of the album. Some tracks are built for a room, some are more inward, but they belong to the same world. I wanted it to work as a full listen, not just a collection of tracks for my DJ sets as I usually do.
You mentioned that for this album you wanted to move away from typical DJ structures, like long drum intros. What changed in your mindset when you started thinking album-first instead of club-first?
I started thinking more about pacing and emotion than function. When you’re writing for clubs, you naturally make space for mixing. But for an album, the track can start exactly where it needs to start. It allowed me to be more direct, more musical, and sometimes more vulnerable.
You’ve said that putting this album out feels both scary and exciting. Is that mainly because of how people might react – or because some parts of the album are especially personal?
Both. Any time you put out something that’s this connected to your life, it feels exposed. But it’s also exciting because it’s the most accurate representation of where I am right now. You can’t control how people react — you just have to stand behind it and I feel like I can really do that.
And finally – what feels most important to you in life right now?
Being present. With my family, with my health, and with the work. I want things to be real and sustainable—personally and creatively.
Stream “Apollo” here: vivrant.ffm.to/viv054s
Follow Jeremy Olander for more:
www.instagram.com/jeremyolander
www.facebook.com/jeremyolander
