Sayonara Wild Hearts NLVGM
Image: Simogo / Nintendo Life

Throughout the Nintendo Life Video Game Music Festival we've been speaking to a range of composers and musicians for a mixture of in-depth interviews and shorter, sharper (and perhaps a little goofier) Q&As where we ask just ten rapid-fire personal questions; we're calling these shorter features 'Quick Beats'.

We spoke to today's interviewee not too long ago, where we discussed moving from animating to soundtrack work, and working on a critically acclaimed 'pop album video game'. Today, though, Daniel Olsén returns to answer 10 quickfire questions that have been a mainstay of this NL VGM Festival.

Let's get into it!

Nintendo Life: What was the first song or album you remember buying?

Daniel Olsén: The first album was either Europe’s The Final Countdown, or a Phil Collins album. The first single I bought was LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out.

What was the last music you listened to?

BTS - MIC Drop (Steve Aoki remix).

What was the very first video game you wrote music for, and how do you feel listening back now?

It was called The Third Wave. I don’t think I want to listen to it, haha!

Which piece of yours are you most proud of?

I think maybe ‘Sayonara Wild Heart’, the title music from SWH.

Which piece by someone else do you wish you had written?

Definitely Super Mario Theme or Legend of Zelda theme, they are just so timeless and iconic. Or maybe The Good, Bad and the Ugly by Morricone. I can’t choose—I hypothetically want them all.

What do you listen to while you're driving?

I like to hear new music, so I usually end up just swapping through radio stations to skip the commercials. If my girlfriend is in the car we listen to kpop, which I also enjoy a lot.

Do you have a musical hero?

I think Ennio Morricone was and still is so inspiring. He was active his whole life, wrote so much, and just kept on going. I want to be like that—I never want to stop writing and releasing music.

Which decade had the best music?

That’s a hard one. I love how music is always evolving, but for nostalgia I think late '80s and early '90s are pretty great for me.

Ocarina, harp or bongos — which magical instrument do you take on an epic adventure?

I’m pretty rhythm-centric so probably bongos. Also I imagine carrying them around would make me really strong.

If your house were on fire and you only had time to grab one keepsake before you flee to safety with your family, what would you take?

I’d take my music computer.

Our thanks to Daniel Olsén. Be sure to check out our other Quick Beats interviews with the likes of Austin Wintory, Yuzo Koshiro, Darren Korb, Jake Kaufman, Lena Raine, Manami Matsumae, David Wise and more, and be sure to read more interviews and features that have been part of the Nintendo Life VGM Fest.