Knife Magazine

It's time for something new. Sometimes it's a new morning routine, a new pair of loafers, or maybe a new mindset. But change and the urge to be different doesn't necessarily mean that you have to let something go. Sometimes you just feel like adding a new flavor to the mix – and that's exactly why we're excited to finally launch our new feature, Knife Introduces. This time, we're glad to introduce Devil. A new project from Anton Falck, who's best known for his work with First Hate.

The project emerged from the award-winning documentary, Amphi. A film about sexual liberation and freedom. Anton was asked to star in the movie as well as contributing to the soundtrack. His debut single, One Day is an extended version of that contribution.

"When I finally got the idea for the song I was sitting in the back of the bus somewhere. I recorded the vocals on my phone and out of nowhere tears started running down my cheeks. That has never happened before", Anton explains.

The music video, which is co-directed by Anton himself and Amphi director, Mathias Broe contains exclusive and previously unseen material from the film. Exploration of fluid sexuality seen from a male perspective was the main theme of the documentary​ and is produced by the creative studio, Morph. The video contains magical runes based on an alphabet he invented as a kid to write secret diaries about his sexuality.

I met up with Devil in his Vesterbro apartment. A big place in the heart of Copenhagen where he has lived with his three cats for quite a while. It's a bit messy since he's moving back to his hometown after almost 10 years in the city. "It feels kinda special to move after such a long time in this apartment, but you know, it's always nice when something new occurs. Especially when you can time it with a season change".

He seems tired and a little bit bored, but eventually gets more excited as our conversation about his forthcoming project moves forward. We share a bottle of sparkling water and a local dessert. Thankfully it's one of his favorites; strawberries and cream. He becomes a bit fresher and begins to open up about the Devil-project - which still's on a very early basis. That's important to notice. I turn on my recorder, but before I get to ask him the first couple of questions, Anton (or Devil?) immediately stops me and states that this isn't the end of First Hate. Not at all. They're currently in the studio recording their sophomore album and are returning with a batch of new hits later this year.

One of the reasons he decided to launch a solo project then, was the freedom to do exactly what he wanted. To work without compromises and to be able to embrace life's inevitable loneliness, "I think it's crucial to be alone and to do stuff entirely on your own. That also counts stuff that isn't necessarily artistic or creative. It's important to be alone and stand on your own feet. You're always capable of learning something new, and that's why I do this project".

He spills a huge scoop of ice cream on his white blankets, but carelessly he continues, "... that being said, Devil is also about letting your inner demons go and reveal some of your deepest secrets. I like to challenge the idea of what's allowed and what's not allowed. All those things you decide to hide - things we sometimes call our demons. For me, Devil is about unleashing those demons and letting them go. Demons can also be beautiful creatures, you know. Besides that, I have always been extremely interested in the occult. Occult origins in the Latin word, occulō, which means to hide or to cover something up. It's all about diving deep down into yourself. Sometimes it's important to share stuff, sometimes it isn't. I did that with Amphi, and it gave me the opportunity to let something go. I talked a lot about myself, and that really helped me during that period."

The 35-year old singer has often been described as an energetic frontman and has always received a lot of praise for his stage presence, which he remains grateful for, but Devil is going to be something surprisingly different.

"Live is going to be something different than what may be teased in the music video. I think it's interesting to think of a concert as something else than the usual idolizing where a crowd are entertained by the person who performs. Sure, I'm happy to be a part of the party and I'll gladly contribute with some music, but I don't feel the necessity to be present on stage. Not with this project. If people want to disappear, then they should do it. Not stare at me or adore what I do. I'm not important."

When asked about the future of the project, Devil gives me a childlike smile and tells me it's a secret. I turn off the recorder, gaze at the window and taste a little bit of what's left of the ice cream.