Track-by-Track: Smith & Thell Summarize Their New EP ‘A Chosen Family’

Smith & Thell are winning over many new fans thanks to their hard work and ample popular appeal. The Swedish duo released their new EP, A Chosen Family, on August 23rd via Nettwerk. They skillfully combine stadium-worthy pop with a warm folk sound throughout the record. Composed of singers and guitarists Maria Smith and Victor Thell, they think of themselves as storytellers just as much as they do musicians. That’s apparent throughout the record, and the lyrics are readily relatable. To discover inspiration for the writing of the EP, Smith & Thell leaned on their friends.

Typically, musicians tap into their own experiences for inspiration with songwriting. But for A Chosen Family, Smith & Thell wanted other people’s stories to be told through their music. Storytelling is essentially the primary purpose of this record. They wanted to recount the tales of those who weren’t songwriters or musicians. This is for the people who have experienced remarkable things, but because they are not artists, they lack a platform to share these stories with others. Smith & Thell leaned on their friends to provide this record with content and character. So when they retreated to a nice house in Sherman Oaks, California, last year, they leaned into these stories to mould a thread that extends throughout the five tracks.

Smith & Thell join us today for an exclusive Track-by-Track rundown of A Chosen Family. They share with us the stories behind the songs.

1. “Waste of Time”

“This is about falling head over heels in love with someone. The fights and the passionate emotions that come with falling so hard. The breakup that followed and the struggle and hope that the feelings would fade over time, but realizing that the fight to move on was a waste of time. Because that person was always the one.”

2. “At Least I Tried (feat. Wrabel)”

“It’s rare that we put out a collaboration with another artist (have we ever really?) but meeting Wrabel, it just felt so right. The day we wrote the song, we spent most of the time talking about music, business, love, and life. We really connected and had so many similar thoughts and interesting topics that came up. Some things only songwriters and artists can understand and talk about together. This song kind of wrote itself…

“Doing your best, it has to be good enough right? Maybe owning the fact that you lost and failed can be a new future, and maybe letting go and giving up could be the best thing that ever happened. This song is for any big dream, moment, or relationship that went straight down the drain, and about giving yourself a good pat on the back for really doing your best. For at least trying. Letting yourself let go, leaving something that ‘failed’ but knowing you tried your best, maybe that is the big win.

“We proudly present a happy song about failure. Failure isn’t an option people say. Sometimes, it might be the best thing ever. A blank slate to restart and let go of the past.”

Smith & Thell ‘A Chosen Family’ [EP] album artwork

“We wrote this song at our camp in LA early last year and started playing the demo version on tour last summer. Songs only truly come to life for us once they have been played live. It gives us the opportunity to feel out the harmonies and tempo, and many times new parts get added. This song definitely evolved during the last tour which made us really excited to release it.

“This is a song for anyone that has ever felt like they’re living someone else’s dream. It gets at the question of your heart’s true longing. Maybe your heart’s desire is big and full of high risks and big kicks, or as in the case of this little altar boy, maybe it’s the opposite. The answer to that question for each person lies deep down. Likely deeper down in the pile of VHS tapes of first performances in the living room than anyone has ever imagined.”

4. “UFO”

“We wrote this song almost a year and a half ago alongside two dear friends of ours, Mikky Ekko and Joakim Berg, and to this day it remains one of the absolute favourite writing experiences of our career. Now, it’s all yours.

“Since we were young, we can remember the feeling of not belonging anywhere, of always feeling like aliens. We both had a hard time connecting with other kids back in the day. The two of us actually bonded over that when we first met as teenagers so long ago. We’re just two aliens who found each other and have been lucky enough to share our passion for telling stories and connecting with others through those songs.

“If we’ve learned anything in all these years, it’s that it’s ok to be different. That living one’s truth is not always the easiest route, but the one that is often most fulfilling.”

5. “I Let the Good Ones Go”

“This is a song about questioning yourself and your own choices, why it’s so hard to stay away from the things and the people you know are bad for you and only lead to more destructiveness, destructive people and bad choices. As much as the song might sound self-reflecting, it’s also really uncharmingly self-pitying. The least you can do when you know you’re not being your best self is to not bring the good people down with you. Martyrism in its finest form.

“Maybe a longing call for someone to say, ‘It’s ok, we’ve all reached rock bottom.’ And being loved despite not feeling like you’re worth it.”