The award-winning band Bara Jonson and Free are taking a significant step in their musical journey. With the help of an EU grant from the Belem program, the band is translating their acclaimed album BJF New Era into Swedish under the title BJF Ny Era. The result will be released as a fully Swedish version of the album in the summer of 2025.

“This is going to be amazing!" says Malin Östh, one of the band members. “It feels like a natural next step for us to reach even more people with our songs, now in our own native language.”

Jonas Tancred adds, “With the support from Belem, we have the opportunity to truly explore linguistic nuances and do justice to our lyrics in Swedish. We hope this will create an even stronger connection with our audience, both at home and in other parts of the world.”

The Belem program is part of the EU’s efforts to promote cultural diversity and linguistic translations, and Bara Jonson and Free are among the few Swedish bands to have received this prestigious grant.

The band will premiere most of the songs from BJF Ny Era at their own festival, Lilla By Festivalen, taking place in Rinkaby on June 13-14, 2025. This year also marks the 5th anniversary of the festival – a milestone for an event that has become a cherished cultural happening in southern Sweden.

Bara Jonson and Free have previously gained recognition as "The Crockpop band from Sweden" and have been noted internationally for their unique blend of genres and compelling storytelling. Releasing their entire album in Swedish is a step that further strengthens their identity and the band’s vision of building bridges between cultures and languages.

Look out for the Swedish release of BJF Ny Era later this summer – an experience that promises to bring Bara Jonson and Free closer to their Swedish roots and their audience.

Editor’s Note: Bara Jonson and Free have close ties to Canada, having showcased in Burin Peninsula, Newfoundland, which was the inspiration for their video/song “Hello Newfoundland. Appearances in Toronto, Ontario had them place as nominees in the Best International Act at Indie Week. The duo Malin Osth and Jonas Tancred are also with EMG Collectives, a Canadian based music company.