Second Album Syndrome Helped Troye Sivan Deliver 2018's Biggest Pop LP

"I had never consciously written happy music before and then I was just really happy in my life and I was like, 'What does that sound like?'" Sivan recalls. "Nine out of ten times when we're writing, we'll start with chords whether it's on piano or a synth or something like that. And I think that inherently, sort of, makes me want to write something slow and makes me want to write something, maybe just kind of heartfelt or whatever. And so this time I kind of pushed myself. I was like, 'What if we start with a kick drum instead?' Or 'What if we start with...?' just to push myself a little bit and try and find out what a song that I write that's not sad sounds like. I wouldn't have gotten half of the songs on the album if it wasn't for switching up that process, I don't think."

While he hit the mainstream already backed by a huge following from his YouTube days, it's fair to say 23-year-old Sivan's rise globally was swift. The South-African-born-Perth-raised artist's 2015 EP Wild peaked at #1 in Australia and just three months later, he released his debut album, Blue Neighbourhood, which smashed charts around the world and featured hit track, Youth, as well as the previously-released, Wild.

Coming into his second record, Bloom, Sivan made a point to not rush the process. "I came into the process really not wanting to rush anything and kind of wanting to take my time and do what felt right," he said.

"I think I was just really inspired because then the album just came together surprisingly quickly. Songs just started to really fall into place."

In January this year, Bloom's first single was released — My My My! — which again proved to be a hit for both critics and fans. "I started off the process with my core crew that I wrote my first album with and so it was super comfortable. I felt a lot more confident and comfortable, so we were just trying stuff and having a really good time. The second part of the process was going to work with, like, Max Martin's crew [Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, NSYNC].

"So that was half in LA and half in Sweden. At that point, I felt we had built enough of a sound with my core crew to then take it to them and be like, 'Ok, what does the pop-iest end of that world sound like and how do we find that?' It was the best."

As well as the already-released track with fellow pop sensation Ariana Grande, Dance To This, Sivan worked with Sydney artist, Gordi (who no doubt will get some extra eyes on her following Bloom's release) for Postcard. However, some will be surprised to know that despite the Australian connection, it was one fateful flight from the US back home where Sivan first heard Gordi's music.

"I was on a Qantas flight and I fell asleep with the headphones on and it was like, Qantas radio or whatever, and I remember waking up from my sleep being like, 'Whose voice is in my ears right now?' I didn't have internet so I was, like, trying to figure out what she was saying and write down lyrics so that I could Google it once I landed. That was probably a good year and a half ago, maybe two years ago... she was in LA and we were gonna write together, basically. I thought maybe we were just writing for me or maybe just writing for her, I didn't really know what was going on.

"I asked her if she would sing background vocals and the bridge on this song and it's, like, one of my favourite moments on the entire album. I feel like as soon as she starts to sing it, it's like the air gets sucked out of the room. She's just got the most beautiful voice and is such a good writer. I'm a big, big fan."

Sivan will embark on a massive tour of the US just weeks after Bloom drops. There is probably no better way to prepare than by performing in front of over 60,000 people with Taylor Swift, which is exactly what he did in May at LA's Rose Bowl.

Shortly after his cameo at Swift's concert, Sivan confirmed that his guest spot was planned last minute and only came about after he sent a text to Swift asking for tickets to the show that night. "I'm like, 'Hey can I get some free tickets?' And she's like, 'Well, yeah, if you come on stage and perform with me,'" he recently told Zane Lowe.

"I thought I was going to be fine and I actually wasn't in the beginning," Sivan admits.

"I popped up out of the stage like Destiny's Child style and I loved that. When I looked straight forward, I was like, 'Ok, the venue's not that tall, so I can do this.' The difference was that I looked to the side and it just didn't end. The crowd just didn't finish. And then I looked to the other side and there was double on the other side.

"Everyone had on these colourful wrist bands, so you could see every single person and then I started feeling kind of queasy for a second. I looked at the floor to try and ground myself and the floor of her stage is, like, LED screens so it's, like, moving and changing. As a last resort I was like, 'You know what, I'm gonna look at her face because seeing another person close up in a huge crowd will also probably ground me.' And then I was like, 'Oh my God, that's Taylor Swift!' So it didn't help at all. But I managed to calm myself down. Once we started to strut down the stage I felt much better."

Sivan confirms that Australian shows are in the pipeline for his Bloom tour but he's already focused on what comes next. It could be an album, or it could not.

"[A third album] is a little bit in my brain but... I'm also tempted to do whatever I want and maybe do an EP or maybe do some more acting. I've also thought about going to uni maybe for a little bit."