Rasmus Hagen & Maxine, image courtesy artist

From the heart of Sweden, Platinum-selling artist Rasmus Hagen has dropped his latest track “Learn to Love,” featuring Dutch artist Maxine. The track is a waterfall of emotion and amorous melodies capturing the power of finding love again. After the release of his debut album in February, Hagen rose up the ranks with a platinum score in just six months.

Hagen shares his inspiration for music explaining, “Since I started the Rasmus Hagen project, I’ve always been very inspired by pop singer/songwriters like Ed Sheeran, Lauv and John Mayer, Julia Michaels etc. I’ve always tried to really imitate sounds from artists like these but every time the final result ends up sounding completely different. Soundwise for my new song ‘Learn To Love’ I think I strived for a blend between a Julia Michaels song and an Ed Sheeran ballad.”  

Written about tearing down emotional barriers, the track touches on the magic in finding the courage to fall in love again despite the hurt and pain caused in the past. Learning to trust, or rather, learning to love, is the central theme of this track, glazed in a mix of hope and fear.

Instantly capturing us with his haunting, echoing voice, Hagen sings, “we’re skin to skin / paper-thin,” over a dancing piano and mellow rhythm. The song translates love through the production with the beating heart of drums, building pop synths and the piano switching from delicate motifs to pulsing chords doused in energy and romance. The dynamics switch into a calmer mode before Maxine’s voice takes your breath away with her gentle tone before they both sing together with goosebump-inducing harmonies and passion. This is certainly a track you want to add to your romantic playlists.