For more than 15 years, Stockholm Worship, the creative team of Hillsong Sweden, has been leading worship every Sunday at its various locations around the country. Throughout that time, a desire and longing have been growing to bring forth new and fresh worship.

The group shares about their debut album, Other Side, and how it’s been orchestrated by the Lord for the past several years.

Congrats on your debut album! Hillsong Sweden has been around for 15 years - what made you all decide to wait until this year to start releasing music?

Daniela Imsen: Thank you! I think it’s all about timing. This has been so much more than a project for us. We have written songs for our church for many, many years without having an album in mind.

But when God started opening new doors for us we decided to go for it.

To see this album release in 2023 feels like perfect timing in so many different ways!

We can imagine you all had a wide range of catalog to pull from for this record. Are any of the songs on this record from over 10 years ago or even all the way back to you all’s inception? How did you all choose which ones were to be on Other Side and was that decision ever daunting?

Eric Liljero: I think we wrote close to 70 songs over the past 2-3 years for this album. But I don’t think we chose songs, I think our church did.

Nothing compares to when God breathes on a song and the church grabs hold of it.

What is unique about the Swedish musical legacy specifically in the worship space?

Jonatan Brandstöm: Musically, Sweden obviously has an amazing history with bands and songwriters like ABBA, The Cardigans, Roxette, Max Martin and more. In the 70’s, we had Christian artists in the Swedish top charts, but it’s been a while since Christian music coming out of Sweden has reached the broader masses. 10 years ago “Cornerstone” written by Jonas Myrin, Eric Liljero ( both Swedes…) and Reuben Morgan really traveled the world.

Our hope is that Stockholm Worship will contribute to reaching more people with Christian music again, and at the same time draw from the rich history of the Swedish musical legacy.

There is one Swedish song featured on Other Side - can you tell us what “Då brister själen ut” means and why that one was chosen to be included?

Wilhelm Dahlroe: The origin of the hymn “How Great Thou Art” actually stems from Sweden, and it was originally written by Carl Boberg in 1885 as the Swedish hymn “O Store Gud.”

“Då brister själen ut” is basically an inspired and modernized expression of the Swedish chorus. The phrase “Då brister själen ut” resembles the meaning of “Then sings my soul.”

“How Great Thou Art” is a historic example of how a song from Sweden spread across the globe.

And that lines up with the heart behind this album and why this song was included - how these songs created in Sweden hopefully can mean something to people in different places all across the earth.

What song or songs on this record mean the most to you? What song or songs do you think the Church in 2023 most needs to hear and lead?

Jessica Gehlin: "Jesus took away my sin” has a special place in my heart. There are few things that are as powerful as reminding yourself of what Jesus has saved you from, that He has replaced hopelessness with a future and given us hope, joy and peace.

I love hearing the congregation singing the bridge of this song. Even though it might be a broken hallelujah - it’s still a hallelujah to the one who is worthy!

All the songs have lyrics that come straight from the Bible, and I believe in reminding yourself over and over again of what Jesus has done and what He is capable of.

“Jesus Took Away My Sin,” “Sing Hallelujah,” and “Now to God” are some songs I think the people of God need to declare over their lives!

Stockholm Worship