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| In Norway, it's going very well for Sissel Kyrkjebø's first album in seven years: over 100,000 sold in only a few weeks. |
Carola calls herself a rock star and Sissel Kyrkjebø makes a pop album — now the hymns and folk songs are gone.
With the help of Lene Marlin
and Espen Lind, Norway's nearly holy singer wants to be tough.
"Of course, it continues to be
my style with my voice in the center."
And absolutely Sissel does maintain
her style. It is her clear voice and songs which have an Enya influence.
And she just can't let go without putting a Norwegian hymn on a pop album
which is otherwise entirely in English.
"I don't have any dreams of being
a pop star — if it happens, it happens. But it would be really cool
if the album sold well," said Sissel.
In Norway it has gone well for Sissel
Kyrkjebø's first album in seven years: over 100,000 albums sold
in only a few weeks.
Norway continues to love its Sissel
and seems to have forgotten the "scandal" of 12 years ago when she as a
20-year-old fell in love with the 45-year old Danish Eddie Skoller when
she was a guest on his TV program. Now they are married, have two
children and have lived for 11 years in Copenhagen.
"I want him!"
"But I'm often in Norway and recorded
my album in Oslo," said Sissel, who also got help from Norway's pop elite,
Lene Marlin and Espen Lind.
"I heard Espen's album when we were
going to record and I yelled, 'I want him!'"
Espen wrote a song and in less than
a week there was a finished duet which now will be released as a single
and video.
Lene Marlin has written two songs
on the album and Sissel also used Marlin's producer Jørn Dahl.
This reminds one of the Swedish
singer Carola. The breakthrough from Eurovision, the Christian faith,
the role as Maria in the "Sound of Music," Christmas concerts — the parallels
are many.
"We broke through in the same way
and were both young, so therefore there are similarities. But I was
only singing during the break during Eurovision," said Sissel and laughed
loudly. Otherwise, Sissel is often called "songbird" not seldom with
words like "little" and "sweet."
• "Isn't that tiresome — you
are, well... not little?"
"No, I am quite big (tall).
But that's been quite a while since anyone has described me thus.
If anyone writes that today, then they obviously haven't met me," said
Sissel.
Dancing to Björk
Today her hair is short and dark
and the clothes are far from the earlier Laura Ashley creations.
But it's the voice which sells and
it was that which got Sissel the opportunity to sing on the "Titanic" soundtrack
and she recorded "Prince Igor" with Warren G a few years ago.
At home they listen to other voices.
Sissel's daughters dance to Björk and sing the Danish hit song "Fly
On The Wings Of Love."
• "How do you manage the career
and family life?"
"I have a great husband who is at
home with the children when I travel. It's important that he understands
my career," said Sissel.
© 2001 The Sissel Website