In her bright studio in a Stockholm suburb, Laleh sits surrounded by album covers and awards, but in a new and unusual role. She is herself surprised that she is making her debut with the autobiographical book "I Saw How We Were Stars". During her 20 years as an artist, she has consistently remained secretive about her private life and background.
But now I get to tell my story in my own well-chosen words, with enough space for people to understand the big picture. Also, a little bit like my childhood story has been retold to me, like a simple fairy tale. But the real story is my musings, she says.
She remembers, when she broke through, that the newspapers wrote "who will be the next Laleh," as if she were a product.
I think I subconsciously decided not to clarify myself just because it was expected of me. Then, when I got a few hits, we could talk.
Craftsmanship pride
She got her integrity from her mother - her pride in craftsmanship from her father. The book begins with Laleh digging in a Konsum bag, where her father's old documents bear traces of the family's escape from Iran, via the Soviet Union.
In a way, it's a declaration of love to her parents.
They were very unique. But it's hard to explain the culture that Dad comes from, in northern Iran, where men are jokingly said to be slippers. In the book I've tried my best, a little bit, says Laleh, laughing.
Her father's motto that no one is better than anyone else has influenced Laleh. At the same time, she has worked purposefully to take her place and has tried to produce and write songs herself. In the US, she was first treated as an awkward singer, which only spurred her on. Soon she was producing for artists such as Demi Lovato and Ellie Goulding.
But the desire for revenge made her lose focus.
At some point you have to ask yourself when you have really "proved it all".
Most important
In the writing process, Laleh has discovered her own past. From the Consumer Fund, she digs up the documents she avoided when her father died in a drowning accident when she was only twelve years old.
It is her partner Gustaf who ultimately makes sure she reads them.
He made it a solemn moment.
In the book, she talks for the first time about her partner of 17 years, and what it was like to become a mother.
He doesn't mind attention, he's not like me. He's very chill and doesn't really need it, but it felt strange to write a book that my grandchildren might read and not mention the most important people in my life, my gratitude to them.
Facts: Laleh
Name: Laleh Pourkarim
Family: Partner and one daughter.
Age: 44
Occupation: Producer, songwriter and artist. Has his own record label called Palang.
Background: Born in Iran in 1982. When Laleh was two months old, the family left Iran and came to Minsk in Belarus, later to Berlin and finally to Gothenburg when she was eight years old.
Current: With the book "I saw how we were stars".
... that her songs have become a kind of modern hymns:
On the one hand, you are grateful and happy, and it feels glorious. But my genuine, spontaneous feeling is to be surprised. It's like planting a seed and it becomes a flower. You are shocked - even though you know that a flower will come. Gustaf planted dahlias: one turned orange, one almost dark blue. It's a bit like you are on a journey that you have no control over.
... to take a political position:
I get really stressed if someone associates me with the left, right or center, not because I'm afraid to take a stand but I think it's more complicated than that. I like to take the icing on the cake instead. But my parents thought completely differently, so I literally grew up with two extremists on different sides and their conversation continues inside me to this day.
... continued writing plans:
It depends on how hard I make it for myself, I don't think I can let go of control in the future either. Because this whole thing about writing a book took a lot of time. I felt when I was done that "I'll never write a book again!" But then it creeps in and you get ideas, especially if I don't have to relate to my own story next time.
