Swedish-born artist Salme Dahlstrom has built a reputation as both a boundary-pushing musician and a powerhouse in music licensing. Dubbed a “savvy singer” and “music licensing queen” by The Wall Street Journal, Dahlstrom achieved a rare feat with her 2008 album The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade—successfully licensing every track to corporations and television programs, following in the footsteps of artists like Moby.

One of the standout tracks, “C’mon Y’All” climbed the Billboard Dance Chart and found its way into major ad campaigns for brands like CoverGirl, Suave, and Kellogg’s—airing on primetime television and embedding itself into pop culture. Chances are, you’ve heard it.

While building a highly successful licensing business, Dahlstrom never lost sight of her creative roots. Her music—funky, hook-driven, and irresistibly fun—has a way of sticking with listeners long after the first play.

In 2011, she released “So Delicious,” a dancefloor-ready hit that reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Dance Chart and featured a remix by her longtime hero Junior Vasquez. She followed this with the Pop Propaganda collection, including titles like Lux Punk and Pop Ur Heart Out. The releases earned praise from Entertainment Weekly, which described her sound as “relentlessly hooky and ridiculously accessible” while also generating further licensing success with brands such as eos and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as placements in TV and film.

With her latest release, “Dance You Funky Animals” (THH Records), Dahlstrom continues to evolve her signature high-energy electro-pop. Blending tribal drums, techno textures, and her trademark funky grooves, the album delivers an uplifting, dance-driven experience. The lead single, “Shake Your Soul” featuring Lydia Renè, highlights her genre-blending style—fusing ‘60s R&B horn sections and disco guitars with modern electronic production.

“My commitment when it comes to creating music is and has always been to have fun and stir some s**t up,” Dahlstrom says. “Start a fire and then walk right through it. Because if you don’t have fun, what do you have?”

A true independent force, Dahlstrom remains fully hands-on in her craft—writing, producing, performing, and mixing her own music. “I love being self-contained,” she says. “It gives me the control to put down exactly what’s in my head. It’s exciting to be me.”

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