Claes Rosen – Urban Rebel PR Interview
Having had many years of experience as a hitmaker in the scene with his solo projects and as duo L-Wiz, Claes Rosen has recently switched his focus to his take on huge Marvin Gaye classic ‘If This World Were Mine’. Starting life as a bootleg, it gained tens of millions of views on YouTube and after a long road, it finally got given an official release.
We put UR 10 Questions to Claes Rosen to learn more.
What was your relationship to music growing up?
Music was always present around me, my dad and brother both played guitar, but I was more into painting until I was about 7 or 8. Then I got a keyboard as a gift and started attending keyboard school. That led to piano lessons, then drums, and eventually guitar, which I played in a hardcore band.
I also started experimenting with music on computers early on. I began with a DAW on an old Amiga 500, moved to FastTracker II on my first PC, and later combined it with Rebirth, a live keyboard, and editing in Cool Edit. After that, I dove deep into Reason and finally settled on Ableton Live, which I still use today.
What made you want to start your own career in music, and how did you start creating?
It wasn’t really a decision, it just happened naturally. I made a few tracks and shared them online, and eventually, that led to my first official release around 2006. That was also when we dropped L-Wiz’s debut dubstep release. I had already been experimenting with UK garage and 2-step, which eventually evolved into dubstep for me.
Are there any particular sounds or artists you feel most inspired by?
Definitely a few. I’ve always admired Warren Harris and the early Svek records out of Stockholm. But honestly, I’m more into individual songs than specific artists. I listen to all kinds of music. Growing up, I was deep into hardcore and metal, that scene has some incredible melodies that still inspire me.
Aside from producing music under your own name, you’re also part of the duo L-Wiz, where you’ve seen massive success. Can you tell us more about L-Wiz and the origins of the duo?
L-Wiz is me and my friend Ola. He introduced me to garage and conga rhythms in the early 2000s, and I started experimenting with the sound. After a few tracks, we formed L-Wiz. In 2004, we went to London with some CDs, which ended up on the first Dub Police release. That opened a lot of doors. In 2011, we even won a Swedish award for Best Dance, up against Avicii and Swedish House Mafia, pretty surreal.
What have been some of the more stand-out moments of your career so far?
Winning the P3 Gold Award for Best Dance with L-Wiz was a huge moment. And more recently, finally releasing ‘If This World Were Mine’ that’s a personal victory. I’m incredibly proud (and relieved) that it’s out in the world.
The story of ‘If This World Were Mine’ and its beginnings as a bootleg is interesting—can you tell us more about it?
It started as a bootleg around 2013, but I wasn’t happy with how it sounded, so I shelved it. That’s something I often do, walk away and come back later with fresh ears. I revisited it in 2015 and went through more than 20 versions before it felt right. The vocals just worked so well, but since it was sampled, I couldn’t release it.
I shared it with some fans, and a few years later, I found it uploaded on YouTube with millions of views. That lit a spark. I turned down an early licensing offer and instead decided to re-record everything and release it as a cover.
How does it feel to get ‘If This World Were Mine’ out into the world officially?
It honestly feels like a weight’s been lifted. I’m proud, but also wondering, “what now?” It’s a bit of a tough act to follow, but I’ve got some other projects in the pipeline… maybe even some old gems that need finishing.
What has the fan response been like?
It’s been amazing. I’ve been getting emails and comments that really mean a lot. I’ve been replying to messages from years ago and reaching out to people who supported the bootleg version. I’m doing everything I can to guide listeners from the old version to this official release. It’s not automatic, I really need help spreading the word.
Is the idea of remaking classic tracks something you’d want to explore more?
Maybe! I don’t have anything planned right now, but now that I understand the process better, I’d definitely be open to doing it again, with fewer headaches next time.
What’s next in 2025?
I’ve got a few releases lined up, and I’d love to put out some new dubstep—it’s been a while. We have some unreleased L-Wiz tracks sitting around. Also, our old crew All Out Dubstep is throwing a party in Stockholm on July 19th, which I’m really looking forward to.