Showcasing her bold, dance-oriented artistry, pop provocateur m0n0 jay has recently debuted with a rather playful and unapologetic offering, ‘L.L.L. (Lift Lift Lick It)’. Drawing inspiration from her deep-rooted passion for powerlifting, the track delivers a bubbly, uplifting and kinetic listening experience, unfolding what’s described by jay herself as ‘the candy gym’, a concept that will make particularly sense after watching the many visuals that are racking up millions of views on TikTok.
Hailing from Stockholm, m0n0 jay approaches the music industry as an outsider, yet something tells us that she knows exactly what she’s doing. Boasting a charming and fashionable EDM outlook, ‘L.L.L.’ shares a heightened hypnotic character, especially thanks to jay’s catchy chorus, a world-class hook that has the potential to entice a global audience.
Intrigued by the Swedish creative, we caught up with her to learn more about her artistry and her journey so far. Interview below!
Hey m0n0 jay, thanks for chatting with us! Congrats on the release of your debut single, ‘LLL (Lift Lift Lick It)’! We are going to explore the track in detail in a second, but first, I’d like to know, are you proud of how the track turned out?
Thank you for having me! I am incredibly proud. ‘Lift Lift Lick It’ isn’t just a song; it’s the foundation of the ‘Candy Gym’ universe. Watching that visual concept catch fire and generate over 1.5 million views across platforms proved that the vision resonated. The relentless work absolutely paid off!
I have noticed the link between the record and your passion for powerlifting, especially when it comes to imagery such as ‘candy glitter gym’. Can you tell us a bit more about your relationship with the gym world and the way it influences your creative ethos?
I have been leaning towards strength training for as long as I can remember, and I have been competing in powerlifting for the past 4 years. I actually lost weight, from 122 to 86 kg, and reclaimed my life through it! I am very active in the local community: I’m the chair of one of the biggest powerlifting clubs in Sweden. I love organising competitions and actively training myself. The energy you get from reaching your goals is one thing, but the energy you get from enabling others to achieve theirs? Unlimited.
Powerlifting, or any form of strength training, taught me that it’s the slow and continuous progress that counts, and showing up, iterating and not giving up. It’s a sport that is becoming the most popular among teenagers right now, because of how you learn to listen to your body and your individual schedule. Also, I love the community around powerlifting, so many people are getting stronger on their own and are always supportive of each other when it means the most.
Is this gym-related theme going to continue throughout your next releases? The reader might not know this yet, but there’s an exciting EP on the horizon, ‘Secret Selfies’…
‘LLL’ is the brightest, most adrenaline-fueled selfie on the EP, and acts as the front door. But as you listen through Secret Selfies, the themes get much darker and more cinematic, diving into mental burnout, trauma, and recovery. Every selfie has its own identity, tied together by a common thread of heavy, industrial, metallic club production.
Delving deeper into ‘LLL’, it’s obvious that the single draws from club-oriented kinetic energy. It’s a playful cut, the sort of record that seeks to entice listeners through a positive, sensual mood. Was there a specific influence behind the song? How did the main hook come about?
I wrote ‘LLL’ in May 2024, but back then it was called ‘Our bodies x 2’. Then came the realisation that it actually is a fun, quirky track that motivates a workout in under 3 minutes. The hook happened so naturally when I was recording vocals in one of the studios at The Node in Stockholm, where I am still working now. The visual idea actually came when I realised that when you connect two lollipops, it looks exactly like a barbell, which became the core of the whole campaign!
Likewise, can you shed some light on its production process? Overall, what’s your creative process like? Do you prefer writing alone or with others?
As a 37-year-old debutant, I’ve lived a full, beautiful, and challenging life so far. I actually think about songwriting all the time and find phrases popping up relentlessly. I have to consciously stop my creative side to be able to just function in the everyday.
I am digital first, have hundreds of vocal notes and documents on my Google Drive and keep adding to them. I usually start with writing down lyrics, recording some simple melodies. Then I actually like to use AI tools like Suno to get a first draft of the arrangement. I am executive producing together with an amazing team, including a brilliant electronic producer based in Spain (L), and a remote global team.
‘LLL’ is currently undergoing a bold short-form content campaign, with a whopping million+ views across platforms. I would like to praise your drive towards promoting the song; it really showcases your pulse on popular culture and music marketing. Can you tell us what is shaping your current moves in the industry? Is anyone helping or offering you guidance? Or perhaps you have researched the topic intensively beforehand?
I am a single mum with a full-on career. In my day job, I work as a marketing director, with a background in marketing tech: I worked with companies like Klarna, Royal Bank of Scotland (NatWest), SEB, ICA Bank, Paradox Interactive and now ABAX in roles from analytics and data, to marketing, tech and advertising.
My creative project is my outlet, where I can fully be myself, decide on the creative direction, and run my own creative studio. For this release, I sourced supplies, painstakingly painted layers of paint on glitter barbells throughout December, designed costumes, wrote the screenplay, directed and produced the visual side.
What was so extremely wholesome and rewarding was that I understood my own limits in different areas, and whenever I reached for help, people were genuinely intrigued and excited to jump in. You have to remember this is a self-funded indie release!
I have great support from a group of friends who are on my Glitter Crew (Amber, Rainy, Hannah and Marcelina), as well as so many collaborators: our choreographer Felicia, Alex and Dewin who were behind the camera, Viktor from the studio, Monika on the costume consult, and even the master candy makers at the oldest candy shop in Stockholm. I have been so blessed to have their support!
Taking a wider look at the human behind m0n0 jay: What are some of your major influences, artistically speaking? Are there any particular artists or bands that have shaped your musical taste? How did you get into music in the first place?
I wrote my first song at the age of six, but didn’t pursue a career until much later. I thought all these years that somehow the talent I knew I had would be discovered, but actually, I never needed saving. I needed a project plan and committed collaborators.
Biggest influences? You can’t really hear some of them on the track, but The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Buckley, and Lady Gaga. And finally Avicii… I am recording in his old studio repurposed at The Node, and some of the upcoming tracks are focusing on mental health and well-being. I would love for ‘LLL’ to enable me to have a following inspired by the important messages coming soon.
Lastly, I couldn’t shake the thought of a ‘candy glitter gym’ becoming a physical reality; perhaps a business idea? 🙂 Thanks so much for talking to us, and we look forward to discovering your next moves!
Actually, if you are ever in Stockholm, please visit us in Täby. We are already a colourful bunch, but we will start glitter Friday gym sessions soon! Stay strong and don’t be too serious XXX!