Sundsvalls Tidning, 2024-11-09
By: SUSANNE HOLMLUND & MARIA EILERSTEN
This is how it began. In Sundsvall. In churches. And together.
The artists from Sundsvall, Helen Sjöholm and Anna Stadling, have been friends for 40 years. Twenty-six years ago they performed as a duo in Selånger Church.
Now they’re doing it again. On December 7, they’ll return with a Christmas concert.
– This church is so beautiful,” says Helen Sjöholm, looking around.
Unlike her friend Anna, she didn’t grow up in a Free Church family. But she’s still moved by churches.
– I’ve always been interested in the big questions, and church buildings are amazing. They have an inherent sense of listening. You notice it when you make music, she says.
Back in the summer of 1970, no one knew that two future artists had been born just one day apart at Sundsvall’s maternity ward (Helen is the older). It would take twelve years before their paths truly crossed.
– We moved from Klockarberget into town. Helen and I ended up in parallel classes, Anna Stadling recalls.
They both took part in a spring show at school and sang in the same choir at the municipal arts school under Elisabeth Modén Hallgren. They were drawn in the same direction – and with their different backgrounds they were curious about each other. Anna came from a musical Free Church family; Helen’s family loved theatre and other kinds of music.
– I saw your sense of comedy and theatre interest. At home it was more classical music, says Anna.
– And I learned a lot from the Stadling family. You took music seriously, and Anna’s father Bertil talked about voice leading and phrasing. That was exciting for me, says Helen.
When it came time for upper secondary school, Anna – following her family tradition – applied to the music high school in Härnösand, while Helen chose the social sciences track, with no plans then to make music her profession.
But at 17 the friends were hired to give a concert together in Björneborg, Finland – Sundsvall’s twin town. They discovered how well they worked together and formed a duo, Meiram, which led to more engagements. They appeared on Kjell Lönnå’s singalong program, sang at music nights in Glasverandan on Spikarna, collaborated with skilled musicians – and did Christmas concerts.
When Anna spent a year in the U.S. and then started at the College of Music in Stockholm, Helen kept working for a year and a half with established artists Lars T Johansson and Erling Eliasson. After that experience she decided to go all in on performing, applied to Kulturama in Stockholm – and the rest is history. The musical Kristina from Duvemåla became her big breakthrough (…)
As their careers diverged, their friendship became less intense, but it never disappeared. And in 2016, when Sundsvalls Tidning celebrated its 175th anniversary, they were asked to sing together again (…)
At a lunch in Stockholm a couple of years later they decided to make an album together. It took some time – and the pandemic delayed it further – but in 2022 the Christmas album Snö & marchaller (Snow & marshals) was finished, followed by a Christmas tour that also visited Sundsvall.
Last year’s mini-tour skipped their hometown. This year’s tour is larger. They’re bringing two new songs: ABBA’s The Way Old Friends Do, which Björn Ulvaeus translated into Swedish for them almost before they had the chance to ask, and Julens röster (Voices of Christmas), which they wrote themselves with Peter Kvint.
– Christmas is magical. It’s tradition, and in this stressful world also a time for contemplation and peace. It creates togetherness, says Helen.
They themselves have strong childhood music memories from Sundsvall – memories that influence their Christmas repertoire.
– Julton with Kjell Lönnå, of course. Dad always sang O helga natt (O Holy Night) at Elim Church; that’s unforgettable for me. And Advent with choir – that’s very special,” says Anna.
– At our house we played Mahalia Jackson’s album and O Holy Night says Helen.
In 2022 they performed at Tonhallen. This year’s concerts will be more intimate and church-focused rather than in concert halls. It will be just their voices and the trio Jesper Nordenström (piano), Johan Lindström (guitar), and Dan Berglund (bass). A total of 17 concerts are planned.
At the moment, Helen is working at Stockholm City Theatre in the musical Company. She also tours with an Allan Edwall program together with Bengan Jansson and Lennart Jähkel. Anna is making her own music and has just finished an intense “pink month” of breast cancer awareness work. Although no longer an ambassador for the Breast Cancer Association, she remains involved in much of its work.
Next autumn Scenkonst Västernorrland will stage “Kristina från Duvemåla” in Sundsvall. Will the first Kristina – the one many still see as the original – come and listen?
– Absolutely. I know several people involved, including Tuva who’s playing Kristina. She’s fantastic. Of course I’m curious about a new version, says Helen.
Could she imagine appearing in that musical again?
– Well, maybe only as Fina-Kajsa now, she jokes.
Whatever the occasion, she’s happy to come back home to Sundsvall – next up, in a month, with her friend Anna Stadling. A friend you can communicate with on a deep level – naturally about working with music and singing, but also about life’s big questions.
– Not everyone you can talk to about those things. But for us, the conversation continues when we sing, says Helen Sjöholm.
(The entire article is not reproduced for copyright reasons).