Medina was writing lyrics for EDM tracks long before the genre was considered “popular” over here in the States. A pioneer of the scene in Denmark, where she currently resides and enjoys superstar status, Medina did not simply jump on the electro train. This week, the Danish supermodel, singer and lyricist aficionado sat down with VIBE at an exclusive meet and greet in SoHo to talk about her newest single “Forever,” as she embarks on a club circuit across the US, kicking off in Chicago before she moves on toward the West Coast to play for fans in Seattle.
The femme fatale is widely known in the US for her track “Kun for Mig,” which translates into “You and I” and was remixed by deadmau5. And although her tracks are written in Danish, she still enjoys a wide following in the States. As the electro scene here continues to grow, Medina says she’ll be coming back more and more to play, hopefully bringing along her band next time who just toured with her in Europe.
VIBE: Tell us about your new track “Forever” that was released this week on the Ultra Music label.
MEDINA: I wrote it on Valentine’s Day one or two years ago for my ex-boyfriend because I forgot to buy him a present. It’s a really beautiful song about loving another person no matter what, even with the really bad side you see. It’s about the connection between two people who are really soul mates.
What’s the process like when you translate lyrics into English? Do you worry about anything getting lost in the message?
This one I did not translate, someone else translated, but I had a say in every single thing. A few phrases changed, but the translation ended up being perfect.
How many of your songs do you write yourself?
I write everything myself, and most of the songs are personal. There are a lot of artists who sing about standing on a table with a champagne bottle, and maybe that’s personal for them, but everything I write I have experienced.
Do you ever get approached to write songs for other DJs or artists?
I do write for others, but the problem is I don’t have time. I’m busy all the time, I want to write for other artists, but don’t have the time right now.
Your sound is very versatile, so why do you continue to write almost exclusively in the electronic music space?
We started electro pop before it got popular, back in the end of 2007, and no one wanted to sign us at all. Then it blow up and everyone wanted to sign us. But I started in the underground and that’s where I put my feelings.
Do you notice a difference performing in America versus performing in Europe?
I thought that I was going to start at zero [in the US], but I didn’t. I had fans, so that was a good feeling, knowing that people appreciate what you do. That’s nice. It’s funny to come out to the hottest clubs and see people standing with glow sticks. We did that 15 years ago [in Europe]. It’s very funny to us, when I say that, people back home are like, what!? They are kind of behind.
What’s the next big thing for you?
I’ve already reached a lot of my dreams, so right now, I’m just happy for everything that happens to me, and I’m just embracing everything. It would be nice to perform over here with my band and tour with my band, because that’s the kind of artist that I am. If people get to see that, I will get bigger. It’s a matter of time, but I’ll get there.