Tamela Hedstrom

Beautiful Tamela is truly a world citizen. She is a multicultural singer songwriter from Costa Rica and Sweden.  In 2012 Tamela was nominated for a Latin Grammy  as a composer and 2014 she won the ACAM Musical Prize for Best Pop Album in Costa Rica. She has so many wise words and delivers her message in "What Matters Most to You?" with firm and contagious belief. 

We also get to hear two songs in this inspiring episode.

Links to Tamela and the content in this episode:

https://www.instagram.com/tamelamusic/

https://www.youtube.com/user/Tamelamusic

https://www.facebook.com/tamelamusic/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/72R1cUzjRsy7Ge0bMhuI04

http://tamelamusic.co/

Photographer:  Franklin Liranzo

 Songs in this episode:

"Hoy solo estás tú"

Music and Lyrics : Tamela Hedström och Noel Schajris 

"Murió nuestro amor "

Music and Lyrics : Tamela Hedström

Transcript

Anna Cei: 0:08

Hi, welcome to what matters most to you. In each Hi, Tamela. Good morning or good evening.

Tamela: 0:40

Hi, good evening here in Sweden. It's evening, but it's

Anna Cei: 0:46

Where exactly are you in Sweden?

Tamela: 0:49

I'm in Gothenburg, and normally, I'm in Stockholm. But

Anna Cei: 0:55

And that's Sweden's second biggest city

Tamela: 0:57

And it's a beautiful city and it's much more relaxed

Anna Cei: 1:01

So before we dive in and talk about what matters most

Tamela: 1:14

Yes. Finally, I think that's that I think I finally

Anna Cei: 1:24

which is written by the same author Astrid Lindgren.

Tamela: 1:30

and when spring comes Swedes go naked and run around

Anna Cei: 1:46

right. You're in Gothenburg. What do you do for a

Tamela: 1:49

Well, I actually took a break for a season with my music

Anna Cei: 1:57

So you're a professional musician?

Tamela: 2:00

Yes. I'm a professional and useful now musician.

Anna Cei: 2:18

So you also write for others, compose for others?

Tamela: 2:22

Yes, I have. It's not been my main source. It's mostly my own

Anna Cei: 2:43

Oh, that sounds very interesting.

Tamela: 2:45

I think so. It's really passionate music, I realized it

Anna Cei: 2:59

strong emotions.

Tamela: 3:00

Yes.

Anna Cei: 3:01

So were you born in Costa Rica, or you were born in

Tamela: 3:05

I was born in Sweden, but I was two years old when we

Anna Cei: 3:18

He's Swedish?,

Tamela: 3:19

He's Swedish, my father, Swedish, and my mom's from

Anna Cei: 3:22

Ah Ecuador, not Costa Rica.

Tamela: 3:24

I'm such a United Nations person. I have so many

Anna Cei: 3:40

Right

Tamela: 3:40

And then I actually went to a deaf school for two years,

Anna Cei: 3:44

And what was the reason for that?

Tamela: 3:46

Or that's actually a crazy story, we moved to the which is a crazy thing. But coming from Costa Rica,

Anna Cei: 4:05

you saw the body language and you interpreted it

Tamela: 4:10

Exactly and I was a child. But somehow I convinced deaf.

Anna Cei: 4:30

You came from a hearing family.

Tamela: 4:32

Yes.

Anna Cei: 4:33

And so you learned the sign language, Swedish sign

Tamela: 4:37

And it's crazy because being I've always been into

Anna Cei: 4:56

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So that the deaf people could feel

Tamela: 5:00

Exactlyy Exactly. I've always had a hunger for new ideas and new things and new

Anna Cei: 5:11

Oh, that's amazing. I love that

Tamela: 5:13

I think I was humbled by life really quickly, because I

Anna Cei: 5:27

Right, right.

Tamela: 5:28

And I realized that there wasn't no right or wrong,

Anna Cei: 5:32

different perspectives, right. So your

Tamela: 5:40

Yes, for sure. And I think also, music was also

Anna Cei: 5:46

Mhmm Right

Tamela: 5:47

And one of the language I mean, the language wasn't even that important, if you just

Anna Cei: 5:55

right.

Tamela: 5:55

But ofcourse, then with the with the lyrics and with

Anna Cei: 6:07

Mm hmm. What do you know, like, verbal language, or

Tamela: 6:22

Sure. Okay. Let's go.

Anna Cei: 9:12

So now when we heard your music, and we know a little

Tamela: 9:29

connection

Anna Cei: 9:30

connections, Okay, tell me more about this.

Tamela: 9:34

I realized that whenever I move somewhere, or whenever I and some common ideas that we can share. So for me, it's

Anna Cei: 10:03

So like finding the mutual grounds, or how do you go

Tamela: 10:10

I think that because I moved so much, I could see that hadn't seen before, but also that I knew that we would have

Anna Cei: 10:32

Mm hmm.

Tamela: 10:32

So when it comes to music, as well, I realized that connected with my vocal vibrations, and then people get heart or the mind through music, is because they knew how to

Anna Cei: 11:21

Mm hmm.

Tamela: 11:22

You know, so Connect, for me is the most important

Anna Cei: 11:25

Do you know why this is important or when it came

Tamela: 11:31

I think that taking a break from music for a while, realized that every, every time something didn't work out, it's And sometimes when you're so into that moment, or working, you're doing it, and how you are connected to what you're doing. who do I want to talk to? Who do I want to sing with? Who do I want to play with? Who do I

Anna Cei: 12:42

you have to go and do the action so much more

Tamela: 12:57

yes. And also, sometimes as you say, sometimes it's accidental, like for the other person either. So I just realized, during this

Anna Cei: 13:28

Yeah,

Tamela: 13:28

so you go like, Okay, why am I here? Like, why did I move to this city? And why am I kind to oneself and being kind to other people. And also

Anna Cei: 14:08

Yeah.

Tamela: 14:08

So when you move to a new place, I think you have to Connect?

Anna Cei: 14:27

And why

Tamela: 14:28

you always have to be a little bit outside of your

Anna Cei: 14:32

Mmm. And I think a lot of people who struggle with this

Tamela: 14:40

Yes, of course.

Anna Cei: 14:41

And fear of failure kind of sets you up for failure.

Tamela: 14:45

And talking about fear. I think in our industry, there's

Anna Cei: 15:03

Mm hmm.

Tamela: 15:03

But I realized as well talking about connection, I is happening. And that is the magic moment when we understand

Anna Cei: 15:33

Mm hmm. You talk also about connecting with your work? Why do you do what you do? I mean, there's a whole bunch of

Tamela: 15:58

I think, for me is important to see who you're

Anna Cei: 16:06

like the audience, you mean,

Tamela: 16:07

yes. But also, there is a fine line when it's music for you, just other songwriters or other musicians. Because when you find

Anna Cei: 16:38

Yeah, you constantly get feedback and improve

Tamela: 16:44

Yeah, and finding people you can trust to create that this part I, like, this part of the song was my masterpiece, and

Anna Cei: 17:15

Right. Leave it be

Tamela: 17:16

Yes, just say thank you very much. Next, of course, you

Anna Cei: 17:25

Mmm

Tamela: 17:26

But there's not a moment where you're actually excited the song, or you're, you're not excited about singing the song

Anna Cei: 17:54

Just leave it be

Tamela: 17:55

just let it be always like if you if you're creating to at least finish it. But if you don't have that connection,

Anna Cei: 18:22

So you you mentioned that collaborating with other do to work with.

Tamela: 18:40

And it's been so crazy, I think because I've found

Anna Cei: 18:58

show interest maybe?

Tamela: 18:59

Show interest yeah But like, it's funny because you and understanding who they are. I'm like, Yeah, yeah, let's artists through Twitter and through Instagram

Anna Cei: 19:32

through Twitter.

Tamela: 19:33

Yes.

Anna Cei: 19:34

And Instagram. So you mean that are you collaborating

Tamela: 19:42

You know, it's funny because my first CD that came Rica. And the remix of it also in Costa Rica. So also because I you know?

Anna Cei: 20:22

Yeah Yeah.

Tamela: 20:23

So there's something missing, there's just a little of oompf, there, and that is missing.

Anna Cei: 20:28

So So now, would you say that most of the people that

Tamela: 20:34

Ehb no, I actually, I do a mix, I believe, and I need a

Anna Cei: 20:47

Mmm.

Tamela: 20:47

Because they're musicians that I admire that I

Anna Cei: 21:07

Yeah,

Tamela: 21:07

there's like a special bond that just connects you. And to whatever you do, and other people just want it exactly like

Anna Cei: 21:27

They want everything down.

Tamela: 21:29

Yeah, but I think that's the magic going back and forth that when I was Grammy nominated.

Anna Cei: 21:50

You were Grammy nominated?

Tamela: 21:52

Yes.

Anna Cei: 21:54

I mean, that's a biggie here. You know, Tamela,

Tamela: 22:01

Okay, so in Spanish, you would be Ta-ME-la, TameLa in

Anna Cei: 22:09

Right.

Tamela: 22:10

And I was in the Middle East now. And they would say

Anna Cei: 22:13

Ah, almost like Ludmilla or something. Yeah.

Tamela: 22:15

And in Italy they would say would say Ta MEH La

Anna Cei: 22:19

See languages is music, obviously.

Tamela: 22:21

Yes.

Anna Cei: 22:21

So there's a quantitative aspect of these way you want them to?

Tamela: 22:39

Yes, I mean, I think we have to respect the work and the journey every people went in and recorded and it didn't feel right. So I said

Anna Cei: 23:10

Was it a gut feeling? Or was it really like your ears?

Tamela: 23:18

both!

Anna Cei: 23:19

Ah ah

Tamela: 23:21

Because it's for me, I think that somebody else would

Anna Cei: 23:35

And I guess that goes for your person that you're

Tamela: 23:43

Yeah, I do. I didn't in the beginning. Because I didn't feeling. And I think we have to work together. And I feel as feel what you like expected? Because I think again, it's a with, I was so happy with the song, and I sent it to him and I you should be a little bit more... *laughing*

Anna Cei: 25:08

That's what I'm thinking here. I mean, I'm adapt your approach?

Tamela: 25:27

Yes.

Anna Cei: 25:29

So it's been a lot of work, I assume, like as some

Tamela: 25:34

Yeah, I'll tell you this. For me. The hardest part

Anna Cei: 25:45

Yeah.

Tamela: 25:45

and in Latin America, you can say things much harder than you can to a Swede

Anna Cei: 25:57

Mm hmm. Can you give an example? Or, that was putting

Tamela: 26:02

Yeah, yeah exactly. I'm like thinking. Let me see. Okay, so I know that we're when we're working with

Anna Cei: 26:24

Yeah.

Tamela: 26:25

So when you come, you have to be structured to know Hey, I'm waiting for you to them. I mean, I'm the same. I as a Swede now.

Anna Cei: 26:54

Your Swedish part is structured.

Tamela: 26:56

I see. I always say, Okay, so I'm, in life I'm Latin.

Anna Cei: 27:14

That was a perfect example, I think.

Tamela: 27:16

Yeah.

Anna Cei: 27:17

So how would you do then when you were working? You

Tamela: 27:22

Yeah. No, I wish I want to go to Saudi Arabia as well, but I was int he

Anna Cei: 27:26

Oh Okay.

Tamela: 27:27

I love It's the second time I've been there. And I'm in

Anna Cei: 27:30

Yeah,

Tamela: 27:31

They are all so amazing. People are so warm. And I really

Anna Cei: 27:36

And that's a melting pot of sorts of ethnicities and

Tamela: 27:42

it totally is at the same time that I really didn't

Anna Cei: 27:51

Yeah,

Tamela: 27:51

there's an adventure for everybody.

Anna Cei: 27:53

Like a big giant Disneyland.

Tamela: 27:54

Yes. for grownups.

Anna Cei: 27:57

Yeah, yeah.

Tamela: 27:58

Yeah, still amazing. Very good, very clean. So it's people do speak English a little bit, or a lot as well. But it's

Anna Cei: 28:22

How did you connect with people in the Emirates?

Tamela: 28:26

Well, I'm actually taking Arab classes right now.

Anna Cei: 28:31

I mean, how did that come about?

Tamela: 28:32

It's funny. in Costa Rica, I was a representative. I contact with them. And after just a year or not even a year,

Anna Cei: 29:06

Wow,

Tamela: 29:07

beautiful, beautiful festival with amazing hospitality. That was crazy. Because now this

Anna Cei: 29:17

The only non Arabic in an Arabic country. Okay. That's

Tamela: 29:29

Yeah.

Anna Cei: 29:29

And it led to a music connection for you.

Tamela: 29:32

And again, you see was connection. I connected with

Anna Cei: 29:44

Wow.

Tamela: 29:44

And I feel a great connection with Emirates. I

Anna Cei: 29:49

You started studying Arabic Now?

Tamela: 29:51

Yes. Well, it's really hard.

Anna Cei: 29:55

What's hard about it?

Tamela: 29:56

Well, I think it's I mean, I've always had a I always say that one of like

Anna Cei: 30:16

There's new sounds to produce, and new sounds to

Tamela: 30:22

And they write from right to left.

Anna Cei: 30:25

Mm hmm.

Tamela: 30:25

And the construction of the words is completely

Anna Cei: 30:35

Yeah, you can just plug it into some already used

Tamela: 30:40

No Exactly, well, that's what I love about languages that you need to learn

Anna Cei: 30:53

The language. Mm hm

Tamela: 30:54

I didn't get to appreciate the depth of what it

Anna Cei: 31:02

So this is a maybe a tough question. Like hen and egg language learning, and really went in for it all in so that

Tamela: 31:28

I do think it started with the, the need an urge and Well, my father's Swedish, My last name is Swedish. I'm with a lot of grownups. And I couldn't speak with anybody my

Anna Cei: 32:19

Mm ah it has changed,

Tamela: 32:20

you know, a lot of things have changed in just 10 layer. And I also am included, even though in everything I do

Anna Cei: 32:49

Right, right. Yeah,

Tamela: 32:51

well, so it opens doors, and also different ways of

Anna Cei: 32:59

Mmm. And then when you have the tools such as the

Tamela: 33:09

And I think that you build trust with the culture and

Anna Cei: 33:23

Yeah, yeah.

Tamela: 33:24

But I lived in Cuba. So when I automatically without

Anna Cei: 33:36

yeah,

Tamela: 33:36

poeple couldn't understand me when I when I

Anna Cei: 33:38

right,

Tamela: so I changed and: 33:39

Despus de un rato estaba

Anna Cei: 33:47

I can really relate to this. Because, you know, in because I know there's a difference between Spanish in there's this huge culture difference, you know, there's

Tamela: 34:42

now, and that I realized also with Arabic,

Anna Cei: 34:45

Arabic, that it's many kinds

Tamela: 34:48

different kinds. And it's a whole world I mean, it's acting and everything. I mean, even and when I moved to to friends, you know?

Anna Cei: 35:25

Yeah, but that's exactly the kind of stereotype I different culture.

Tamela: 35:43

Totally, totally. And, and, I mean, even Costa Rica and Mexico, like, we have a lot of

Anna Cei: 36:02

Uh huh. So what matters the most to you is this

Tamela: 36:16

Yes, to grow and to feel safe and to feel happy.

Anna Cei: 36:20

And this came about since a long time ago, like in

Tamela: 36:26

I think this happened very early on. It wasn't until now that I actually identified it

Anna Cei: 36:31

like recently, within the last year or so you became

Tamela: 36:36

I could give it a name kind of

Anna Cei: 36:38

right. And so how do you see this play out in the

Tamela: 36:53

I think that now identifying it, I always ask as a friend, even if it has more meaning it makes the whole

Anna Cei: 37:25

right? So now, dear listeners, you can connect maybe

Tamela: 37:35

yeah.

Anna Cei: 37:36

Right. Where can we find your music? Where can we

Tamela: 37:42

Yes, well, all digital platforms. So Spotify, YouTube,

Anna Cei: 38:01

Oh, cool. You will find it in this description. But

Tamela: 38:14

Exactly.

Anna Cei: 38:15

Wonderful. Well, I thank you so much for this time something I really appreciate your time, I really appreciate

Tamela: 38:41

Thank you so much. And I think this is a great

Anna Cei: 38:58

Yeah, I think this is the beginning. You know, and I and then hearing others. I hope that this will inspire people.

Tamela: 39:19

I hope so too. You've inspired me. So thank you very much.

Anna Cei: 39:23

Have a good, pleasant evening. I really hope you stay

Tamela: 39:33

Thank you so much and we'll keep in touch Okay, bye.