“I have always felt that it was my destiny to channel music to this world from the ethereal space around us that words cannot yet explain,” Possimiste — also known under her terrestrial name Leeni Laasfeld — explains in a velvety voice. The 28-year old artist, originally from Estonia, is on the cusp of releasing her debut album ‘Youniverse’ on June 25th, following a slew of galactic electro-pop singles over the last few years.
While other artists simply write their songs, Possimiste channels her creations from another space outside of our imaginable world. Her title is, therefore, fitting. The word Possimiste comes from being possessed by some kind of magical spirit, which then accesses an extraterrestrial space where her music originates—one that, as Possimiste details, is out of this world.
Seriously, she’s from Sirius
Possimiste finds her inspiration in visions and dreams, and ‘Youniverse’ is a compilation of her most meaningful ones. “I feel all the time that I’m not from [this Earth]; I never feel 100% home,” she elucidates. In fact, she contends that her alter-ego Possimiste is actually from the bright star system Sirius, which is also the name of the first—and the artist’s personal favourite—song on the album. “Sirius is the home that everybody wants to reach.”
“[I hear] melodies, even some of the lyrics, [in my dreams],” she smiles; her eyes twinkling. “Sometimes it’s some kind of gibberish and then you start decoding. If I hear a flute, I really need to put a freaking flute there! I cannot change it.”
The song “Freefall” exemplifies the fusion of Possimiste’s unusual sounds. The song begins with a wave of slow melancholic 80s synths underlined by bird calls. It all feels very mysterious—like a foggy valley waiting for Possimiste to wander through. By the middle, this coalesces into an explosion of upbeat drums fitting of a joyous carnival. It’s a sharp contrast, which leads to her chanting the words “Freefall” over and over like a mantra at the end—and you can tell she’s just ecstatic to be in the midst of it.
At all points, ‘Youniverse’ has an ethereal tone, with the tracks varying from blissful to dark and gloomy. A certain otherworldly, powerful mood prevails, making Possimiste’s creations unique and electrifying. It’s easy to let yourself be carried away to Sirius with her.
Decoding dreams and unlocking magic
The album will come out alongside an online experience available on Possimiste’s website. Every “dream”— as she refers to her songs—will be observable, with visuals and written prose describing the origin of the track.
Possimiste calls her listeners “secondary dreamers” and believes this more interactive experience will allow them to decode her messages, or dreams, more easily. She hopes that her album will be a conversation opener about what music means to people. “It makes us feel shivers, it makes us cry, it just has so much power,” she says. “It’s the closest thing to magic that humans can ever experience.”
Foreign from the whole world
Being a foreigner in Iceland has also coloured her experience as an artist. “I think Iceland is such a great place for artists. There is a cultural scene, there is funding and there is support,” she explains. “I feel like music is such an international thing, but more like an intergalactic thing. So, let’s not classify!” That said, while she calls Iceland her home, it’s more a temporary one—or rather, a temporal one. “I’m not connected to being foreign here,” she smiles. “But rather [foreign] from the whole world.”
Even though Possimiste might be, as she explains it, a foreigner to the world, she hopes to change it for the better. ‘Youniverse’, she emphasises, should inspire kindness. “Visualize the songs and get lost,” Possimiste concludes. “[…] Then I want the audience to do something good.”
Alongside wanting to bring good to the world, Possimiste also hopes that with her dreams, she can inspire listeners to be more childlike. To be astonished by the wonders of life again—just like when they were young.
“You need to take care of the inner kid,” Possimiste beams.
Check out Possimiste and her debut album ‘Youniverse’ as an online experience, on all streaming platforms or pre-order a signed copy from the website! Available on June 25th.
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