After years of playing in local bands, it all started in the early ’80s. My first real musical adventure was with a synth band called Svart Natt (Black Night). Later, influenced by the rising success of U2, I joined a band we named Criss 99. We recorded and released an album, which gained some local recognition. During this period, I realized that while I loved performing, the studio was where I truly belonged.
From Band Member to Studio Enthusiast
My big break came when I landed a job as a studio assistant at Europa Studios in Stockholm, thanks to Ola Håkansson, founder and CEO of Stockholm Records. I was in heaven! At first, my duties were simple—running errands, making coffee, and assisting the artists and engineers. But the real magic happened at night.
Once the studio emptied, I found myself alone in a world of sound—a professional recording environment all to myself. I spent countless nights experimenting, remixing, and developing my skills. I worked tirelessly, knowing that in the morning, I would have to present my work. Sometimes, they liked it. Sometimes, they didn’t. But I lived for the moments when they did. And over time, the rejections became fewer.
Becoming a Producer
As my skills improved, I transitioned into an in-house engineer, working on remixes during the night. Those years were filled with hard work, but also an incredible amount of fun. Slowly but surely, I honed my craft.
By the early ’90s, I was working with Swedish and international artists, including Army of Lovers (“Crucified”) and several local acts. 1992, I teamed up with Tommy Ekman, forming the production duo Adebratt & Ekman. Throughout the decade, we produced songs for artists like Inner Circle, Ace of Base, Aqua, Dr. Alban, Real McCoy, All-4-One, and Aaliyah.
Founding Sprinkler and Expanding Horizons
In the late ’90s, I co-founded The Sprinkler Production House, which included Sprinkler Studios—a four-studio complex in central Stockholm. We also launched Sprinkler Records, a label in partnership with Universal Music. A collaboration with Daniel Jones (Savage Garden) led to a project with the Australian group Aneiki, which became a success in Australia.
I also worked with C&N Productions, producing music for Antique, a Swedish-Greek dance/pop duo that blended ethnic influences with modern pop, achieving great success.
A New Chapter in Thailand
By the early 2000s, after an intense period of work, I decided to take a well-deserved break. I traveled to Phuket, Thailand, intending just to relax—but life had other plans.
While there, I ventured into film production for the tourism industry. Over the following years, I created films for dive companies, travel agencies, hotels, IT firms, and even an international school. Naturally, I composed my own soundtracks for these films, keeping my musical creativity alive.
The Shift to Business
In 2005, I returned to Stockholm and briefly continued working in music. But something had changed—it no longer gave me the same satisfaction. I knew it was time to explore new opportunities.
It wasn’t easy. For the first time in decades, I found myself lost, unsure of what to do next. Then, unexpectedly, I stumbled into sales.
At first, it felt like learning to walk again. I had to start from scratch, building knowledge and experience from the ground up. But soon, I realized something: the creativity I had used in music and visual arts could also be applied to business. Slowly but surely, I began to succeed.
I had taken a giant leap from music, film, and photography into sales and business development, and I loved it.
Where I Am Today
Today, I work primarily in Digital Sales, Performance Marketing, Growth Hacking, and Marketing Automation. But despite this shift, music has never truly left me. In my spare time, I retreat to my home studio, where I once again feel the same joy I did in those early days.
In summer 2023, I released the album “The 60th Playground Diary”—a collection of eight songs written, performed, and produced by me. It’s still a hobby, but I wanted to finalize and share some of my work. As a fun twist, I used generative AI for the album cover. Midjourney transformed a photo of me into a wild Pop Art creation, and I loved the result so much that I made it the official cover.
While my first album gathered songs written over many years, my new album, ”Moods”, is something entirely different. These nine tracks were all written during the winter of 2024–2025, in a single focused creative period when everything just clicked.
Even after all these years, the love for creativity, storytelling, and innovation remains the common thread in my journey.
Best regards,
Per Adebratt
per@adebratt.com
