[Exclusive Interview]: Axel Mansoor on "Cold Sweat" and Detours

Adding to our playlists this summer.

Axel Mansoor and I had the chance to chat twice for this interview: one on Stationhead and one for Detour. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share the other one with you as well, but for now let’s start with this one. Mansoor is a kind soul that I was very excited to interview. We had a lot of great laughs and we got to discuss some really cool topics including ghosts, gaming, finding peace and creativity during these odd times, sharing vulnerability in his music, and his episode on NBC’s newest competition series focused on songwriting, Songland!

This new song is everything. I mean it. It’s powerful, it’s bold, and it’s beautiful. The guitars and the vocals perfectly melt into each other, creating a completely new recipe that is completely and only Mansoor’s. You can hear the compassion, anguish, and exasperation in his tonality. I had the song loop so many times in my days this past week that it suddenly just seemed to become one with my daily routine. It’s harsh in a soft way and melancholy in a light-hearted way. The song itself truly displays Mansoor’s talents to create euphoric juxtaposition in his music. Be sure to give the track a listen above and expect a lot more to come this summer.

Here’s Our Interview:

Neelu Mohaghegh [NM]: What’s your detour?

Axel Mansoor [AM]: “I am a total japanophile. I’m obsessed with Japanese culture, especially the language itself, videos games, anime / manga, and the various kinds of cuisine (but especially sushi / ramen / udon).”

[NM]: Why did you start this detour?

[AM]: “Practically it’s because my older brother was into Anime / Manga and JRPGs and whatever he did, I did.”

[NM]: What does this detour mean to you and what you hope it shows to others?

[AM]: “Hmmm...I think it’s kinda beautiful that you can fall in love with a culture that’s not your own, and potentially feel at home in a strange land.”

[NM]: What was the inspiration behind so many of your songs, the upcoming EP, and the creative process for them?

[AM]: “Most of my songs are inspired by my own experiences. I’ve got big emotions and songwriting has been a form of self-therapy since I was 13, it helps me process and express what I’m feeling. I also have a few songs where I’ve tried to take a different perspective and written from the point of view of someone I know.”

“There’s 2 main pieces of inspiration for the EP: 1) A life-changing experience on Ayahuasca that helped me get to a real place of self-compassion and 2) Something my close friend and collaborator challenged me to do, which was to ‘write the stuff you’d never thought you could say’.”

“Lately, my creative process is just whatever it takes to get out of my own way. A lot of is just accepting that there’s no “one answer” to getting into that space, it’s always something different! But, the less ego I bring into it, the more I’m able to just receive and transmit whatever message wants to get out without distorting it or twisting it to fit my own insecurities.”

[NM]: What is one goal you have for yourself and your music this year?

[AM]: “To have the courage to put out some music that might turn off / piss some people off and be OK with that! I’ve been such a people-pleaser my whole life, that’d be some real growth haha!”

[NM]: What’s your favorite song off the new EP?

“That’s tough. It’s a toss up between ‘kids can be so stupid’ (because I’ve never explicitly written about how I was bullied growing up), and ‘i wrote this when i was mad’ because it’s very new / scary lyrical territory for me.”

[NM]: What was the experience like on Songland?

[AM]: “So incredibly positive. Couldn't have had a better experience. Everyone involved, from cast to crew to contestants, was so awesome and down-to-earth. 99% of reality TV shows exploit the talent and force them into these horrendous contracts, but Songland doesn’t do that. Songland treats everyone involved with a lot of respect; it’s pretty amazing to see and creates a win-win situation. I hope more shows follow their lead!”

[NM]: What have you learned about yourself so far in this time of quarantine?

[AM]: “I’ve learned that I have workaholic tendencies and have to be veeeerrry conscious if I want to live a balanced life. It’s way too easy for me to just wanna keep working towards the next goalpost and lose sight of what matters (aka friends, family, relationships).”

[NM]: What’s something you hope to do one day? (Related to music or not)

[AM]: “I hope to leave this world better than I found it.”

[NM]: Go-to song right now?

[AM]: “‘Borderline’ by Tame Impala”

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Those were some pretty awesome answers. :) Thank you, Axel! I can’t wait to hear the rest of the EP!

Be sure to follow Axel Mansoor on Instagram and Spotify!!