She is Robyn. The most killingest pop star on the planet. A pint-sized atom bomb dosed to the tits on electric and dispensing wisdom in three-minute modernist pop bulletins on the post-adolescent condition. ‘Robyn’ is also a collection of ultra-concise pop moments – that rarest of things, a classic pop album. It’s a sad-eyed, super-strong battery of nuclear-powered pop. It’s the best weapon she’s got.Discovered at the age of 13, Robyn was immediately signed to BMG who put out her debut album, a collection of R&B-influenced pop on which she collaborated with future Britney-hitwrangler Max Martin, in 1995. The release of her sweet, soulful single ‘Show Me Love’ cemented Robyn as an international pop star and saw her break into the UK top 10 and sell millions of albums across the world. Then, disillusioned by the lack of artistic control offered by her label, Robyn looked to how her fellow Swedes and comrades Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer aka The Knife, self-financed and released their work. In a completely unprecedented move for a mainstream pop artist, she bought herself off her label.Six months later, Robyn was CEO and founder of Konichiwa Records. She also had a new sidekick. Klas Åhlund is the main man behind Teddybears STHLM, Stockholm’s amazing bricolage pop group who have variously been fronted by Annie and Neneh Cherry, Iggy Pop and Mad Cobra.The first thing Klas brought to the Konichiwa table was the basic frame for a song depicting intense unrequited love. ‘Be Mine!’ is just beautiful. Every word that Robyn sings – ‘It’s a good thing tears never show in the pouring rain/As if a good thing ever can make up for all the pain’ - sounds like it’s being crumpled up and clutched to her chest.

The result of her newly struck friendship with The Knife was ‘Who’s That Girl’ – unquestionably one of the best pop singles of the past five years. Strapping herself into the very heart of The Knife’s towering, architectural synthpop – a shifting, interlocking grid of colour and beats, hard enough to break your fists on – Robyn emptied all of her frustration, insecurity and desperation. The lyrics, specifically, railed against her contractual purgatory, but ‘Who’s That Girl’s loaded despair resonates powerfully with anyone – any girl­­ – left beaten by the capriciousness of gender or image politics.

Robyn may now be the kickingest label CEO around, but she was out on a limb here. A lifetime’s earnings had been ploughed into a dream. The conflict of liberation and anxiety about the project, as well as galvanizing Robyn, seemed to polarise her character. One half of ‘Robyn’ was all hip-thrusting-fuck-you-cool, but in the gentle suite of ballads that wind everything down there is a smaller, sadder Robyn.

“I’m a Gemini maybe that’s what it is!” she exclaims. “Because I am this very outgoing person people think that I’m always sure what I’m gonna do, which I’m not! I always question myself! The perfect example is ‘Konichiwa Bitches’. “That song was made because I was so scared! I was like ARGH what am I DOING? I had to like bang my chest and go RAR! I’m the shit! I’m the best girl in the world!”

‘Konichiwa Bitches’ is Robyn’s signature tune. Over pixellated hip-pop beats, Robyn unloads like a manga Missy Elliott. Its biggest inspiration was Bugs Bunny, and the way he’d totally front on Yosemite Sam with big-ass ACME boxing gloves.

The UK release of ‘Robyn’ also features re-recorded, jumped up versions of ‘Bum Like You’ and ‘Robotboy’. The boisterous ‘Cobrastyle’ (which was previously released on last years ‘Rakamonie EP’) and the heart achingly beautiful ‘With Every Heart Beat’ has also been added.

‘Robyn’, in some ways, is emblematic of a move towards a more autonomous pop industry, with artists working creatively in egalitarian partnerships rather than at the behest of a major corporation.

“I think it’s the future,” Robyn enthuses. “I don’t think you’re gonna have big record companies in five years. Even three. They have not adapted to this new world where people download music or don’t buy stuff that they don’t like. “I think record companies felt like they were immortal. The industry was like WAAAGH,” Robyn beats her tiny chest. “Y’know, we’re The Shit. We can do whatever we want. We have all this money, and you just have to do whatever we tell you to do and you can’t own it.”

Really though, what ‘Robyn’ represents is the story of one ass-kicking little blonde woman who blasted through the industry bullshit and made a startling, profound, honest pop music all of her own.

It is music with one message. Be your own star.

LIVE DATES Thursday 29th – Cargo Support from theoretical girl and modular dj’s

WHAT THE PRESS HAVE SAID….

“The very best in cartoon J-pop, drrrrty-girl hip hop and Prince covers, check her chuckin-out-time pub piano version of Jack U Off.” UNCUT

“Genius Swedish pop.” NME

“Easy to imagine as a No 1. A wonderful addition to the genre of emotive, slightly sinister electro pop. Madonna eat your heart out.” SUNDAY TIMES

"What you would hope a Britney / Daft Punk collaboration would sound like." POPJUSTICE

Robyn

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