Rhys faces fear of flying as she soars over the Stockholm archipelago for "Heathrow"
Rhys takes control with new single "Heathrow"
The Swedish-American singer/songwriter faces fear of flying as she pilots a plane over the Stockholm archipelago for the music video
Taken from her first project as an independent artist, Portland EP due in November
WATCH, "Heathrow"
More from Rhys
"Alice" – as featured on Young Royals
Swedish-American singer/songwriter Rhys is taking a leap into the unknown as she prepares to release her forthcoming EP Portland. Its first single "Heathrow" arrives with a stunning music video which sees Rhys face one of her fears head on – flying.
“I’m terrified of flying," she explains, "so naturally we decided that me flying an airplane for the video would be perfect! Once we had taken off though I felt pretty brave and even enjoyed the Stockholm archipelago from above. Maybe I’m cured! Probably not..."
"Heathrow" is already proving popular with fans including Spotify's international editorial teams with the track landing on over 20 New Music Friday playlists including Sweden, the UK, US, Canada, Australia/New Zealand and beyond.
Having caught Sweden's attention at the age of 17, eventually racking up 225 million streams across her debut album Stages, singer/songwriter Rhys' journey sounds like a teenage dream come true, but in reality it was too good to be true.
"Everything happened so fast," she explains, "I wasn't ready for what I was about to experience. When I was signed, I wasn’t even of legal age, so my mom had to sign the contracts... It took me three years to shed the weight of expectations and rediscover myself."
Following a phase of introspection, she is back with a renewed sense of purpose, drawing inspiration from childhood idols such as Ron Sexsmith, Brandi Carlile and Nick Drake. Her genre-defying sound now leans to the left, seamlessly blending indie and folk, with lyrics steeped in both nostalgia and everyday life.
Raised in Portland, Oregon, along a stretch of the I-94 highway known as Johnson's Creek, Rhys was steeped in music and culture from birth. Moving across the Atlantic ocean at the age of 10, life in Sweden brought a profound cultural shock. The pragmatic ethos of Sweden clashed with the boundless optimism of America, creating a stark contrast for Rhys, who never saw her artistic dreams as unattainable. This juxtaposition formed a middle ground that has shaped her all throughout life
The early years in Sweden were distinguished by a constant sense of rootlessness. Rhys' family frequently moved around the Stockholm suburbs, never settling in one place for more than a year. Having learnt Swedish by joining the school choir, her dream of a life in music came to fruition at 18. A year later, she released her acclaimed debut album 'Stages', garnering hundreds of millions of streams and establishing herself as the most played artist on Swedish national radio.
Despite the accolades and commercial success, Rhys found herself grappling with a sense of disillusionment, realising she had lost touch with her identity amidst the demands of the industry. This autumn's EP Portland is her very first project as an independent artist and the first step in a new journey for an artist who's starting again, but this time on her own terms.
PORTLAND TOUR
Tickets here
20th November – Nefertiti, Gothenburg
27th November – BLÅ, Oslo
3rd December – Vega - Ideal Bar, Copenhagen
4th December – Musikaliska, Stockholm
