Nöjeslivet 2024-10-18
By: ANTON LINDQVIST
Benny Andersson Band is back.
Now Helen Sjöholm – who is currently on a new Christmas tour with Anna Stadling this winter – gives her view on the band’s future.
– It’s fantastic that it’s possible to continue that project, she tells Nöjeslivet.
The two singers Helen Sjöholm and Anna Stadling have been friends since childhood. The duo was well-received by critics both at Christmas 2022 and 2023 on the Snow and marshals tour. That performance was also broadcast on Swedish Television.
Now it’s clear that the two stars will continue their collaboration this winter. The 2024 Christmas show is titled Songs in Christmas time and will premiere on November 28 at Maria Church in Helsingborg.
The tour will then make many stops in Sweden (…) before the final evening on December 19 at Oskar Fredrik Church in Gothenburg.
The duo has three musicians on stage: Jesper Nordenström on keyboard, Johan Lindström on guitar and Dan Berglund on bass.
– What arises between us in the band is what happens when we start. But before that, there are a lot of lyrics that Anna and I think about. These thoughts about the season, life in the big picture and the world we live in, Helen Sjöholm says to Nöjeslivet.
Compared to a “regular” gig, there is a special challenge for the artists to take on on stage.
– I think the challenge is to find your angle and make it clear in some way. I think you can do Christmas concerts in all sorts of ways. We have everything from big to a little smaller. Helen and I want to and are working very hard to get the whole thing in somehow this time. The winter, the darkness, the songs – both the traditional and the newer ones. To get an arc between all this, the traditional part that we come from with choral music. To get the link between the new and the old, says Anna Stadling to Nöjeslivet.
The duo is also up to date with the newly recorded single Vår vänskap består, which is a Björn Ulvaeus-written Swedish translation of ABBA’s The way old friends do.
In addition, Sjöholm has recently collaborated with another ABBA star – namely Benny Andersson. In the fall, the highly anticipated album Alla kan dansa by Benny Andersson’s orchestra, BAO, was released.
– Yes, that group that barely exists. Yes, but it’s true, it’s here now. It’s been a long collaboration. It’s also one of those things that goes way back. Not as far as I have with Anna (Stadling), but it’s almost 22 years, isn’t it? As we in the band have existed, a little bit at times. Now Benny has written more music and it’s fantastic that we can continue that project, says Helen Sjöholm to Nöjeslivet.
How did it go when you went back into the studio? Who took the initiative?
– It’s always bandleader Benny Andersson. It’s his project. It’s his songs, and Björn’s lyrics most of the time, says Sjöholm and continues:
– So he shouts when he wants to, and he wanted to now. It was fun to see everyone again. Great.
What does the future look like for BAO, will there be any concerts?
– No idea. Early this summer, in June, we did a concert at Cirkus. It was great fun, but whether there will be any more concerts, I don’t know. It’s hard to say actually, says Sjöholm.
The Cirkus gig was filmed and is expected to be broadcast on SVT this fall, as Nöjeslivet previously reported. For Sjöholm, it is always a moment of celebration when BAO reunites – and she takes nothing for granted when it comes to the orchestra’s future.
– This group is quite divided and also a bit old. But every time there is an opportunity to record or play, it is very special, because you never know when or if it will come back, says Sjöholm.
Anna Stadling has also been a member of another acclaimed orchestra – namely Lars Winnerbäck’s backing band Hovet. The group was handpicked by Winnerbäck, and was featured on both several studio albums (including Söndermarken) and many live gigs.
Does that band have a future?
– You know, it’s these bandleaders who often put a little color and time into it. Lars Winnerbäck put together Hovet, and it’s not an existing band today. But we probably have each other in our hearts, I think. No, I don’t think Hovet and Lars Winnerbäck, for example, will be no more. It was a fantastic time, and we had a lot of fun (…) We were there during Lasse’s early years, and it was of course very special and has left its mark on many. I understand that. You hear from people who sometimes miss us and it’s great fun. But it probably has a place in their hearts, as I said, says Anna Stadling.
Are you in contact with any of the band members today?
– Yes, Johan Persson (guitar) and I did a duet that was actually released this summer. He writes some of his own music under the name The Swedish sin and he invited me to a duet. We have contact, occasionally. I have played with “Norpan” (Magnus Eriksson, drummer) a bit. So there are glimpses sometimes. There have been a few small attempts, but not as many as BAO, haha. But if we are going to meet, it is a project. Many agendas that need to be synchronized. Oh oh oh, it usually takes a long time before you can find a date to meet, says Stadling.
In fact, Winnerbäck has collaborated with Stadling and Sjöholm. Together they recorded a song that was included on the duo’s Christmas album two years ago.
– Lasse has been on our Christmas album. Snow and marshals was a song that came a little later and is only available in a live recording. It was a suggestion from Helen that was so fun to do. Lasse came by the studio when we were recording. We said: “We’re working today, and if you’re in town, come by!” And he did. When we were sitting there we said: “But why don’t you sing with us for a bit?” He went on Snow and marshals and it was a really nice thing to invite him. We were really happy about that, says Stadling.
– Yes. It was fantastic! says Sjöholm.
– I have a really long friendship with him. I think of both BAO and Hovet, that there’s a warmth like when you come up a bit and look back… That warmth that spreads at the thought is really nice. Then when you see each other again, it’s something out of the ordinary, says Anna Stadling (…)
(The entire interview is not reproduced for copyright reasons)