West Pride in Gothenburg, Sweden ran a competition to find a Pride anthem for their 2024 celebrations, and this tune from upcoming artist SYLVE was the winner.
Bleeding Red is an uplifting song that promotes values of embracing diversity, accepting yourself and celebrating everyone.
SYLVE will perform Red Bleeding multiple times in Pride Park at Kungstorget in Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 13-15, where thousands are expected to gather to celebrate diversity and love.
“The Swedish pride audience, especially West Pride, has been a huge part of my journey as an artist. To stand on the West Pride stage as an ambassador with this year’s pride song makes me both moved and overjoyed.
“I reclaim Gothenburg, which I often found scary and cold when I was younger. There is now a strong community and engagement here. Thank you to the jury for the trust in me and my song.” SYLVE said after his song was announced as the competition winner.
The jury, consisting of Karin Gunnarsson, competition producer for Swedish Television Melodifestivalen, Ronny Larsson, editor-in-chief of QX magazine, the prominent artist and songwriter Melanie Wehbe, and Anders Olsson, producer of West Pride’s stage program, unanimously agreed that SYLVE’s Red Bleeding best represents the love, pride, and energy that should permeate West Pride 2024.
SYLVE, originally from Lerum outside Gothenburg, Sweden, debuted as an artist in 2019 after writing songs for both Swedish and international artists.
Since then, he has toured extensively in Sweden, especially on its pride stages. He went viral on Spotify with the song Sommartid (Ett annat vi) which openly described the grief after a breakup with a boyfriend. Since then, he has been signed to a record label, released an EP, and performed on both radio and TV.
Alongside his pop career SYLVE has also trained as a nurse.
“I’m a guy with two hats. On the last day of May, I will become a licensed nurse, and if there’s anything this fantastic education and profession have taught me so far, it’s that despite all our differences, we have more that unites us than separates us.” SYLVE said.
“In life’s most important or challenging moments, we are truly very similar in many ways, extremely human regardless of our background, circumstances, personalities, or sexual orientation.
“It is partly from these insights that I wrote the song. Not to diminish the challenges we face in the world right now, because they are real. But I want to highlight our common humanity and encourage more interpersonal meetings” SYLVE shared.
Gothenburg’s West Pride Festival began in 2007. The festival has over 250 events between mid-May and the weeklong main festival in June. The festival is filled with art exhibitions, lectures and workshops, plays, concerts and party events.
