The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde Teams Up With Yttling Jazz For Cover Of The Doors’ “People Are Strange”

This past Friday, Swedish Grammy Award winners Yttling Jazz joined forces with Chrissie Hynde, the iconic frontwoman of The Pretenders, for live performance of The Doors’ classic “People Are Strange” on Sweden’s hugely popular television show På Spåret. With the song choice kept under wraps ahead of the broadcast due to the show’s quiz format, the performance marked the surprise debut of their collaboration. The artists have now released a studio recording of “People Are Strange,” produced by Björn Yttling, reimagining the classic with an alternative, indie-jazz sensibility, featuring harmonica and saxophone solos alongside Hynde’s unmistakable vocals. Björn Yttling and Chrissie Hynde are longtime friends and collaborators, with Yttling having co-written and produced much of Hynde’s 2014 solo album, Stockholm. “Such a great reunion! I managed to convince my longtime friend Chrissie to interrupt her vacation and travel all the way from France to Sweden to perform this California classic with us on TV. Her vocals are fantastic and work so well with our sound,” says Björn Yttling of Yttling Jazz. “I did go to Gothenburg a couple weeks ago to sing with The Bjorn Yttling Jazz combo. You’ll remember I did that Stockholm album with Bjorn about 10 years ago. It’s always good to hang out with those Swedes. And Bjorn’s Jazz album, Yttling Jazz, is great. Glad to sing with them any time,” says Chrissie Hynde.

Yttling Jazz’s collaborations also include Joshua Idehen, Bobby Gillespie, Yukimi, The Tallest Man on Earth, and El Perro del Mar, all featured on the deluxe edition of Illegal Hit (Out of Bounds). The original album, Illegal Hit (2025), won Best Jazz Album at the 2026 Swedish Grammy Awards. Beyond Yttling Jazz, Björn Yttling has had a busy year as a songwriter and producer, contributing to much of Lykke Li’s acclaimed latest album, The Afterparty. His work with Lykke Li also received renewed attention this summer when Drake used the melody from her 2011 hit “I Follow Rivers” on his track “Janice STFU.” Yttling is also one-third of the acclaimed Swedish indie rock trio Peter Bjorn and John, currently touring the U.S. in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their landmark album Writer’s Block.