Benny Andersson Band consists of 16 musicians, and together they offer a
unique, dance-friendly sound that applies to most people’s taste.
KalmarPosten 130627
By: SOFIA EKHOLM
Photo: CARL HJELTE
Helen Sjöholm:
LOST IN KALMAR
On July 20, one of Sweden’s greatest singers, Helen Sjöholm, visits Kalmar. She’s not alone on stage, one of those she performs with is no one less than her own big musical role model.
– Tommy Körberg is the greatest singer we´ve had in this country, he is incredible!
Well, Helen Sjöholm isn´t too bad herself. Though she doesn’t have any proper singing education, through her voice, feeling, and in roles like Kristina från Duvemåla and Gabriella in the film Så som i himmelen (As it is in heaven) she has taken a big place in the hearts of the Swedes.
When the Kalmar Post calls it´s a harmonious and eloquent Helen who calmly responds vividly to the questions with a calm and clear voice. Within a few weeks it´s time for her to pack her bags and go for an eight-concert long tour with BAB – Benny Andersson Band, through Sweden. The tour starts in Gothenburg on July 18 and ends in Stockholm nine days later. In between she and the 16 men strong ensemble make stops in Helsingborg, Kalmar, Trosa, Piteå, Sundsvall and Leksand. Skälby is the place for the people’s park inspired concert in this town and Helen promises an evening of dance and different kinds of music.
– It will be an evening based on dancing, often we gig between three and four hours.
Helen herself is no whiz at dancing, she rather stays on stage.
– But I danced folk dance when I was little, so I know the basics of schottis and a little waltz.
She thinks it´s wonderful that the concept is based on people’s park dances of old time.
– It´s amazing to stand and watch people dance. The concert is really a festival for all generations!
Like a family reunion
Now it´s been two years since BAO was on summer tour and Helen looks forward to hanging out with the musicians and their families.
– It’s like a family reunion, we eat well and live well and since we see each other so seldom we have insanely fun!
The concert repertoire consists of everything from Bach to ABBA.
– BAO consists of a unique composition of musicians with people from the opera genre, the philharmonics, folk musicians and pop and rock musicians – that makes for a special sound that people usually appreciate.
Since 2006 Helen is married to sound engineer David Granditsky. During the tour he stays at home in Nacka with the couple’s youngest children, twins Samuel and Johanna, a year and a half old. But seven-year-old son Ruben will accompany mum on the tour.
A lonely profession
Through her career Helen has had the privilege to work with some of Sweden’s greatest musicians, Tommy Körberg, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anders Glennmark, Björn Skifs, Jojje Wadenius and Martin Östergren, to name a few.
– I’ve been so damn lucky to work with such incredible musicians!
She has worked extensively with both Tommy Körberg, whom Helen describes as one of the greatest Swedish singers, as well as Jojje Wadenius and Martin Östergren, the co-operation with the last two go back fifteen years. Tommy she has listened to since she was twelve years old.
– It can be a rather lonely profession so it´s incredibly nice to reconnect with them, Helen says.
This autumn Helen visits Kalmar again, already on October 26 she stands at the Kalmar Hall stage together with constant companions Jojje and Martin and musicians Ulric Johanson and Tomas Bergquist.
The concerts of the autumn tour will include both old and new songs. Folk, pop and musical, from Benny Andersson to Tomas Andersson Wij.
Helen has visited the region before, both Kalmar Hall and Borgholm Castle have been scenes for the beloved singer. But she’s not completely familiar with the area.
– I usually go for walks when I’m out on tour. Once when I visited Kalmar Castle I kept walking outwards and don´t know where I ended up, but I managed to get back and was ready seven minutes before the concert began, sweaty – but in place!