A Singer Who Had Most of His Body Burned by Electrocution Is Embracing His Uniqueness

Axel Schylström is a 30-year-old singer with a remarkable journey. When he was 19, he received a 16,000 volt electric shock which resulted in burns on 70% of his body. Today, he learned to embrace the way he looks, but it wasn’t easy.

The accident that changed his life.

Axel Schylström’s accident resulted from a bad experience while subway surfing. At 19, he came into contact with power lines and received a massive electric shock, burning most of his body and half of his face.

Realizing he would never look the same way again.

The accident left him fighting for his life, and the recovery was challenging. He recalled that during the first month as a burn victim, his primary focus was survival. However, the most challenging realization came when he understood that he would never look the same again.

The bloom of his music career

But not everything was lost. While listening to a lot of music while recovering at the hospital, Axel decided to try to participate in the Swedish version of American Idol. The dream became true, and he ended up in fourth place.

Axel remembers the feeling of “I can do anything” once he ended up his participation in the reality show. He recalls that before hitting the TV, he felt extremely ashamed, preferring to stay indoors and hide, unwilling to face his reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, he found himself on stage, with millions of eyes fixated on him.

Now, he wants to inspire other people.

Today, he manages his work as a singer with being a motivational speaker because he wants to inspire other burn victims. As he learned to love himself, he now wants others to follow his lead. His message is clear: “Beauty is loving yourself.”

“I don’t think it really matters how you look. It’s about how you look at yourself. It’s ok to be different,” he believes.