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WHO ARE WE?
Swedish singer-songwriter Jonas “Joppe” Hellerup – Sigvard – has been called the “21st century Cash” and “Sweden's Nick Cave”. Together with The Bonewhispers, he delivers a dynamic Americana ranging from twangy blues to Southern gothic and Rootsy folk music, with a twist of Nordic melancholy. Their own name for it is Hippie Noir.
Jonas "Joppe" Hellerup
Exploring his own music as part of a healing journey, Joppe discovered the profound impact of his childhood sounds – his father's Country/American folk, his mother's love for Swedish troubadours, and his sister's punk and reggae influences. Under the name Sigvard, he has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians, guided by producer Johan Almstig's enchanting soundscape. Sigvard is a family name that’s been passed down for generations in Joppe’s family, and he chose the name as a symbol of his explorations of manhood, honesty, heritage and shame.
Mats ”Backbone” Brandström
started playing guitar, drums and percussion, at an early age. At eleven, he started his first band with his brother Lars. During his teenage years he played with the best band in his hometown, Karlshamn, in all genres ranging from Heavy Metal to Jazz. In recent years he’s been deep diving into Roots music and Americana, and also learned how to play the banjo, in his ambition to evolve further as a musician and to develop an even deeper understanding of true Americana and Roots music.
Lars ”Mr. Bonewhisper” Brandström
took up guitar in his early teens, inspired by his uncle’s extensive record collection. When he heard BB King live on radio it triggered his ambition to make music with others.
Together with his brother Mats he played in several bands in his late teens, a passion that has followed him through his adult life. Beyond his cherished Duesenberg guitar, Lars's mastery extends to diverse instruments like lap steel, dobro, mandolin, and harmonica.
Olof Broberg
started playing Soul, Funk and Hip Hop on the bass, with various different bands during his high school- and college years. Later he started to write his own music and release it under the name OB3ple.
Olof encountered the Branström brothers while buying a bass pedal from Lars and was convinced to become the bass player of The Bonewhispers in 2021.
Goran Petrovski
Started playing the violin at the age of 9. In high school, he joined his first cover band, performing rock and pop music. Two years ago, he began composing his own LoFi-style music. After moving to Sweden, he played for a few months with Pank Mahone from Helsingborg and then joined Kustvägen, nearly two years ago.
The name The Bonewhispers was given by the Malmö legend, artist, and promoter, Stellan ”Iry” Viking during a gig in Malmö 2020.
2018, the EP "Bones" is released featuring esteemed guest artists such as Mikael Marin, CATT, Emma Nordenstam, Ayi Solomon, Jonas Färnlöf. The song ”Memory full of dirt” is placed number 2 in Song of the year top by Country Eagle Radio.
Relocating to southern Sweden in 2018, Joppe encountered the Brandström brothers of The Mudkings, and joined by Olof Broberg they formed Sigvard & The Bonewhispers - a band that could make even the Queen of all Norway sing along.
The band has embarked on their first release together, "The Ballad of St. Catherine of Clare" (Heptown Records) in February 2023. The album delves into dark realms, weaving stories of personal demons, chemical abuse, and heartbreak against a backdrop of classic Americana.
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