Queer Swedish musician SYLVE and his song Red Bleeding have been chosen as the winner of the competition to become the official West Pride song for 2024. SYLVE will perform the song multiple times in Pride Park at Kungstorget in Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 13-15, where thousands are expected to gather to celebrate diversity and love.
“The Swedish Pride audience, especially West Pride, has been a huge part of my journey as an artist. To stand on the West Pride stage as an ambassador with this year’s Pride song makes me both moved and overjoyed. I reclaim Gothenburg, which I often found scary and cold when I was younger. There is now a strong community and engagement here. Thank you to the jury for the trust in me and my song,” says SYLVE.
The jury, consisting of competition producer for Swedish Television Melodifestivalen, Karin Gunnarsson; editor-in-chief of QX magazine, Ronny Larsson; prominent artist and songwriter, Melanie Wehbe; and producer of West Pride’s stage programme, Anders Olsson, unanimously agreed that Red Bleeding best represents the love, Pride, and energy that should permeate West Pride 2024.
Karin Gunnarsson, competition producer for Swedish Television Melodifestivalen, said: “Red Bleeding feels like the perfect choice. He is an exciting artist and a fantastic person who will deliver this year’s West Pride song with genuine emotion and passion.”
Anders Olsson, producer of West Pride’s stage programme, said: “We are incredibly pleased that we could unanimously choose Red Bleeding as the official West Pride song for 2024. The song and its message of inclusion and love will be the soundtrack to our Pride celebration and hopefully inspire and unite LGBTQ+ people from all walks of life.”
SYLVE on the message of the song and how it came about: “I’m a guy with two hats. On the last day of May, I will become a licensed nurse, and if there’s anything this fantastic education and profession have taught me so far, it’s that despite all our differences, we have more that unites us than separates us.
“In life’s most important or challenging moments, we are truly very similar in many ways, extremely human regardless of our background, circumstances, personalities, or sexual orientation.
“It is partly from these insights that I wrote the song. Not to diminish the challenges we face in the world right now, because they are real. But I want to highlight our common humanity and encourage more interpersonal meetings.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.