I’m a musician and some of my best friends are women. But it’s not about sex

Pelle Almqvist, also known as “Howlin’” Pelle Almqvist, is best known as the lead singer of The Hives. Here, the 47-year-old talks about the women who influenced his life, including several long-term partners. He’s now dating Swedish actor Ana Gil de Melo Nascimento.

I was lucky to grow up knowing my maternal great-grandmother, Ingeborg, who lived in Fagersta, Sweden. She was very tough, inspiring and won a rifle-shooting competition at age 90 – she could still touch her toes at that age. She died when I was 17.

My maternal grandmother, Ulla, met my grandfather when she was 16. They were very in love and worked together running shoe stores until he died at 83. I was very close to her.

Mum [Eva] is one of three siblings. She has two sons – me and my brother, Niklas. We are both in the Hives together, which has had its challenges over the years. Mum worked as a language teacher and was well liked at work.

My mother always wanted a third child, but Dad was a doctor and nervous after having two healthy children – he didn’t want anything to go wrong. Dad fell out with his family when he was 16, so I didn’t get to know that side of the family.

Dad was very firm that he was done raising us boys once we turned 18. Dad’s theory meant Mum had to let go of us, which I witnessed as being painful for her. I was definitely a mama’s boy growing up. I actually wanted my dad to move out so I could have her all to myself!

Mum always worried about her sons being on tour in a band together. Our parents thought if there was an accident, they’d lose both of us at once. They worried a lot in the early days but not so much now. Mum came to a lot of our shows and even bought my grandma along. They were very proud.

I had my first girlfriend aged 14. We dated for six months. I’ve always enjoyed female company.

My first long-term relationship started when I was 19 and lasted for six years. She was also in a band. It didn’t work out but it was a formative experience for both of us.

I’ve never had short relationships. I dated musician Maria Andersson from Swedish rock band Sahara Hotnights in the 2000s. We both loved music and touring. This was a hard relationship to be in because of logistics. You realise that music is your life but it’s not all of it. Seeing that there’s more to life than music was key in my 20s and 30s.

I dated [PR consultant] Catrin Nilsson for 14 years until 2024. I learnt to go on holidays and do simple things in life with her – I missed a lot of that because I was always travelling with the band. I got stuck in a workaholic habit; Catrin taught me how to find joy away from the band.

Swedish musician Little Jinder was a huge influence on my life 10 years ago after we met at a charity gig and got to know each other. She’s a controversial artist who taught me to appreciate other kinds of existences. I hadn’t made an album in 10 years with the Hives at that point and she opened doors for me to get going again creatively. Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers has a similar energy – a life force and fun to be around.

I’m in a relationship now with an actress, Ana [Gil de Melo Nascimento]. It’s new and exciting and we share a lot of cultural experiences together.

I am not married and haven’t started a family yet. It could have happened at a few points in my life, but didn’t. I am OK with that.

Some of my best friends are women. I am in a rock band, with lots of time for male camaraderie, but when I am back home in Sweden I like to catch up with my female friends. It’s not a sexual thing; I just find women are the ones I can relate to best and want to talk politics with.

The album The Hives Forever Forever The Hives is out now.

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