Swedish artist Nápoles takes you miles away with Circulate
Circulate is a smooth tune that sends you into a dream-like trance, with a flow like warm honey.
Nápoles' release of Circulate follows the success of her debut single Slowzy, which has been garnering support from the likes of BBC 1Xtra, Rinse FM, Spotify, DSTNGR, and PUMA, among others.
With Cuban and Russian heritage, the Stockholm-based Nápoles is also part of popular creative trio Ladieslovehiphop, with whom she has opened for Beyonce and Jay-Z, as well as collaborated with Adidas, PUMA, and Red Bull Music.
Circulate is a smooth tune that sends you into a dream-like trance, with a flow like warm honey. Nápoles’ colossal vibe has already hit our playlists, but this unique artist will continue to grace us with a sound that is unique and timeless. As we know, Sweden hasn’t had any kind of lockdown. The Swedish government has given recommendations and advice, but life has mostly continued as normal. Still, for Nápoles “life has changed a lot and I feel like I’ve had time to be creative, which is good. I’ve spent time reflecting on the future and what’s important to me”.
What was your thought process when writing Circulate?
I was at a turning point musically just before recording it. I had made a lot of tracks before that but didn't really vibe with them. So the day before recording Circulate, I sat down and thought about who I wanna be as an artist and what I want to convey. It was a good reflection and actually led to the making of Circulate. I wrote it together with Chapee and Joe Lefty back in 2018.
Do you think of the tune first or the lyrics?
Tune first. I love listening to beats and add my flavour to them.
The visuals for single Circulate
Which genres do you think you mostly echo when writing songs?
Neo-soul for sure. It’s what comes to me naturally especially when it comes to melodies and feels.
What’s your audience, and how does it relate to your sound?
It’s still too early for me to know what my audience is like, but I do think that something my listeners have in common is a love for old school vibes, soul and RnB.
As an artist, what do you think you’ve struggled with most during this uncertain time?
Traveling and performing live. I was in the middle of planning a trip to London this summer to have sessions and connect with likeminded people. I was also planning some longer trips for this fall but that’s also put on hold.
Are you planning any collabs with any brands at the moment?
Through Ladieslovehiphop I’ve worked closely with both Adidas and Puma, but right now everything is kind of put on hold. My main focus has been to release Circulate and to work on my forthcoming EP. Whenever the opportunity comes to work with a brand that I like I’ll go for it and create something nice with it.