In conversation with COBRAH

COBRAH, also known as CLARA BLOM CHRISTENSEN, is the electrifying Swedish recording artist who has taken the underground by storm with her fearless and unapologetic approach to music and performance. Blending electro-pop with a boundless catalogue of experimental sounds, COBRAH has shattered the norms of what it means to be a pop icon in 2023. At the heart of COBRAH’s artistry is a vibrant celebration of Queer empowerment and sexual liberation. Her lyrics are bold, provocative, and fiercely daring, expanding the horizons of pop music.

With a distinctive vocal style, pulsating beats, and haunting melodies, COBRAH’s music commands attention, drawing listeners into a transformative experience much like one of her sources of inspiration: the power of drag. As ardent explorers of underground talent and enthusiasts of everything that defies the status quo, COBRAH quickly captured our attention. However, it was the enchanting allure of her third EP, SUCCUBUS, coupled with the dreamy ‘bourgeois beat’ of her latest track, MAMI, that made this interview a must-have. We’re captivated, and we’re certain you will be too.

As we begin our conversation, it is clear that COBRAH’s enthusiasm for her upcoming tour is overcoming. She describes her current day (and days) to be taken up by the process of planning each show in every city, contemplating potential guest performers, and brainstorming ways to make the performances more interactive for her audience. “It’s all on me”, she muses about her upcoming travels, “I have the freedom to do whatever I want”. And with untarnished wonder she explains a detail others might simply dismiss, “I can even include specific requests in my rider, and they’ll make it happen! It’s so exciting.” I recall and share a laugh with her about the amusingly absurd requests I’ve received from artists over the years (think obscure fruits, historic portraits and exotic substances), and she quickly retracts, clarifying, “I want to include something genuinely funny—something funny but also doable!”.

Despite it sometimes feeling as though COBRAH is new to the scene thanks to the artist’s pure nature and candid attitude during our conversation, she is a pro and her love for music is deeply ingrained, stemming from her early childhood. She vividly recalls her early affinity for live music, sharing, “I would stop outside the cafes that had live music just to sit and listen. I did this simply because I thought it sounded nice!”. “I remember, even as an 8-year-old kid, feeling jealous of the artists; I wanted to be one of them.” And who is more figurative of success to an eight-year-old than Hannah Montana?: “Even looking at, say, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, I would genuinely think, ‘I can’t believe I’m not like her yet’”.

As COBRAH embarked on her music career, she initially explored musical theatre as a teenager, something we now see in the character-building and on-set extremes seen in her videos. Take, for example, the striking visuals of GOOD PUSS, where we see the artist suspended from industrial chains, clad in a custom JOHANNA LARSSON bodysuit and a pair of Pleasers. These theatrical elements are a recurring motif which shines through in her music videos, continuously adding a unique and captivating dimension to her artistry. However, COBRAH describes later shifting her focus from studying musical theatre to becoming what she describes as “an artist in her own right”. She reflects on this journey, saying, “I later pursued my studies as a singer-songwriter, with an emphasis on playing the piano and guitar. Later, I went to another school to focus more on the music industry itself, and how it all works. It was here that I got to know a lot of producers and I had my own studio where I was able to learn the producing aspects myself too”. It is on this journey, and while attending school, that COBRAH in collaboration with classmates, ventured into electronic music, resulting in the creation of her iconic single, IDFKA. She recalls this artistic awakening, stating, “When IDFKA came together, something clicked. I felt like that was me”, juxtaposing the very un-clicked sensation posited in the lyrics of the song, ‘I don’t fucking know anymore’, with a new-found sense of confidence and identity. “The song is so minimalistic and empty, but it’s also textual. That was maybe the first time I felt like I could identify with the music I was making”.

Throughout her artistic odyssey, COBRAH’s evolution stands as a remarkable testament to her growth and transformation in both herself and her music. In her own words, she encapsulates this evolution, noting, “What sets my current work apart is my increased involvement in crafting our visuals and a more pronounced presence in my vocals.” As gone are the days of veiling herself behind layers of heavily produced, ethereal vocal effects, and the intriguing 3D alien-inspired personas that once graced her album covers. A defining moment in this evolution arrived with the release of her single in 2022, BRAND NEW BITCH, which has now collected over eleven million streams. This release marked the inception of a fresh era in COBRAH’s career, where her visual presentation takes centre stage, and her vocals resound with newfound clarity. It’s as if she’s pulled back the curtain to reveal the authentic, unfiltered essence of her, inviting her audience to join her on an unapologetic journey of self-expression and exploration. In this new chapter, COBRAH invites us to witness not just her music but the vivid tapestry of her vision and the crystalline resonance of her voice, laying bare the rawness of her art. This captivating artistic unfolding has been a steady undercurrent in COBRAH’s journey and is evident in subsequent tracks like SUCK, MANIC, and MAMI. As with each release, she continues to peel back the layers of her artistic identity, revealing a deeper, more compelling essence that keeps her fans enthralled and eager for what comes next.

Fans can expect this same captivating quality to carry forward into COBRAH’s upcoming EP, SUCCUBUS, whispers of which have undoubtedly piqued the curiosity of her dedicated following. Originally unfamiliar with the word, or concept, she elaborates on her choice of title for me, “I chose SUCCUBUS because it’s someone in action, in sexual action, but I’m not seducing anyone; I’m attacking—that’s the thing.” Shedding light on the deeper symbolism behind the title, she expands, “I chose the title because I like the lure of the Succubus. This female demon preys on men and consumes them or devours a part of their souls to survive. I thought they looked disgusting at the beginning, but now they’ve become beautified within pop culture.” In today’s society, COBRAH highlights a common perception, saying, “Beautiful women are often looked at and perceived as something that you like but not something that wants to consume you back.” Her intent with her music aligns with this sentiment, “I don’t want to be viewed as something alluring; I’m not trying to allure people. I’m trying to confront them with the music on the EP.” COBRAH’s music, much like the folklore of the Succubus itself, serves as a powerful and enthralling force that aims to engage and provoke, rather than simply beguile…

Read the full interview in The NIGHT Issue, available here!