Dove-chatting With Duvchi

Duvchi with one of his doves. All photos by the author.

Considering that his surname, artist name, and debut single all have the word “dove” embedded in them, it might not be that weird that Swedish producer Jens Duvsjö a.k.a Duvchi collects miniature doves, too. I met up with him a couple of years ago for an interview, when people from all over Sweden were obsessing over his melancholic and dreamy hit “Turtleduvs”. Since that first single he’s been working on an album for quite some time (“It’s all basically done, I just want it all to be perfect”), while also producing and writing on records for artists like Rebecca & Fiona, Loreen and Lo Fi Fnk. A release date for the full-scale debut is yet to be confirmed. But until then, his ethereal voice can be found on his second single “Whole Life Tour”, house-duo Rebecca & Fiona’s “Cold Heart”, the Adam Tensta duet “Raindrops”, and a bunch of other great collabs.

I rang Jens to ask if I could have a look at the small dove collection I remember seeing at his place during that first interview. I wanted to find out where all those tiny bird ornaments came from. He agreed to tell me everything about them – on one condition: I had to bring my own contribution.

After my dove got accepted into the collection, Jens started telling me about how it all began.

The Noisey contribution.

NOISEY: The first dove I noticed upon arriving here is that big, hand sewn, kind of weird looking one. Tell me about that.

Jens Duvsjö a.k.a Duvchi: It’s actually a really nice story. I got it from Kendal [CEO-producer Kendal Johansson] when we went to Hungary last summer. It was sort of an inspiration trip and we set out to find the best Mexican food there.

Where is the best Mexican food in Hungary then?

It’s at a place called Arriba Taqueria.

Ok, so tell me more about the dove.

After I went home, Kendal stayed for some time and he bought me that dove. I got it later when he returned to Sweden together with a bunch of chocolate beverages that they sell there called 'Dove'. I sort of chugged them all just after I got them. I don’t know why.

1. Stuffed dove 2. Noisey dove 3. Kendal dove 4. Dove with flower (a.k.a. Sum Comfort dove) 5. Little sad blue dove.

What about the one with the flower. Where did you get that?

I got this from Fredrik Lövgren who is part of the hip-hop producing duo Sum Comfort. He courted me with it because he wanted me to do a song on their new album.

Did it work?

Yeah, it was an instant "yes" from my side.

Is that the best way to make you do something? To give you a small porcelain dove?

Definitely. The best way to reach me is through a dove.

Jens showing the doves some good Isao Tomita music.

You also have a tiny blue dove made of glass. Tell me about that one.

That’s a very sad dove. I got it from a market in Berlin and I always think of it as really sad and moody.

Oh, ok. And the last one, the big white one, was that alive at some point in its life?

I don’t know. I got it from the über-talented record company Emotion where I released my first single. I always think of them when I look into those wide opened red eyes.

What do you think about the dove you got from Noisey?

I like the work of detail on it. That you get the phone number and fax number of the maker so that you can call them and say thanks, I guess.

Contact details on the Noisey dove.

You should definitely do that. Where do you keep all the doves?

I make installations with them, different ones depending on the season. When it’s summer I keep them in the window and during the winter they stay on the floor.

Why?

Because I want to enrich the life of the animals. It gets monotonous staying in the same place all the time.

That makes sense. How come you’re so into doves anyway?

I got my first miniature dove when I was born. Afterwards I was actually put into a room with dove-wallpaper because the word "dove" is in my last name. And when I was growing up I got a bunch of bird books and learned the names of all the birds. I knew every single one.

Did you have a photographic memory or something?

Yeah. Sort of.

And now, why do you still like them?

Birds have lived as long as the fucking dinosaurs! They just must know so much. They probably fly around looking for people who are sad and then take a dump on them because it means good luck. I have a friend who gets bird poop on her once or twice every year. She never gets sick and [regularly] finds mad money and bus passes on the street.

Do you use doves as an inspiration for your music?

I have doves in all of my music, in some way. I incorporate the sound they make and so on. They make such great sounds.

Some people say that doves are like flying rats. What do you think about that?

Aww, who says that? That’s horrible. It’s funny how an animal can be so despised yet so adored. I mean, people tend to really hate the filthy pigeons in the streets but at the same time the white dove is a symbol for love and peace. It gets me thinking about how humans are so quick to categorise and judge people as either good or bad, but based on what? We’re all part of the world – let’s cherish it.