Cobrah Tears Herself Apart

With Cobrah’s first full-length LP, Torn, the Gothenburg-born, Stockholm-based artist aims to reinvent on her established formula while maintaining her creative interiority.

The title track on Torn serves as the album’s lead single and opener, and is her most lyrically-focused song to-date. Over soft synths-turned rapidly pulsing kicks, she coos about the various directions she’s been pulled, her career confusion and even self doubt. Despite these hazy confessions, the standout is Cobrah at her clearest and most focused. The rest of the tracklist bounces between club hits, like “IG,” which poetically paints the ever-important, sexy swap of social accounts after flirting at the club, and proper pop songs like “Charming.” Here, she writes about falling for someone new, begging them softly for that same honesty in return. It’s a simple, stripped track for Cobrah’s standards and a breath of fresh air amongst the fiery production featured throughout her previous projects.

Despite the heady reinvention, Torn remains true to form. It’s nude-toned, latex-bathed and her signature bleached-blonde hair is prominent as ever. She shouts it out on the aptly-titled cut, “Platinum.” But within this consistency there’s a new degree of intentionality. Though Cobrah herself may disagree, Torn is the product of patience and proper timing. “It felt like I was birthing myself again,” Cobrah says.

Her debut was on time for its due date.

Cobrah sat down with PAPER to discuss creative directing her own career, the upcoming Torn tour, fashion week favorites and finding her truest self in this first album.

How was fashion week? I saw you at GCDS and Matieres Fecales. What’s inspiring you in the world of fashion right now?

Fashion is so incredibly fun. It’s like going to the theatre when you get to see a show. I don’t think people appreciate it for the extremeness it is. People gather for like, two seconds to watch what someone spent half a year working on. They put all the money in the world into these two minutes, then everyone rushes to the next show. I’m really into the whole extremeness of fashion week. I got to see some really good shows. With Dilara and Matieres Fecales. I’m a goth girl so I love that stuff. They put on a theatre for us in these incredible churches and banks. It’s super inspiring. What I wear has to be extreme for me to consider wearing it. If it’s a t-shirt, I’d rather be naked. Sometimes the body is the best thing. That’s why I’m naked all the time.

That’s an amazing outlook. Your debut album, Torn dropped on Friday. How has the past week felt having it out in the world?

I’ve never had an album out so it feels good! I’m already starting to rehearse the tour. Normally, when you release music, there’s an explosion of emotion on release day. Then it fades out and you feel like it’s not happening anymore. Then, later, you relive it on tour. But because I’m starting a tour now, it’s stayed exciting.

Your release show was insane. What's the tour going to look like?

I’m working with the same director as the music videos. I creatively directed the whole album: the covers and music videos and release party. All of it exists in my head then I have lovely people help me bring it to life. For this tour, I really wanted to make the videos come to life onstage. I want to make something for tour that mimics what I made in the videos. There’s also going to be a lot of choreography and dancing. I’m not a dancer, but I’ve danced a lot in my life. I don’t think I’ve exercised that skill very much. I have two beautiful dancers with me this time and we’ve been rehearsing everyday. It’s going to be a very intense, very sweaty show. But hopefully more dynamic, with more of a storyline compared to my past tours.

I love that. How did it feel stepping into the creative director role for this album? How was it making the videos?

It was beautiful to be in such control. I have an image-rich mind. When I write music, I usually see what the music video will be like. For “Hush,” I knew that it sounds like we’re riding in a car. So I did that for the video. A year ago, I knew what Puppy, my monster lover, would look like. Everything works together. What I didn’t know was how much I had to direct. Like does the monster have ears or not? What color are his fingernails? What shade of beige? You have to be very meticulous. But it was very fun. It took some time for this album to come out but it’s because I was looking for people I could be equal with in the creative process. It only came together this well because we were all unified in my vision for it. That’s quite rare.

I’d love to talk about your collaborators. You’ve been working with producers Isac Hördegård and Hannes Roovers for your whole career. What’s it like continuing collaborations with people you trust?

It’s the way I prefer to work. They’re my best friends. We talked on the phone for half an hour today. I’m an intuitive writer, that’s how I like to write. I don’t bring a list of topics into the studio. I like to get a beat from my producers, then lay on the couch as you would at the therapist. I get a microphone and I improvise. Sometimes it’s not even words. It’s like singing in the shower. I don’t think too much. Then we push record, get it all down and piece things together afterward. We do it again and again until there’s a song. It’s a very exposing process. There’s such joy in trying and figuring things out.

This album is more lyric-focused than your previous works. Did that change the writing process at all?

It felt like I was birthing myself again. Those first EPs were my first birth, my first trial. There was super heavy production and vocals as a sample, rather than what I do now which is text-driven. An album is much longer, so I was able to explore more. I went back to the beginning and it felt refreshing. The good thing about the people I work with is that they’re very in tune with how I feel. It’s supportive. I had doubts when I wrote “Charming” and “Really Hard.” These songs stick out to me on the album.

“Charming” is my favorite track. It’s so poppy.

Yes! Thank you! It’s really honest and truthful. Everytime I hear it I get a little in love and a little sad at the same time. It hits home with people because they can tell it’s real. That song and “Really Hard” weren’t even going to end up on the album. I thought they wouldn’t resonate with people who like my previous works. The writing process was unique for me. I used to approach writing by making a couple songs then picking the coolest. For this, we made 30 demos. We tried so many things. I felt like I could lead with who I am as a person on this album.

It feels like a hard pivot, but it’s still very you. There’s lots of parallel themes and production choices to your past work.

You’re always at the core of your artistry. If you play an instrument, anytime you go a while not playing it, you come back to the same chords when you pick it up again. It’s genetic. It’s not skill, it’s your body knowing that. I expanded with the Cobrah universe but stayed true to my genetic sound. I’m always sultry and soft because that’s the core of Clara, who I am as a person. I’m happy that authenticity comes through.

When you world built the album, did you look to any external inspirations? Any music or movies that influenced Torn?

This answer is slightly cringey. It’s not artsy fartsy. When I made this album, I scrolled through TikTok a lot. You know when people put a bunch of clips from a movie together? And put music behind it?

An edit?

I love an edit. I went to the studio and wanted to make something that would fit that and feel that edginess. This album is cinematic. “Hush” is a whole movie in my head. The whole approach was wanting to feel like part of a film. I wanted a cinematic landscape for it.

That reads. Each song feels like part of a bigger puzzle. Which songs are you most excited to play for fans live?

I just got back from rehearsal. I’m pulling back on my backing vocals, so it’ll be vocal heavy. I’m excited for “IG” and “Platinum” which are rap-heavy. I’m working hard on mastering breath control. We have a couple unreleased tracks with full choreography that will be very fun to play. I’m excited to tease new music.

If you could give a past version of yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

To have patience. I’m extremely impatient. I lose value of the present. I’d give myself that advice today because I don’t think I’ve learned anything.

And what’s ahead for Cobrah?

I have some exciting collaborations. I can’t tell you who yet. I’m excited to expand this Torn universe with collaborations and live shows. I keep getting asked what’s next. But I’ve been pregnant with Torn since last year. So I’m excited to enjoy it.

Photography by Israel Riqueros
Story by Andie Kirby

Styling: Arut Arustamyan
Hair: Ryann Carter
Makeup: Shaena Baddour

Gaffer: John Cirone
Grip: Alex Tabaczka
BTS: Yuri Willis

Chief Creative Officer: Brian Calle
Executive Creative Director: Jordan Bradfield
Senior Editor: Joan Summers