Sundsvalls Tidning 2021-11-30
By: SUSANNE HOLMLUND
She has had, and has, an unparalleled artist career. Yet Helen Sjöholm never forgets her origin. So of course she enters Sundsvall during her ongoing concert tour. On December 3 and 4, she will perform in Tonhallen with five new musician colleagues. And new material, mixed with the old goodies.
Despite the season, it isn´t Christmas songs Helen Sjöholm will offer. These are songs from her new album En ny tid (En Ny Tid) – which are specially written for her. Plus some old goodies, of course.
– I´ve interpreted songs and Billy Joel and collaborated with artists who have written music. But here I felt that I wanted to do something completely new, I who sing so many songs that have lived with me for a long time, she says.
It´s a long procedure to search for material, and the entry into the studio coincided with the corona spring of 2020, which also complicated the whole thing because most of it had to be handled digitally. But in the end, the album took shape, with most of the songs written by Paulina Palmgren and Jonatan Järpehag.
– These are lyrics that come from thoughts that I have, about the state of life right now. About sisterhood, thoughts about the children, passion, fears and small reunions of feelings that you haven´t had for a long time but that reappear, she says.
Helen Sjöholm’s track record is well known (…) And one wonders if she has anything left to do, which she has not already done.
– Lots! I have done very different things, that’s my person. I would love to be part of a set of a brand new work. To sing new music with new partners. Or play more speech theater – I´ve filmed and during the pandemic year I´ve done roles in TV series. I’m curious about developing that.
The second thought that comes to mind before her resume is how she has managed not to burn herself out.
– I don´t really have that; I haven´t walked into the wall but there have been periods when I stood with my nose against it. But in my job you get a lot back; it´s not only the audience who gets experiences but me as well. There is an energy in it, it almost becomes a therapy.
– What I do is about conveying emotions, and there professional and private life flow together. It can be hard to have to perform even when you are not at the top. But at the same time, you can also process things with the help of your work.
It has also helped, she says, that she usually didn´t tour but participated in sets that ran seasonally in the same place. It has made it possible to get everyday life together.
But during the pandemic, she also tasted the charm of taking it a little calmer (…)
– But there was no live activity at all, and then you lose a part of yourself.
In the spring, she will return to play the musical Next to Normal at Uppsala City Theater. And this autumn, she would like to continue collaborating with her childhood friend from Sundsvall, Anna Stadling.
The pandemic has not only brought negative things, but there has also been time to think and spin ideas.
She comes home to Alnön as often as she can. Here are parents, brother and friends. And the sea.
– I feel good where we live in Nacka. But the real peace, it´s built into the old memories and by the sea. I´m lucky to have it left, says Helen Sjöholm.
(…)
(The entire interview is not reproduced for copyright reasons)