Sissel's Blog

Hi Again!

2010-12-15T06:22:00.003-05:00

Hello Friends!

Done with a fantastic tour in Norway. What a beautiful country we have!

Thanks to all of you who joined me on this tour! Thanks for coming to my conserts and shearing the joy of music with me!

I just love singing these songs from my new album! And the other songs on the consert. Great evening every time and I can´t wait till our Sweden and Denish tour! That will be wonderful!

Now I am doing some signings for the album at different places around Oslo for the next 4 days. Tomorrow evening I will start at Strømmen and Jessheim. It is nice to meet the audience like this, but it can also be a bit stressful as time is running fast and I can´t talk to everybody as much as I wanted. But people are so nice and positive and I really enjoy meeting everybody!

Now I will listen to some Holiday music and relax and enjoy before working again!

Take care and enjoy!

;-)

Sissel

Take care and enjoy the wonderful Holiday Season!

2010-11-05T06:46:00.004-04:00

Hello again!

Sitting here in my kitchen rehearsing the song for my tour. Tomorrow I will have the first rehearsal with the band. I am really looking forward to sing with these great musicians again!

There are three new in the band from last tour. Kjetil Stensnes, Børge Pettersen and Unni Wilhelmsen. Gifted guitarplayers and Unni has a great voice as well. She has her own solo career and has just finished her tour i Norway. Check her out on google and you tube! Sending you a pic from our rehearsal some day....

Take care ! ;-)

Sissel

2010-11-02T06:18:00.004-04:00

Hello dear friends,

busy time! Hope you are all well. It is so nice to hear from you all. Tomorrow I will do some filming for my new album. That will be fun! It is so wonderful to see that everything is turning out so well.

The picture you see is from Nashville where it all started. Nashville art! The single "velkommen hjem" , (Welcome home) is from our visit to this great music city that is so much alive!

As I have travelled around these last days on promo in Sweden and Norway there are some really good moments where you meet old close friends. As I met Peter Jöback. A great singer from Sweden. (His live album comes out on the 19th of November,as mine comes out on the 12th of November) We always have a great time together and he always makes me smile! That really made my day! Good friends are priceless gifts !

So Take care everybody!

Enjoy Life and your friends!

;-) S

Bergen!

2010-10-12T06:57:00.002-04:00

Hi Friends!

A brief note here from my hometown Bergen. I am doing press here today for my upcoming tour. I will have the first concert on the tour here on Nov 13th. Beautiful sun here today but mostly I will be indoor for interviews. But it is so nice to be home again. It is wonderful!

Take care!

;-)

Sissel

Autumn, Fall is arriving!

2010-09-28T03:28:00.002-04:00

The Autumn has arrived! ;-)
Today was the first morning with this fresh cold wind. A bit chilly, but nice! In my garden some of the trees have started their colouring and that also means that my album is close to finnish and my tour will soon be up... The first concert is on the 13th of November and then the album is out on the 15th. I am very much lookning forward to all the concerts and to see this beautiful country of Norway from the South to the North and meet my audience again! I guess at the end we will have snow and not much daylight.... Maybe we will get to see the Northern Lights?
Have a wonderful autumn, fall! Get out in the fresh cold air and enjoy!
Take care!

;-)

Sissel

Hi friends - I am alive!

2010-09-16T06:51:00.008-04:00

Dear Friends!

Long time....no blog! Well, time passes fast when there is a lot to do.
Still some summer is left....took this picture yesterday in a park nearby.
I have been in studio and travelled a lot. Visitied new places I have never been before! - enjoyed and still enjoy life with my family and friends.

I had a terrible cold this spring and luckily I only had to cancel my studiotime and move it to august as I had to be very careful with singing and using my voice. I had good people helping me along the way....
I caught the cold while I was in China on tour with the Trondheim Soloists. I had been looking forward to that tour for such a long time. When we came to Beijing the wonderful professor Ms Han at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing helped me so I managed to sing a little. I hope I will have the chance to come back one day and do a full concert! What a wonderful audience and I met some very gifted singers!

We are still working in studio and we all hope that we will be done in time for release this winter! Exciting! I am very lucky to have so many talented and gifted people around me and with me.
Sending you some studio pictures later and here are some from my tour in China...Well, from a hotel room, and inside a car as I had this terrible cold! ;-( My view from one of my hotel rooms.

My manager in a Chinese cab ;-)

)

Have a wonderful life everybody and take care!

;-)

Sissel

What a year 2009!

2009-12-28T07:14:00.007-05:00

Dear friends,

Thanks for your notes and messages on my blog!

My writing on this blog has been very poor this year. There has been so much going on. So much good going on!

The new project with Odd Nordstoga, ''Strålande Jul'' took some time and travel, as did the concerts. When I wrote my last blog from the studio sessions, it was still a well kept secret that Odd and I were working together. He is a very well known and beloved artist in Norway. So I could not mention him then...

This Christmas album has been a huge success, and for the first time I have been touring away from home for more than 14 days. But then again my family could visit me on tour, and that was nice. Very nice!

Our Christmas tour in Norway and Sweden was a real treat! Great people to work with and I have got new friends that I will love to work with again and meet off stage! Great music and audience every evening!

In Sweden, 3 Swedish acts joined us (the band, Trondheim Soloists, Odd and myself):

The Real Group, a wonderful and very talented vocal group, Orsa Spelmenn, folk band that plays and make everyone smile, and Christer Henriksson, a wonderful actor with a great presence and he had the best sermon about the Gospel I have heard in a long time!

Odd is such a gifted and talented musician and composer. And a wonderful person! From the first time I heard him I just new that our voices would work well together and I love his musical universe! We met for the first time in his kitchen lastJanuary. And the project has been like a dance on roses from the start till the end. A meant to be! Now we will continue on our own paths. If our pathways will ever cross again? - I don't know....

The time has come to look at a new year.

I have a plan to start recording a new album when I have the songs that I like! So I expect summer will be my studio time. And I will travel to a place I have never been before!

For the rest of this year I will just enjoy my good friends and get good energy for a great start on a great new year! This year has been filled with so much to thank for!

I start singing concerts in the first week of 2010. Then I will travel to the Northern Part of Norway, above the polar circle, and I am looking forward so much to these concerts and to spending some time in this beautiful part of Norway!

To everyone of you:

Have a wonderful and sparkling New Year!

God bless,

;-)

Sissel

studio session

2009-06-16T13:00:00.006-04:00

Dear friends,

My stay in Bergen was very nice! Wonderful, lovely, funny and many great moments to remember! Bryn was as always great to work with and what an amazing entertainer and singer! And a thrill to work in my own hometown with the great Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra!

Right now I'm working in studio on my new project. We have a string session tonight. Lovely! I

feel so uplifted by these beautiful arrangements and playing by all the musicians that

contribute and make this music live. And of course we have a lot of fun..... Daniel is playing the Hardanger fiddle with the Trondheim Soloists and Per my pianist and I studying the music.

I can't wait for you all to hear this!

Take care and have fun!

;-)

Sissel

Bergen Music Festival

2009-06-01T06:42:00.003-04:00

Hello dear friends,

just want to share with you the view from my room.......

Today we , Bryn , the conductor Gareth and myself will have a short piano rehearsal before the big day tomorrow. Nice to have a relaxing day today.

The sun is shining, and the forecast for tomorrow is still nice. The park will be such a wonderful venue for this classical/cross over concert! For me it is such a treat to sing with Bryn and work with so wonderful and gifted people! And I am so much looking forward to hear the young Finnish pianist Joho Pojonen, playing Grieg's Piano Concerto.

This is just : Wonderful! Fantastic!

I must have the best job in the world!

......Well, for me anyway..

Take care!

;-)

Sissel

2009-05-31T13:54:00.005-04:00

Hello dear friends,

Hope you are all well! Thanks for all messages!

I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to write to you again. Been very busy!

Now I am her in my own beloved hometown, Bergen!

The most amazing sunny weather! This town is so beautiful!

Yesterday we had our first concert as the trio of Trygve on the piano, Geir on guitars and myself on vocal. Wow! That was so fun and a really enjoyable evening for us! The picture is from the rehearsal.

What a special place to sing and perform.

I am so much looking forward to this evenings concert. Leaving in half an hour.

Yesterday before the concert Trygve and I got a special treat: Lizzie , who lives in Edvard Griegs home, took us up at the roof of the house. What a view! It is said that Grieg had an herb and vegetable garden up there..... Hm..

I will write some more later... now I have to rush and make myself ready for take off!

Take care!

;-)

Sissel

2009-03-10T03:28:00.004-04:00

Hello again friends!

Hope your life is good!

I've been in Trondheim and had a great session with my pianist Trygve for the 2 Troldhaugen concerts in my hometown Bergen, at the end of May. Together with my guitarist Geir, we will be playing concerts in Edvard Grieg's home, more precisely, in his living room! A very intimate and acoustic setting with only the three of us and about 80 people in the audience.

I'm sending you a picture from our working session. We really are looking forward to these concerts and hope to see you!

Take care!

;-)

Sissel

Correction for Mary !!

2009-03-03T14:21:00.000-05:00

Hi Mary,

I read your message, and was happy to hear from you. But! I became a bit alarmed when you wrote that you are planning to buy tickets for a show that is not planned! I AM NOT SINGING IN TIVOLI ON THE 30TH OF OCTOBER!

;-)

Sissel

2009-02-25T17:08:00.005-05:00

Hello dear friends!

Thank you for all your nice words and messages!

Hope you all are fine and at good health!

How time just fly!

I have been busy with starting up some new projects. Very exciting! Planning upcoming concerts and tours for spring , summer and winter and a new album project. In between, I have been so lucky to get the chance to enjoy the beauty of our wonderful nature in Norway. Well, I guess no surprise that I love to be out in the snow and go skiing!

Right now there is so much snow and winter in Norway. In Oslo you have only 10-15 min from downtown to the most fantastic skiing area! You can go for miles!

Sending you a picture from my latest trip up in the mountains of Hardangervidden a few weeks ago....

Take care and enjoy life!

;-)

Sissel

2009-01-07T07:38:00.012-05:00

Hello dear friends!

A brand new year! 2009!

I started my first days of the new year with some of my dearest friends. I have made myself some new goals for the new year. Not long ago I read Dalai Lama's words for last year, and one of them was: 'Once a year, go some place that you have never been before'. I will do that!

For the time my prays and thoughts go to the children and their families who are suffering from the consequences of the war in the Middle East. I have a friend who is there working, and to hear him telling me about the fear that he sees in the eyes of the children and the people who live there , makes it even stronger to watch the news. 'The bombs kill children too' a little girl's poster said. I do hope and pray that the war and the bombing will end soon and they start talking instead!

Hope you are filled with good thoughts and expectations and dreams for the new year!

Happy new year!

- from Norway and me.

;-)

Sissel

Seasonal greetings

2008-12-27T06:34:00.003-05:00

Dear friends!

Hope you all have enjoyed the Seasonal holiday and are getting ready for the great evening of New Year!

I have had a wonderful time with my family and friends up in the mountains. This was not just dreaming of a white Christmas! After the service in the church Christmas Eve , we all went for a ride in open horse sleds. The stars were sparkling , crystal clear air and the sound of the jingle bells and the light from the torches made us feel like we were in a fairy-tale! A Christmas we all will remember!

I am so grateful for all that I have experienced and for all that has been given to me in the year that has passed. All the wonderful people that I have met, the great moments I have shared with my family and friends , safe travelling and moments of uplifting spirits and true joy! I really feel blessed!

Now I feel a bobbling joy inside of me by the thought of the whole new year that is lying ahead of us. A year with new opportunities filled with new experiences and challenges! They're just there waiting for us to see them and use them.

The picture is the sunrise Christmas morning.

I wish you all a Happy and prosperous New Year!

Every day is a gift!

May God bless you all and your families!

;-)

Sissel

2008-12-12T17:00:00.004-05:00

Hello dear friends!

We are getting closer to our last concert here in Sweden. Tonight the concert here in Västerås went very well. Tomorrow we will be in Karlstad.

The tour has been fantastic! So much joy, great venues, wonderful audiences and lovely music to sing and play. I really love working with the talented and gifted musicians in my band! ! They are the best!

We had a day off yesterday , and I visited some friends in Stockholm. We were sitting there in front of the fireplace with a cup of tea and just enjoy this seldom moment of being together again while it was snowing outside. Perfect! And wonderful! I think of my good friends as they are part of my family , and isn't it wonderful how big family you can have? You will never be alone!

I hope you will have time to see some of your good friends in the rush before the seasonal holiday, or maybe in the holidays? What a blessing friends are!

The picture is taken today in beautiful Uppsala. Wet snow, lights and fresh air! And a very busy river!

Enjoy and take care everybody!

;-)

Sissel

On tour in Sweden

2008-12-07T17:00:00.004-05:00

Hello dear friends!

Hope you all are well and enjoying this time of year!

I am now on tour in Sweden. It is going very well and I am really enjoying each and every concert. We had a day off today , and that was nice. Went to church here in Jönköping, in the Sofia kyrkan. What a beautiful church and service. It is good to sit there and to receive the gospel. Then just relax and enjoy the sunday. A perfect day off!

I post you some pictures from our concert in Gothenburg and the team before we enter the stage. It is so great to work with these people! So much fun and great music!

Take care and have a wonderful advent!

;-)

Sissel

Hello again Winter!

2008-11-21T06:05:00.008-05:00

Dear friends,

I must say that I really enjoy being on the road with my good friends, my musical family.

- But the best part is always coming home! Right now I am preparing for the Christmas tour in Sweden which starts on the 3. of December. I love the holiday season! It is not hard to get in the mood, as it is snowing outside my window. Wonderful!

In this weekend I visited some friends up in the mountains and we had i great time skiing.

What a treat! This cold , fresh air! I don't look at myself as any good skier! But I have great fun , and that is the most important thing; To have fun and enjoy!

Well, I have to head back to my Christmas songs. On Sunday I will be singing in the Norwegian Seaman's Church in Copenhagen. They are celebrating their 50th year anniversary for the

King Haakons church. It is an honor to sing on this special day.

Hope you all are fine and remember to enjoy!

;-)

Sissel

Tour in Denmark

2008-11-09T11:41:00.010-05:00

Hello dear friends,

the tour here in Denmark has been wonderful! Every concert has been such a great experience for all of us on the stage. The audiences has really showed us their appreciation of our music.

The new songs has all been very well received. So a big smile! ;-)

The whole tour started a bit funny. On my way to Oslo for the last rehearsal, I traveled from Copenhagen in beautiful mild autumn weather. Then we couldn't take off cause the airport in Oslo was closed due to....: SNOW! A bit strange as the weather was so mild in Denmark , it is only 50

min flight! Wow it was so beautiful to arrive into this white winterland! I had totally forgotten how it feels with the snow and cold fresh air! Acctually I found it as the best start for the tour! But we haven't seen any snow after that here i Denmark. Here it is still autumn with wind, sunshine, rain and leaves in beautiful warm colors.

Sending you 2 pic. The gang ready for tour at the rehearsal in Oslo. And the two, Sidsel and Sissel, for a walk in beautiful sunshine in Århus.

Take care!

;-) Sissel

Preparing my tour for Denmark

2008-10-09T13:18:00.008-04:00

Hello friends!

Hope life is good to you all!

I am now in the middle of preparing my tour for Denmark. Rehearsals next week with my band, and that is very exciting. I hope we will get the chance to play some new songs that we have been working on. The concerts is inspired by the beautiful light we have during our four seasons here in the North. And outside now there is this intense light of autumn! Ah!

I am also working on a program for purchase.( A little extra memory from the concert). I will have pictures and a story from the year that is soon over. A year of many great experiences! This picture is from this summer! Sidsel(harp), Åshild (violin) and myself, and one of the boys sneaking in in the background..... It was I recall, very fresh air! We just had to go out in the snow! A couple of hours before we had been by the fjord in light summer clothes.

But now it is autumn and I do love this crispy air and bright sun, and the storms and rain showers! As long as there is a nice mix of them!

I do hope that you all will have some time to enjoy this beautiful time of year.

Take care!

;-)

Sissel

Back again!- Hello!

2008-09-14T17:14:00.008-04:00

Hello dear friends!

What a swim!.... That took a while.... ;-)

Well, I haven't had the time to write here lately, sorry about that. School has started and a lot of work and traveling. I do hope you all had a wonderful summer!

Right now I have returned back from one of my many trips and it is so wonderful to feel the crispy air and this very bright light outside. The autumn is here, even though summer time is trying not to give in....not yet.

I was up in the mountains with my family not long ago, and the colors were changing. We went hiking and the first thin layer of snow was laying on top of the mountains. It was so beautiful with all these warm colors and the first hello from Mr Winter.

I am trying to get some pictures from my summertour out on the page, but everything takes time....

I did a concert for a big company in Norway and that took place in the Nidaros Domen in Trondheim. What a treat! That cathedral is so wonderful to sing in and I haven't sung there since the Royal wedding of Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn. It was piano ( Kjetil Bjerkestrand), choir (the same as on the Northern Lights dvd/cd) and me. A friend of mine sent me this picture, and now I would like to share this with you. Well, I am the long dot on the left... Hard to see maybe...

Till next time...

Have a wonderful time! And enjoy the coming of the autumn.

;-)

Sissel

2008-07-21T10:50:00.003-04:00

Hello Dear Friends!

I have had some wonderful days working with my band. We tried out some new songs at our concert in Alvdal, Tronsvangen Seterhotel. What a view and place for a concert! Perfect for our start ''Dovregubbens hall'' , from "Peer Gynt" by Edvard Gireg!

It was so nice to see some of you again from former shows. Thank you so much for coming all the way! I really do hope that you enjoyed the time up in the mountains as much as we did!

Now I will have some time off with my family and friends. Relaxing and enjoying the summer holiday. But even though it is holiday I can't help my mind working with the new songs. Maybe I will get some new ideas? You never know.... But first I will go for a swim....

Take care and enjoy the summer!

;-)

Sissel

Rosendal

2008-07-07T07:19:00.002-04:00

Hello dear friends!

Thank you so much for all your kind greetings for my birthday! I had a wonderful time with family and friends! -As I did the day before, so a bit tired at the end of the week.....

Now I am sitting at the castle 'Baroniet in Rosendal' writing to you. I had 2 concerts here with my guitarist , Geir , and pianist Kjetil some days ago. It went very well. It was great fun! The atmosphere here at the castle is so special. Calm, peacefully and loving. These thick walls have many stories to tell! And that itself is an inspiration as the nature outside.

The Rose garden is breathtaking right now. Last night I was so lucky to be asked if I wanted to go out and pick myself a big bouquet of roses. I felt like a princess there I walked through the park with my choice of roses.

;-)

For the moment I am working on some new material and as you may understand; this is a perfect place to be....

Take care! And I am looking forward to the next concerts this summer!

;-)

Sissel

St Hans

2008-06-23T03:27:00.002-04:00

Hello dear friends!

tonight is the night here in Norway and Denmark where we celebrate St. Hans (named after the Johannes the Baptist). This is two customs put together a far as I know.

The celebration of the new life , the spring, which had arrived and where the fire was meant to 'clear' the sky , the air from the cold winter ,force the bad, the dangerous and fearsome away. Burn the winter away, and celebrate the summer light. Then there is the celebration of Johannes the Baptist's birthday which is said to be on June 24. Because we have a tradition here of celebrating seasonal days the night before, (as we do at Christmas in the evening of December 24th. ) the celebration is on the 23th. This is the perfect day to have a wonderful time together in the beautiful Nordic summer night. So the bun fires are to be seen all over the country and along the long coast line tonight.

Have a great St Hans!

;-)

Sissel

ps. Some have asked me what the music in the background on my page is. It is a special version of the song 'Hallowed Mountains' , from 'Northern Lights' album.

Beginning of summer'08

2008-06-17T15:57:00.004-04:00

Hello dear friends!

Got back from two great experiences with the first 2 concerts of this summer.

We were very lucky with the weather as the weather had changed from a warm lovely summer to a cold and wet summer. We had sunshine on both concerts!

:-)

It is always a bit exciting on the first shows with some new songs and how they respond. I think it all went very well and I am very happy with the results. It was so fun!

We arrived at 3 o'clock in the morning in Årdal after a long busdrive from Jessheim right outside Oslo. Wow I was tired! We arrived in daylight, cause the sun was up.

Waking up the next morning to this beautiful view of the fjord and mountains with spots of snow at the top , was breathtaking. Incredible beautiful! And it was warm and very nice!

The picture is of me by the stage (and back stage). That's also the view the audience had. Å Vestland, vestland!

I feel so lucky and blessed to travel and work in this beautiful country!

Next stop is Rosendal. Another heartbreaking beauty, and another kind of concert. A piano, guitar and the voice. It will be so intimate and cosy! I can hardly wait! A true tradition as we would say in Bergen. (When something has been done twice, it is a tradition.)

Take care and enjoy the light and the summer!

;-)

Sissel

Bergen

2008-05-27T04:02:00.006-04:00

Hello dear friends,

Bergen! My wonderful hometown!
The music Festival of Bergen is such an inspirational experience. Between these beautiful mountains the music life is blooming! Right now it is full summer, which is rare for this time of year.
This weekend I was also in London and saw Morten, Pål and Magne, Aha in Royal Albert Hall. I really enjoyed myself. An evening of great music! - and so fun to see the three of them with their own musical projects and at the end together. I can't wait for their new albums. Three brilliant musicians and artists.
Yesterday I took the funicular up to the top to Fløyen where you get a perfect view over the town of Bergen and the beautiful sunset out in the North Sea. ........ I love this city!
My friend took a picture of me, but the sun was too strong to show the view of the city, but the view over the south side is also beautiful!
Hope you all will have the oppertunity to visit my Bergen one day!
Take care!
;-)

Sissel

2008-05-20T07:02:00.005-04:00

Hello dear friends!

Hope all is well!

I have had some great weekends in Norway. Visiting friends and family in my lovely hometown Bergen and at Baroniet in Rosendal. Celebrating our National Day the 17. th of May in Oslo with whom I call my Northern Norwegian Family. When I think of our two wonderful weekends it gives me so much joy and energy starts bobbling inside of me.

Rosendal is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Located in the Hardanger-fjord outside Bergen. We were very lucky to take a small aqua airplane that flew us over the beautiful coastline of Bergen , seeing the glacier, the clear blue sky, the fjord and the blooming of the trees, it was ..... breathtaking.

This summer it will be the third time I will have a concert in one of the living rooms of the castle. A very intimate room and only seating about 80 people and guitar, piano and me.

This is a perfect place to go hiking as well. When I went hiking there for the first time and saw the Hattebergvassdraget for the first time , I wondered if Mr Walt Disney had been there for inspiration. Now I saw it in real life and so much more unbelievable beautiful!

The scenic trip back to Bergen by bus and ferries was just perfect! As you can see from the picture!

Maybe I will see you at Baroniet in Rosendal this summer? Then you should go for a walk in the rose garden, the park , listen to the majestic waterfall and the birds singing. So peaceful and have a local specialty a Milkcake , in the cafe.....

It's definately worth a visit.

Check it out on :www.baroniet.no

Have a wonderful spring, early summer!

;-)

Sissel

Back home again

2008-05-01T04:36:00.003-04:00

Dear friends,

Coming home and reading the last messages from you really warmed my heart. Music can heal, be uplifting and give comfort and hope and I think that is something we all can relate to. 'Like an angel passing through my room' is a song that many people have written to me about and told me how the song has spoken to them. The song also spoke to me the first time I heard it and I knew that I had to sing it.

The tour of the US is over for now. We have had such a wonderful time. Great venues and audiences. When I will be back I don't know yet. But I would like to thank each one of you who attended my concerts and thanks for all the support! For those of you who couldn't: hope to see you next time!

Here at home it is green and the birds are singing and nesting. Right now my little cat is laying next to me, relaxing ...... Today I will relax too....

Take care!

Enjoy the spring!

;-)

Sissel

Indianapolis and Washington

2008-04-28T11:57:00.006-04:00

Hello again dear friends!

Time for traveling to Washington D.C.

We have had a wonderful time here in Indianapolis. Found some great tracks for a short jogging trip this morning. It's important to try and keep fit along the way.

I got a note saying that my pictures was a bit unsharp, well that is because most of them are taken with a cellphone. The pics are not always as good as with a real digital camera. But I thought that it is nice for you to see what goes on anyway.

......... Landed in Washington and WOW! I haven't seen so much green since last summer! How refreshing it is for the mind to see the spring has arrived! I bet the trees have changed into this very bright green color at home too! So this picture is from my hotel room! Green, green, green! Tomorrow is our last concert before heading home, strange how time just flies.

;-)

Sissel

Kansas City and Detroit

2008-04-26T12:23:00.006-04:00

Hello dear friends!

Thanks for all kind words about (my cat and) our concerts! I'll pass on your messages!

Sitting at our hotel here in Detroit, that is very close to the airport.......Hm.. We had a day off yesterday that was used as traveling day. It feels good to relax and wash clothes before the concert today.

It is very exciting to be in Motown's hometown! The pity is that there is no time for sightseeing, so I have to come back and do the tourist tour some other time.

In Kansas City we were at the Folly theatre. That was so beautiful! What an interesting history. I feel so lucky to see all these wonderful old theaters that you have here in the US. They are so great to perform in. Here you see me outside my dressing-room, pre-signing the cd's that was to be sold in the intermission. Time was too short for me to do a signing after the concert.

Good with some new energy! And another positive thing; I am now in the same time zone as the people living here! I am so much looking forward to the concert today.

Take care

;-)

Sissel

On the road again

2008-04-23T16:19:00.004-04:00

Hello again and welcome to my new web page and blog!

I am so excited about it! I think it is so beautiful! Of corse there will be some editing along the way, there are always some things that can be better!

We have started the tour, and the first concert in Des Moines went really well! What a beautiful theatre! We all enjoyed playing there!

Now I have just come back from our concert here in St Louis at the Sheldon Theatre. I love singing in that theatre! So intimate and there is so much personality in that room.

What we have here on this US tour, as on the one before, is what we call 'meet and greet'. That means that I meet and say a short hello to some of the audiences , a picture taken and a little greeting. I like it! The people are so wonderful!

Maybe I will see or meet you next time?

Sending you a picture of one of my cats watching tv........ I think I'll do the same now, without watching tv!

Take care! Hope to see you at a concert one day!

;-)

Sissel

Easter in the mountains

2008-03-30T06:15:00.003-04:00

Hello dear friends!

Hope you all had a good Easter!

In Norway we have a very strong tradition to go up in the mountains to go skiing. Like a true Norwegian I was up there too! Downhill the first days and then cross country. I really had to pinch myself , just to feel that this was not a dream. I felt so lucky to have this experience together with my dear family and friends. Sun, snow, crystal clear air, storms and freezing cold, sitting outside having lunch, so much fun, peace and quiet.

The picture was taken from my bedroom early one morning. So is it strange that I long for the mountains on busy days? Norway at its best at wintertime!

Take care everybody! Enjoy!

;-) Sissel

Springtime

2008-03-09T07:30:00.007-04:00

Hello dear friends!

The spring has arrived! In my little garden the early flowers are blooming and it is light in the morning.

I am very excited that I will have the chance to come back and do another tour in the USA this spring. First concert starts on April 22nd.

I am right now looking into my repetoar , maybe I will exchange some songs from the first tour....I don't know-. But it will still be the Northern Light that will be my mentor.

The light here at springtime is so beautiful. Every season has its own colors and tunes. When I get up in the morning and hear the birds singing my soul really feel so uplifted and it starts bobbling inside of me. It is the spring! Welcome home sweet birds! I sometimes just have to stand still for a couple of minutes and enjoy the concert!

Have a wonderful time and enjoy the concert right outside your door!

;-) Sissel

Home sweet home!

2008-02-26T06:24:00.005-05:00

Hello friends,

Hope you all are doing fine!

Back in my home and the normal daily life. It is very nice to be home and it really helps getting rid off the Jet lag. It took me about a week. But the best thing is to see family and friends and our 2 cats again! We have two very handsome and lovely cats, that makes life very amusing!

The spring has actually arrived in the southern part of Scandinavia and some trees and flowers are even blooming! Beautiful, but scary too. It feels so early. Too early! In the mountains up at our cottage, there is so much wind and snow these days that the only way to get out in the morning is through a window. The door is locked by snow! :-) Can't wait to get up there! But that has to wait.

Have a wonderful day everybody!

;-) S

On my way home

2008-02-19T06:49:00.003-05:00

Hello dear friends,

I'm now on my way home....It will be a long trip this time. We all arrived Amsterdam here at 5 am this morning, but my flight has been cancelled ( after waiting a while), so here I sit and have to wait till 3.10 pm.

We had a great last concert and the meet and greet afterwards was also very nice. The picture is from back stage right before the last concert in Keswick Thatre. Fredrik, backline, and I found some hats and became a bit strange...

I have now said goodbye to my family on the road and I'm now soon with my family back home. I miss them very much when I travel. A saying we have in Norway: Borte bra , men hjemme best. I guess that will be something like : Nice to be away, but the best is still home. I know there is an English saying for that as well, but too jet-lag to think of that now.

Have wonderful day! ;-) Sissel

Red Bank

2008-02-16T23:38:00.006-05:00

Hello friends,

just done with the concert here in Red Bank, Count Basie Theatre. A great evening! That theatre will look great after this summers renovation! It will look fantastic! Hope to come back one day! It is so wonderful that there is people out there that have the guts and knowledge of how to take care of these historical and beautiful buildings. It is so important to take care of and have respect for our history.

Now we sit here and relax and the pizzas are ordered. I'll send you a picture of my beloved sound designer Asle, that has traveled with me for over 14 years. He is as nice as he looks!

Have a good night! ;-) S

Bustrip to Red Banks

2008-02-15T19:06:00.004-05:00

Hello friends!

Well, we have now made it to Red Banks after our bus trip from Hartford took some time after a forced stop right at the New Jersey turnpike. Our bus made a very persistent high sound (alarm) that something needed to be changed. So we waited a while for the 'thing' , and wished that the turnpikes had a kind of catering/ coffee/ donut/sandwich café attached to it, for 'stranded' busses like ours. It was a nice ride though. We watched Alison Kreuss and Union Station live from a concert on dvd. Wow, that was so good! Brilliant voices and musicians. So fun to watch and listen to, and there is always something to learn! Some of it made me speechless.

Now we are happily at the hotel and I am so relieved that we have no concert tonight. That would have been a bit tight once again! Have a wonderful evening all of you! We will find something to eat now.

;-) S

Valentines Day

2008-02-14T12:36:00.004-05:00

Hello again friends!

Happy Valentines Day!

On this Day of Hearts the sun is shining into my room and it is so good to think about all the wonderful moments that I have been given on this Tour. And there is more to come! I know!

Had a really nice time last night here in Hartford and we have a new concert here tonight. :-)

I have tried to put some photo up on this blog, but the internet is a bit slow here at the hotel so I have to wait till we get to another place.

I hope that you have someone to send some heartfelt and good thoughts to today. I'll send to my dear family and friends back home.

Have a wonderful Valentines Day!

;-)Sissel

By the way, one of my favorite songs is actually 'My funny Valentine'. In 2 versions: One with the jazz singer Radka Toneff , and the other one with Chet Baker . Enjoy!

Day off

2008-02-12T15:53:00.000-05:00

Hello my dear friends,

We had a good relaxing day in Boston yesterday. Day off means laundry and catching up on the lack of sleep and doing nothing. Well, a visit to the gym is good too. . ;-)

We are so lucky to have one more day off, traveling to Hartford. That is only like a few chapters of a book to read, and then we are there! Looking forward to the 2 concerts in Hartford.

I am so glad that you who have been to my concerts mention my musicians. They are really good! And so wonderful to work with. We are a team, or should I say, like a family on the road.

;-) Sissel

Travel

2008-02-11T10:25:00.000-05:00

Hello again my dear friends,

the last days have just been so busy. A lot of traveling and the expression 'early birds' also fits in on our group. Well the last one maybe a bit forced, though... . The concerts in Minneapolis , Salt Lake City and here in Boston have been great and uplifting. We have had a wonderful time. It was wonderful to see my friends in Salt Lake again. I must say that our traveling schedule has been some challenging. Yesterday our trip to Boston took us 11 hours , and just made it to the concert. We landed about 1 h before we were supposed to start the concert with all our gear! That could never had gone so smoothly if it hadn't been for my great team! We all wanted to make it! So only 15 min delay! The photos that you see from 'on the road' ,is taken at 4 am (me and the Big Hummer in Salt Lake City) and 7 am (checking in Minneapolis)). Just imagine, it is not fun to stand in the line behind us when checking in 25 pieces of luggage and most of them are overweight.

It takes about an hour.....

But it comes good music out from it! :-)

I have read the blogs that you have written to me, and I must say that it is so nice to hear from you all! Christine, I do remember the yellow teddy bear from Rebecca, I still have it! And congratulations on your Birthday Rebecca! See you in Hartford! And all of you others who have been to my concerts and are planning to come one day. Thank you so much!

;-) S

Minneapolis

2008-02-08T15:31:00.000-05:00

Hello again,

so nice to hear from you! Yes, we did have a great time in Chicago last evening! It was a wonderful start of the tour. I'm now at my hotel room here in Minneapolis.Trying to relax and get rid of the jet-lag and writing to you, as you can see from the picture. I have been told it is a great Scandinavian community here so maybe there will be some at the concert? Soon we will head off for rehearsal/ sound check and then.....a new concert! :-) ! I really love this concert and can't wait to do it one more time! Many times! We have so much fun together on stage. I also feel so lucky to have so gifted and wonderful musicians with me on stage! I'll try to get a picture from stage next time I write to you. Untill then and as always, have a wonderful life! ;-) Sissel

Chicago

2008-02-06T17:42:00.000-05:00

Hello again friends!

Landed well in Chicago after a very, very early wake up in Oslo and long travel! Oslo feels like a long time ago! Here it is .... winter!:o) So nice! Tonight there is time for rest , preparation and getting used to the new time zone. Zzzzzz...zee you!

;-) S

Rehearsal

2008-02-05T04:16:00.000-05:00

Hello dear friends.

Today is our last day of rehearsal here in Oslo before we take off for the USA. It is really going well, and we are all very excited to share our music with you. The songs that I have picked out make me feel that I'm bringing with me a bit of Norway and the beautiful winter we have here right now.

Looking forward to seeing you! And hope you will enjoy my Northern Lights!

;-) S

Welcome Friends !

2008-02-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

I'm starting this blog now, as I embark on my 2 week USA tour, so that I can share my impressions and thoughts with you throughtout my trip - from the 7th - 17th of February. Blogging is totally new for me - this ought to be a lot of fun!

I look forward to seeing you at my concerts in Chicago, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Boston, Hartford, Red Bank, NJ and Glenside, PA. But, for those of you that can't make it there this time ... well, you can check-in here to read how it went.