Swedish artist Miriam Bryant brought back her vulnerable and melancholic style in her fourth album “Okej att dö.” 

Her first album since 2020, “Okej att dö” explores life, death, accepting what ends and using the small amount of time in life to truly live. 

“Okej att dö” comes seven months after the death of Bryant’s older sister, Sara, as well as the subsequent release of the single “Sarkofag,” which Bryant wrote for Sara. 

The album opens with “In kom en ängel,” a song through which Bryant expresses past mistakes and her enduring hope that her life will trend in a positive direction despite previous regrettable decisions.

Bryant sings, “In kom en ängel / Du är en ängel från himlen / Och jag får lite svindel / När du bär upp mig / Ända upp i rymden,” which translates to “In came an angel / You are an angel from the sky / And I become a little dizzy / When you carry me / All the way up to the sky.” 

Taken aback by the sudden source of hope in her life, represented by the angel, Bryant’s lyrics express how she lets hope, instead of grief, take hold of her. 

Hope, according to Bryant, has the ability to take one much further than grief, and this song sets the tone for this overarching theme in the album. 

The album’s namesake “Okej att dö” follows, and it encompasses the album’s exploration of acceptance of what ends and making the best of what life has to offer. 

The most upbeat song of the album, “Okej att dö” (“Okay to die”) carries a tone of contentment stemming from Bryant having met the love of her life. 

She sings, “Men om du inte stannar kvar / Gråt inga tårar för mig / Allt kommer kännas okej / För jag träffade dig,” translating to “But if you don’t stay / Don’t cry for me / Everything will feel okay / Because I met you.”

This song illustrates the feeling of meeting someone who immediately has a positive impact on one’s life, regardless of whether or not they remain in it. 

“Okej att dö” included four other previously released singles: “Halleluja,” “Under någon ny,” “Regnblöta skor” and “Dum.” 

Additionally, five new releases were featured in the album: “Hon,” “Baise Moi,” “Magiker,” “Nothing 4-ever” and “Rör mig.”

“Hon,” which translates to “She,” essentially acts as a lecture to a man who fumbled her, where she tells him, “Hon är så vacker / Vackert är svårt / Men det är svårare när du ser henne gå / Hon är så farlig / Farligt är hårt / För det är hon eller ingenting” (“She is beautiful / Beautiful is hard / But it’s harder when you see her go / She is dangerous / Dangerous is tough / For it’s her or nothing.”)

Through this song, Bryant depicts herself finding confidence in her worth, especially through lyrics where she reminds her intended audience that he can never truly forget her no matter how much her image may fade from his mind: “Du glömmer henne mer och mer / Hur hon ser ut naken / När du blundar ser du det / Så du hatar att vara vaken” (“You forget her more and more / How she looks naked / When you close your eyes you see it / So you hate being awake.”)

“Baise moi” is another one of the more upbeat songs in “Okej att dö.” With lyrics and instrumentals similar to “Okej att dö,” it acts as an energetic interlude before the final songs of the album. 

Bryant concludes her album with a return to melancholic tones in the form of “Rör mig” (“Touch me.”)

In this song, Bryant contemplates loneliness and imposter syndrome, where she sings, “Alla jävlar här är gudar / Tror det är jag som är problemet / Känns bara rätt när det blir fel” (“All the bastards here are gods / I think I’m the problem / Only feels right when it turns wrong.”)

“Okej att dö” reflects Bryant’s continuation of exploring complex themes through vulnerable lyrics and melancholic tones, and this album combined with her recent success in Sweden shows a promising future for her career.

“Okej att dö” can be streamed on all mainstream music streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.