Full Steam Ahead in the USA

FINALLY "OVER THERE": Sissel Kyrkjebø has a debut album with familiar stuff ready for the USA. Another new album with all new material is in the works especially for the American market.
Archive photo: TOR ARNE DALSNES

BERGEN (Dagbladet): Finally Sissel Kyrkjebø is ready for a big release in the USA. Recording of a new album titled "Sissel" was done in the summer, and will be released on the 1st of October. Work on yet another album for the American market is underway.

By LEIF STANG, translated from Norwegian by Robert A Jones
Saturday 21. september 2002 10:55

Chris Roberts, chief of Decca Records--subsidiary of Universal Music, is behind the project and had a new photo shoot of Sissel done. She is more sexy in these photos than previously.

Manager Arne Svare of Stageway told Dagbladet that it is already possible to order the new album through several internet sites. It is available, among other places, on the Web site iclassics.com of Universal Records. In the course of two weeks, 50,000 copies of the album were ordered for record stores in the USA. The expectation is to sell 100,000 albums in the first push before Christmas.

"That's a small amount in the USA, but we won't know the interest level before we actually launch the album," said Arne Svare.

TV show
Sissel will appear on several shows in some larger American cities.

"We'll have a show in New York on 7. oktober and will be in Los Angeles the day after. There will be a TV show for PBS and several activities in the largest American cities, among others Washington, Boston and San Francisco. We've planned for 20 days in the USA with shows in October and will continue into November. We will wait for the response to decide what we do after that," said Arne Svare.

Fast Pace
Since the record label Decca first decided to release Sissel, it's gone at a very fast pace. Decca chief Roberts really likes the Norwegian songbird.

The album "Sissel" was recorded in July and August. It consists entirely of songs she has sung previously. Most of them are from her last studio album "All Good Things," but now has a sound more appropriate for the American market.

This is also because the Americans found that "All Good Things" was a little too much like artists such as Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. They wanted a more original Sissel with a more "naked" sound. She recorded this first USA-release with American musicians. Recording of yet another album is already well underway.

New material
"On this there will be only new material. It's normal in the USA to spend six to nine months launching a new album. We've received word from the Americans that they want another new album as soon as possible, however. Therefore, we're planning on a lot of work and travel in the near future," said Arne Svare.

Previously Sissel has been reticent to go full steam ahead in the USA because that requires a lot of time, traveling and shows to support a release. She's very happy with her Danish family and has chosen to set it first among her priorities.

"The record label is the one pushing for a big release now and Sissel has agreed to it. They have a big campaign in full swing, but much will depend on the response from the first part of the launch. I don't believe Sissel will be in the USA for nine months straight, but will travel back and forth to maintain important contact with the family in Denmark," said Arne Svare.