My London: The VoiceOver artist Nikolas Salmon
In April 2018 the world got the tragic news that one of Sweden’s biggest artists, Avicii, had committed suicide after a time of mental illness. This year, the investigative Swedish journalist Måns Mosesson released the book “Tim”, a story about his life and musical career. But the book is also a story about the person, Tim Bergling. By talking with his friends, family and colleagues Måns managed to get close to the artist, and create a beautiful yet heartbreaking biography about a guy who’s life ended way too early.
The book has been translated, and when it was time to record the audio for the audiobook our LondonSwede Nikolas Salmon got the honor to do it. Read about his London and why the book was so important for him to record.
Name: Nikolas Salmon
Age: 29
Work: Actor and Voiceover Artist
Live: Tooting
Time in London: Born and raised
Instagram: @salmonni
Tell us – who is Nikolas?
I am a 29-year old based in London, and having studied a ‘normal’ degree in history at the University of Manchester I decided to pursue a career as an actor. I spend a lot of my time playing and watching sport, and love the arts & culture; luckily London is a playground for all these things. Oh, and when I can I love to explore different places in the UK and around the world!
You are born in London but have Swedish roots, tell us about that:
Yes, I am born and raised in London but my mum, Ulrika, hails from Linköping (I was actually christened in Linköpings Domkyrka) and came over here as an au-pair in 1985. She married an Englishman and decided to bring us up here while working as a Montessori nursery teacher. We have visited Sweden a lot as we have family all over the country and even managed to sneak over there this Christmas which was amazing.
What are the biggest differences between Sweden and the UK?
I think from someone born in London, the space in Sweden is extremely noticeable. I love city life but London can feel claustrophobic and I occasionally have a desire to flee for a long weekend to more remote places of the country. Stockholm on the other hand has an incredible buzz without feeling so hectic. I also love the “ute på landet” culture that many Swedes have of Summer houses on islands. That isn’t too much of a thing in the UK…
Childhood summer in Eknö
What are your best childhood memories from Sweden?
Visiting grandparents in Linköping and spending Christmas tobogganing down snowy hills. Or as a big family in the Summer driving out to Gunnebo (near Västervik) and getting a boat over to our Summer house in Eknö by a local fisherman. Swimming and fishing in the lakes, picking kantareller and blåbär in the forests, and running the terrifying midnight gauntlet to the ‘dasset’ (outdoor toilet), playing ‘kubb’ in the evenings and being eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Tell us about your favorite Swedish food:
For the fear of sounding basic, I love köttbullar, prinskorv, falukorv, blodpudding med lingonsylt (I swear I like vegetables aswell) and Swedish lösgodis is hands down THE best!
…and the one that you do not like as much:
I just cannot get on board with pickled herring. Does anyone like it?
Where in London do you live?
I live in Tooting.
What is the best part about that area?
The food in Tooting is famously exceptional, in particular the curry-houses and Tooting Market. We have such a diverse community here which is amazing and the food culture is highly reflected within that. We discovered a stunning walk alongside the River Wandle to the gorgeous Morden Hall Park that should be done in Summer. In lockdown, it was our savior and we picked the flowers off Elder trees to make homemade cordial. (Amazing for a cheeky cocktail!)
Would you mind moving to Sweden sometime in the future?
I would love to live in Sweden for a period in my life. With work, it would be a little difficult but it would certainly be a dream to own a summer house that I could vacate for sure!
How would you spend a weekend in Sweden best?
If it’s only a weekend, I would have to say spending it in Stockholm and soaking up the culture and shopping, etc. I would love to motorcycle or drive from top to bottom of the country though, that is a dream.
Shooting an ad in Shoreditch
What do you do for a living?
I am an actor and voiceover artist.
Any tips for Theatre-going in London?
London has a vibrant Theatre scene that everyone should take advantage of. If you are 25 or under there are many theatres like the National and the Barbican that have schemes where you can get front-row tickets for £5-£10 (I am happy to help anyone who would like to take advantage of this). For us unlucky older ones, there are still many ways to see theatre at an affordable price. Often – if you are feeling spontaneous enough – rocking up to any theatre last minute you are bound to get tickets at a good price!
I recently saw Hamilton which was extraordinary and will be seeing Jerusalem this year. If you can, get your hands on tickets for that!
You recorded the Avicii book – tell us about that:
I recorded the audiobook for Avicii’s biography – Tim Bergling – on Audible last November (in English). It is a beautifully written book by the investigative journalist Måns Mosesson following Tim’s extraordinary life. He of course tragically took his own life at 28yrs old and the statistics included of suicide rates in young adults in Sweden, the US, and the globe are staggering and alarming. However, the book also follows his amazing career and I learned a lot about how thriving the Swedish music industry really is.
Avicii’s death was a big tragedy in the music industry. How come you got to do the voice for the audiobook?
First and foremost, Tim Bergling’s death is a tragedy to his close friends and family, as well as being an incredible loss of a sensitive and intelligent musical talent. I am a voiceover artist and when Måns Mosesson’s biography of Tim was created, I was asked to read the English audiobook, that is available on Audible. Whilst highlighting endemic issues such as suicide, opioid drug dependency and mental health, I think Mosesson writes Tim’s story in an incredibly sensitive and beautiful way. It is always fulfilling when I am able to professionally connect with my Swedish roots and this was certainly a privileged and profound experience.
You mentioned that Avicii’s biography addressed mental health in a significant way. Is there anything more we can learn about this in relation to him?
Tim’s family have set up the Tim Bergling Foundation that aims to educate and recognise suicide as a global health emergency. It supports organisations engaged in research and preventative actions against mental health and suicide in young people. The legacy of Tim has led to incredible things, such as renaming the Ericsson Globe to the Avicii Arena where the foundation also runs projects and events.
Mental health is a prevalent topic in the book and bringing it closer to home; if your situation seems unbearable to you or if someone close to you needs support there is always help available. In the UK the leading charities for mental health are:
Do you listen to Tim’s music?
Yes I do. We are similar ages so naturally I grew up in my seminal partying years with Avicii’s music! Having recorded this audiobook I have definitely found a new appreciation for how talented a musical composer he was, which is demonstrated in his documentary True Stories also. He was so creative in bringing different genres together into his music and working with an incredible diversity of artists such as Nile Rogers, Chris Martin, Keith Urban and Mac Davis.
What other Swedish music do you listen to?
I listen to a few Swedish-singing musical artists like the folk music of Cornelis Vreeswijk. I remember listening to him as a kid on loop in the Summer car journeys to Gunnebo. I am always amazed by how prominent Swedes are as songwriters and producers in the industry led by people like Max Martin and Carl Falk. They are a huge influence on modern pop culture, which is really cool that a relatively small country can remain so prevalent in the music industry. It can’t be denied that ABBA after a few drinks is a hell of a vibe. I love the remixes of their music in the festival circuits now where they remain relevant but rooted in that disco scene.
A free day: how do you best spend it?
Active and fresh paycheck answer: Go for a nice early walk (I love Windmill Tearooms in Wimbledon), then into a nice shopping quarter (e.g. BOXPARK area of Shoreditch) and lunch. I’d finish the day off at the Theatre (National/The Globe/Barbican), followed by dinner in a food market. Drinking through the day is optional.
Lazy & broke answer: Watch sport all day, long read in the bath, and make fun meals at home e.g, Sushi/Pizza. Drinking through the day is optional.
Which are your favorite restaurants in London?
Breakfast – Brickwood Coffee & Bread
Brunch – Roka in Aldwych for a treat. They have an incredible set menu with free-flowing wine.
Takeaway lunch – Panzer’s Deli in St Johns Wood – their sandwiches/paninis/bagels are unreal!
Lunch – Petersham Nurseries in Richmond (expensive but fantastic food and atmosphere)
Dinner – I love food markets so would recommend Tooting Market, Mercato Metropolitano, and Dinerama.
