Valter Nilsson worked for many years as a truck driver and film worker, among other jobs. At one point, while studying to become a naval officer, he came close to giving up his artistic career.
The breakthrough came when he switched from English to Swedish - or rather Gothenburg Swedish.
When I changed the language, I thought it sounded worse and a little uglier. But then it became more important to write a good melody, says the 36-year-old.
Then the lyrics automatically became better and more personal. Both the dialect, the humor and the personality shine through better if I sing like I talk.
Sold out concerts
When the new album "Högsbo Riviera" arrives on Friday, it will have been just under a year since the first album in Swedish. But it has been a year marked by great success for Valter Nilsson and the band Stigberget.
Already during the autumn, several concerts sold out in both Gothenburg and Stockholm.
And when the band pulled out all the stops to find a place where everyone who wanted could come and listen - a concert at Bananpiren in Gothenburg in August this year - the 12,000 tickets sold out in two days.
For a while it felt like every day something happened that was worse than the day before.
It's fantastic, of course. But we want people to have a place. It shouldn't be an extreme sport to get a ticket.
Compared to "Håkan"
The everyday texts about Gothenburg have made comparisons with Håkan Hellström inevitable.
Maybe Hellström himself thought so too, when he invited Valter Nilsson as a guest artist to his concerts in Scandinavium last week.
Valter Nilsson was initially worried that no one would recognize him. But when he entered the stage in his characteristic red shorts, the audience sang along.
At first I thought, "What the hell." They didn't ask for me. How cool is it that a 36-year-old man comes up wearing short shorts?
But then another thing now, when people sang along to one of my songs. A lot has happened in my career since the question came up.
You are often compared to Håkan Hellström. How does that feel?
"So, you don't really believe it yourself. Although it's quite easy to believe that those who like Håkan might like me too," says Valter Nilsson.
But you also think people might give a shit about me again in six months. So I don't think I've got any real hubris.
He was in middle school when he moved from Tanumshede in Bohuslän to Gothenburg and started playing music.
Valter Nilsson is currently 36 years old and lives in Högsbo in Gothenburg with his wife Lisa and son Bo ("Bosse", born 2026).
Last year, Valter Nilsson and the band Stigberget's first album in Swedish, "Among the Golden and Generally Burnt", was released.
The next album, "Högsbo Riviera", will be released on March 27.
