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Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Tyler Sjöström (September 2024)

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Tyler Sjöström played acoustic sets between the main stage acts during the first and second day of the Sound of Nashville Open Air 2024, recently held in Cologne. The German country music community more and more loved his music and enjoyed listening to him during the intermissions. Thus, we felt it is a good time to give you some more insights about this US-American artist. He is – by the way – also successful in dance pop under the artist name Treetalk. However, this one is about is Americana-folk career only. I loved to chat with Tyler and learn more about him.

 

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Tyler Sjöström

FLYC: Tyler, you just returned from the Sound of Nashville Festival in Cologne. How has the experience been for you?

Tyler:  I had an absolute blast! The crews and the bands that pour themselves into these shows are truly blessed to play for such an incredible community of fans who genuinely love the music. It was such a pleasure to be back, see some old friends, and meet some new ones.

FLYC: You did not play at the main stage, but had multiple short acoustic sets while the main stage has been set up for the next artist. How did you like that role?

Tyler:  I really enjoyed playing the intimate, acoustic sets between the main stage acts. It’s always a bit of a challenge to keep the energy up when you’re playing multiple sets in a day, especially after each one follows such incredible acts with full, talented bands. But I’m always up for a challenge, and I had a lot of fun with it. I think the audience did too!

FLYC: In that role, you somehow “competed” for spectators against them having a fresh beer, a bratwurst or a burger. Is there some sort of “fear” before the first set that the German crowd might ignore you and prefer doing some of the other intermission activities?

Tyler:  There’s always a bit of fear that the audience won’t listen, but I’ve never really had a problem getting their attention. My voice is pretty commanding—I like to turn heads. If they don’t listen, they’re just stubborn and missing out.

FLYC: Especially during the Sunday, I felt that more and more people turned around and enjoyed listening to your music. How did that feel to you?

Tyler:  Saturday was great, but I was also shaking off the rust after not playing live for over a month. By Sunday, I felt like a well-oiled machine, and the energy was palpable. I love leaning into that and feeding off the excitement in the venue.

FLYC: You already played at the side stages of the Country To Country Berlin 2024. Thus, you weren’t “unknown” to the domestic community. Did that help you?

Tyler:  C2C was a great festival, and I met some incredible fans who have since become friends. A lot of those folks were in the audience this time around at Sound of Nashville Open Air, and it was such a treat to see them all again. It’s these kinds of relationships that make coming back feel like a homecoming.

FLYC: Despite that past experience, has there been anything about the reaction of the Cologne people you felt surprised about?

Tyler:  I’d have to say the warmth and genuine kindness here is always surprising—not because I haven’t felt it in Germany before, but because it seems to increase and get better with each visit. If that keeps up, I might have to start looking for a place to stay in the countryside!

FLYC: Of course, we also need to talk about you and your music. You are from Chicago, but your surname is Swedish, you have Swedish ancestors. How much trouble do US people have to pronounce your name correctly?

Tyler:  I’m originally from Chicago, but now my family—my wife, two boys, dog, and a few chickens—and I live in Central Virginia, near the Blue Ridge Mountains. I’m half Swedish by blood but haven’t made it to the motherland yet – I’m going to have to change that soon! My name can be a bit challenging, but I didn’t want to change it to something ‘more marketable.’ I am who I am, on and off the stage, and changing it felt disingenuous. Like I said, I’m up for a challenge, so I start my shows by saying, ‘Hi, my name is Tyler Sjostrom – go to a show and strum a guitar – “show-strum”.

FLYC: Your website names you a formidable singer-songwriter within the Americana and folk genre. How would you describe your music? What is special about your music in contrast to other artists?

Tyler:  My music dances between Americana, folk, country, and singer-songwriter. I’m from the American Midwest, so we get a little bit of everything being in the middle of the country. My influences range from blues to Pop, country to classical, and everything in between. I’m not aiming for a specific genre; I’m more focused on expressing myself and connecting with others. What comes out usually has a bit of a country twang and a lot of raw emotion and grit.

FLYC: Your first Tyler Sjöström song release has been Red River. You also performed this track in Cologne. What is that song about?

Tyler:  Red River has a special place in my heart and my music career. The song has done a lot for me, and it comes from my love for nature and connecting with friends and loved ones, away from all the hustle and bustle of cities and modern problems. I spent a year living in Kentucky, and my friends and I would take regular camping trips to the Red River Gorge, a canyon in the Daniel Boone National Forest. One of those trips was with some of my very close friends, and it just so happened that a Super Moon occurred while we were there—a natural phenomenon when the Moon comes closest to the Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it appear slightly larger in the sky. It was a magical trip, and I felt like I had to commemorate it somehow.

FLYC: If I look at streaming figures, the 2017 song Holding On is likely your most successful one. What is that song about?

Tyler:  Holding On is a song about my dear wife and how she, along with our kids now, gives me the motivation to keep going. I’ve had my ups and downs, and in the last decade or so, it’s felt like more downs than ups. In many of those valleys, I didn’t really have the will to climb out. But my wife has always been, and continues to be, a force in my life—loving, honest, pushing me, and offering comfort. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her.

FLYC: 2017 is also the year your last Americana / folk release, the EP Bones, Hold Me Up, has been shared. Is there a reason why you stopped releasing songs in that field?

Tyler:  I had my first child at the end of 2016, and at that time, music wasn’t paying the bills as I had hoped. Having a child made me reassess what I was doing. While music has always been, and still is, a priority, it had to take a backseat to making sure my family was taken care of. I never stopped making music, and I won’t ever stop, but I had to adjust my plans at that time.

FLYC: Will we maybe be able to listen to new Tyler Sjöström songs in the near future? Can you tell us something about them already?

Tyler:  Yes sir! New music is definitely in the works. I’ve been working on a new record and have a good number of new songs, some of which you heard at Sound of Nashville. I’m hoping to have everything wrapped up by early 2025, so keep following along on social media to stay updated on my journey.

FLYC: You already shared the stage with very successful artists like Tenille Townes and played some major festivals. Do you feel a difference between performing in North America and in Europe?

Tyler:  I can only speak to playing in Germany when it comes to Europe, but I have to say the appreciation for me flying all the way over to perform is felt on a much grander scale than in North America. There are small, noticeable cultural and language differences, but the yearning for connection from both sides makes those differences more like interesting traits that keep the relationship fresh and free. It feels like there’s more acceptance of being who you are in Germany.

FLYC: A final question about touring Germany. Has there been anything – apart from your stage experience – you especially enjoyed while being in the country?

Tyler:  German food is the best. As I learned from one of the important phrases this time around – Bitte ein fettes Schnitzel. A lot of it feels like comforting, nostalgic food from growing up in the Midwest, but taken to a much more extravagant level. And of course, the people are amazing – .it’s starting to feel like a second home.

 

 

Follow Tyler Sjöström Online

       

 

Sound of Nashville on Flyctory.com

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Flyctory.com in Sweden

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