NWT 110211
By: CARL EDLOM
CONCERT
Helen Sjöholm is Benny Andersson’s chorus singer. She is also an actress and has made critically acclaimed children’s music. Tonight she visits Karlstad.
She is perhaps best known as a musical artist. Her involvement in Kristina from Duvemåla and Chess has made her a household name but she has also achieved great success in other areas. She is Grammy awarded for both children’s music, pop/dance band and ballads.
– I’ve never thought of myself as a particular type of singer, Helen Sjöholm says from the tour bus.
-I have always enjoyed being on stage, when theater and music can be linked together. It has always been very natural for me.
There have also been some movie and stage roles. Among other things Helen Sjöholm was in Kay Pollack’s acclaimed As it is in heaven. Recently she appeared in the staging of Aniara at Stockholm City Theater.
– I end up in various projects mainly because of my own searching, but often it also happens that I get contacted and asked to do different things.
For instance, Benny Andersson has an ability to constantly get in touch. Helen Sjöholm is a member of BAB; Benny Anderssons Band, which regularly releases records and tours. With a nostalgic wink Helen Sjöholm is listed as the orchestra’s “Chorus Singer”. With the song You are my man BAB was in the Swedish charts throughout 278 weeks and this summer it’s time for a new BAB-tour.
– Benny is a totally incomparable melody creator. He is a genius. There is some kind of wonderful chemistry between his music and my voice, as I perceive it, I love to sing his songs.
But on Helen Sjöholm’s latest album, Euforia, it’s another songwriter who has made the material – American Billy Joel. She has selected some of her favorites from Joel’s extensive oeuvre and Tomas Andersson Wij has translated the English text into Swedish.
– The concert is largely based on Billy Joel, but it will be a very mixed concert. Everything from Elvis Costello to a 80’s medley. The medley emerged after I rediscovered an old playlist from 1984. It was thanks to that tape I also rediscovered Billy Joel. It was only a year ago, I had little relation to him before that. So it’s pure coincidence that there is a CD of his songs.
It was the song She’s Always a Woman from her playlist that stuck and aroused her curiosity.
– Billy Joel is a well known name but few have an idea of what he really has written. He has done so damn much, I was amazed when I started listening. I liked the songs and wanted so badly to sing them in Swedish.
What are your plans for the future?
– Right now I don´t know more than the summer tour with BAB. During the fall I’ll take it easy, I think. I need to digest the recent past, there has been a lot of work. Cool down a bit to get new ideas.
What? Helen Sjöholm and band
Where? CCC (new, big concert hall in Karlstad)
When? Friday, February 11