"Lene Marlin has several songs on the album," said Karlsen who claims they'll be surprised if there are any albums left lying around after the album is released 20. November. The album is yet unnamed.

"Sissel shows new sides to her talent. She has an unbelievable breadth of ability," said Karlsen.

NO ESPEN LIND
Besides Lene Marlin, who is waiting until summer 2001 to release her own album, Morten Abel has written songs for the new album. On the other hand, Espen Lind has not contributed.

"Espen has actually never been in the picture. That was just some media nonsense," said Karlsen, who claims Lind has been entirely too busy with his own album to write anything for Sissel.

"The news is that Sissel has been involved with writing songs herself, in cooperation with head producer, Jørn Dahl and Stargate," said Karlsen.

All the Stageway talents have contributed to make this album the most exciting project in Sissel's career.

Finally it looks like she can have the international breakthrough many have expected of her for nearly 15 years.

Ever since the Eurovision Song Contest where Sissel performed during the interval in Bergen in 1986 and her first album, Sissel has shown promise of a shining international career.

"I am too lazy and have it all too good with Eddie (Skoller) and my two daughters," said Sissel when BA spoke with her in the winter.
At that time she was disappointed that the collaboration with star producer Rick Chertoff had fallen apart. Several million Norwegian crowns (around 10 to 12 million--$1.1 to 1.3 million US dollars) were thrown away on the USA adventure which started in 1997, but was not ended soon enough. Now it seems that all of the USA recordings have been rejected.

SINGLE 23. OCTOBER
The first single from the new album will be sent out to radio stations on 23. October.

The entire album is cultivated pop - adapted for the European market. A market which should still have a certain knowledge of Sissel, after her success with "Prince Igor" with Warren G.

Sources near Sissel say that it will be a complete bonus if Americans also understand Sissel's musical direction.

Rick Chertoff tried to make Sissel something that she wasn't and "forgot" that he was working with a great musical personality, it is said.

The new album will be heavily advertised on TV in Norway before Christmas, and first some time in the new year promoted internationally.

Sissel will perform at the closing of the European Cultural Capital in Bergen with songs from the album in the beginning of December, which will be her only big concert this year.

She has declined to participate in this year's Christmas concerts for the first time in 11 years. But she did accept an opportunity to sing a song or two during the Nobel Gala in Oslo on 11. December.

She will also do TV appearances on several channels in connecting with the launch of the album.

It will soon be an unbelievable seven years since Sissel Kyrkjebø released an album. The hot "Innerst i sjelen" (Deep Within My Soul) came out in the winter of 1994 and sold quite well in Scandinavia and Japan.