Swedish reggae artist Angelica Mava is carving her own path in the music industry, balancing artistic control with a growing international audience. In an exclusive interview with World Music Views, the 26-year-old reggae artist reflects on her musical journey, the growth and presence of reggae in Sweden, and her experience as an independent artist navigating the digital era.
Pinpointing the exact moment her career took off is difficult. However, the She Is Coming artist credits the release of her first album, Anonym in 2021 as a defining moment.
“It’s hard to kind of say when it started, but I would say that when I released my first album in 2021. So that’s definitely one thing that I would say was my, like, when I kind of came into the scene,” she explains. “But I’ve been singing my whole life and writing songs for years and years. I’m not new to music, but I’m very new to the scene, especially internationally, because I released my first album in English last year.”
Since then, she has released two more reggae albums, one in her native language and one in English.
Despite Sweden’s association with pop and electronic music, reggae has had a firm presence in the country for decades. Mava attributes her love for the genre to her family’s deep appreciation for reggae legends, particularly Bob Marley.
“Most people wouldn’t expect reggae to be so present in Sweden where I’m from, but it actually is,” she says. “We have a lot of Swedish reggae artists from here and people that brought reggae here to Sweden in the eighties. So my parents have always loved Bob Marley, and their friends have played Bob Marley. Especially my two aunts—one of them in particular loves reggae.”
Mava’s personal journey with reggae began on digital platforms, unlike her parents who had to visit record stores to find the latest vinyls.
“I started discovering reggae when I got to use a computer at 11 years old, and I had YouTube and Spotify to explore and discover playlists and albums,” she recalls. “I guess that’s a more modern way of discovering music. I didn’t go to record stores to browse LPs, vinyls, and CDs like previous generations. Instead, I had YouTube, and that was my way of finding new sounds.”
Her connection to reggae deepened with Damian Marley’s third studio album, which became a cornerstone of her musical influence.
“The more I discovered, the more I fell in love with it,” she says. “And then it was very special to me to find Damian Marley when I came across the Welcome to Jamrock album.”
She has done studio sessions with the likes of Stephen Marley and Anthony B but Mava, a white singer channels music of Black origin and that comes with both support and criticism online. While she acknowledges the overwhelmingly positive reception to her music, she is cautious about diving too deeply into public commentary.
“I try not to read all the comments because I think that’s not good for you,” she admits. “But, of course, I see a lot of what people say. Usually, I feel very appreciated and loved, and I get a lot of support—definitely more positive than negative.”
Yet, she recognizes the complexities of online discourse.
“On the internet, you’re always going to have negative feedback. But that’s nothing I ever experience in real life. Of course, the internet is still real people writing these things, but sometimes I wonder—do people actually want to prove a point, or do they just want a lot of likes? Sometimes, I think, ‘Do you want to have a discussion with me, or do you just want more likes than me?’ I don’t know. So sometimes, I don’t really pay it any mind.”
While many artists rely on record labels for management, bookings, and distribution, Mava takes pride in handling everything herself. Her online store, which rivals the infrastructure of major labels, is a testament to her business acumen and commitment to independence.
“I’m independent. I’m not working with any labels or anything,” she states. “I’m booking my shows, answering all the emails—everything myself still. But I’m definitely open to opportunities.”
Despite the workload, Mava emphasizes that independence is a choice, driven by her desire to retain control over her career.
“It’s kind of by choice because I like being in control of what I do. This is my life project—my artistry and my music. It’s my life project.”
Reggae music is the 10th most listened-to genre in the world, according to the 2024 IFPI Engaging in Music Report, and Mava believes the genre is far from fading.
“I think that people think that it’s dying, but as soon as you—like I said—as soon as you open the doors and say, ‘Come listen to reggae,’ people will come.”
To show her commitment to reggae’s future, she recently opened a reggae-only nightclub.
On Becoming a Reggae Superstar
When asked if she sees herself as the next reggae superstar, Mava responds with confidence and humility.
“I, um, of course, I believe in what I do, and I think so. I’m very confident in what I do, but I’m also humble to, you know, what the crowd wants and what the audience wants.”
Addressing cultural appropriation debates surrounding her music, she acknowledges the importance of the conversation while expressing frustration at the lack of meaningful dialogue.
“It’s a complex discussion, and I would love to have it with people. I would love to talk to people, but the problem is that usually, people will say something, and as soon as I approach them for a discussion, they don’t actually want to engage. They just want to make a statement and leave the room. And at that point, I don’t know what to say, because they don’t want to hear me out.”
Mava insists that if she believed she was appropriating reggae culture, she wouldn’t be making the music she does.
“If I thought that I was appropriating a culture, I wouldn’t do it. That would be crazy. I love Jamaica with all of my heart and my soul—so, so much. I’ve been there twice now, and I want to move there because I love it. I love the people, and I love the food. I’ve been to different parishes—I love all of them. I love it.”
