Saga Haglund sees being a professional songwriter and music producer as a personal profession because you share a lot of yourself through your creations. It requires courage, even during weeks when you don't feel at your best. By believing in yourself and your craft, the following week can be a completely different story.
Saga Haglund grew up in Arvika and had her sights set on music from an early age. She pursued an aesthetic focus in both middle school and high school.
”After a detour to Norway for five years after graduation, I applied to a singing program at Solvik Folk High School in Skellefteå. After that education, I continued my studies at another folk high school, Mellansel in Höga Kusten, focusing on songwriting and music production.”
When her time at Mellansel Folk High School was over, Saga longed to return home to Arvika and her family. The initial plan was to work for a while, but it turned into further studies instead.
”I realized that there was a music production program at Ingesund School of Music, and music is what I want to work with. I've only heard good things about the program from friends who have attended. Nowadays, it's also a bachelor's program.”
Saga's instrument is singing, and she sings a bit of everything: soul, pop, and jazz. She has always had a special fondness for soul, which she believes has strong melodies – a way of singing that appeals to her and that she enjoys practicing.
”When I write myself, it's mostly synthpop, which is a bit different from what I sing. When I started writing music, during my first year at folk high school, I hadn't written before. I don't play any instruments, so it was easier to write digitally with the help of a computer. When I've written with others, they've been skilled at playing instruments, so it's been more soul and jazz.”
Many strings to your bow and a broad network
The music industry is sometimes tough and challenging. What should an aspiring music producer think about? Do you need to be as interested in marketing yourself as you are in music?
”No, definitely not, but it depends on what you want with your music. Some just want to write for others, and some want to write for themselves as artists, and then it's important to know marketing. We've had the opportunity to try this in two courses, so we really learn it here. In that way, it's a very broad programme. We've also taken a course on how to produce podcasts, which I'm also very interested in.”
Early summer is graduation time before entering the workforce. Saga has many plans and a move on the horizon.
”After graduation, the plan is for my partner and me to move to Gothenburg. I'm going to reach out to some publishers and walk around with my portfolio. I might also freelance or intern initially, perhaps in podcast production as I mentioned. I think I'll start like that and then see what happens! I want to write for others but also have my own artist project in the works. You have to start somewhere, it's important to have many strings to your bow and build a broad network. You might not need to be the best at everything, but if you're a good entrepreneur, easy to work with, and pleasant, it might lead to success that clients prefer.”
What's your best tip for someone who wants to become a music producer?
”It might sound cliché, but it's important not to give up. This is a personal profession; the creations you deliver are very much yourself, which makes it very personal. As a teacher said; trust the process, even if you feel lousy one week and think you can't do anything, it can feel different the following week. You should also dare to be yourself and write from yourself and not try to write like someone else. Dare to believe in yourself!”
