Sissel, known for her traditional Christmas concerts, is back with the holiday spirit on the new Chieftains Christmas album, "Christmas In Rome," which is now available in stores.
The album opens with Sissel singing "Glade Jul" (Silent Night) á capella. Sissel's opening vocals, which are always stunning, set the tone for the rest of the album.
The next contribution by Sissel is track five, a live recording of "Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker" from one of Sissel's Christmas concerts in Gjøvik, Norway.
Sissel's final contribution is on "Silent Night" (track 12), which includes a multitude of people singing "Silent Night" in at least five languages, but it's hard to hear Sissel on this track as she leads the others in the final verse.
Much of this album was recorded at the Vatican with the Vatican Orchestra and includes performances by Máire Brennan, the Harlem Gospel Choir, Zucchero, and numerous other choirs and soloists.
This is the sixth Christmas album on which Sissel appears, the third Chieftains album to feature Sissel and was originally scheduled for release a year ago, but was postponed until this year.
Sissel also recently announced the tradition will continue and she will be performing her 10th annual Christmas concerts throughout Scandinavia again this year. (Review written by Robert A Jones --posted 30. October 1999)
Sissel a Mama for the Second Time
Sissel Kyrkjebø (30) gave birth Tuesday night to a daughter. The girl is Sissel and her husband Eddie Skoller's (55) second child.
The couple already have another daughter, Ingrid (3). The new-born girl is Eddie Skoller's fifth daughter. The Danish entertainer has three daughters from an earlier marriage.
"The birth went fine. All is well with Mother and child," said Sissel's manager, Arne Svare.
This weekend Svare will fly to Copenhagen to meet Sissel and her family, which has now become four. Sissel's parents, Erling and Laila, are already on their way.
"I don't know the length or weight of the child, neither where it was born. All I know is that it's a girl and that she was born at night," Svare said to VG (Verdens Gang--Norway's largest newspaper) late last night.
"Sissel will naturally enough rest for a few months. But all the Christmas concerts will go on as planned. As will the new album which will be released in the new year," said Svare. Sissel's annual Christmas concerts have become a tradition in Scandinavia in their tenth year this holiday season. Sissel's new album is almost entirely finished, but won't be released until Spring 2000.
The girl was born three and a half years after Ingrid, named after Eddie's mother, was born at home in the couple's home in Copenhagen.
Sissel has earlier said that "it's wonderful to be a mama. I can honestly recommend it. I would like to have more children, of course Ingrid will have siblings."
Now the goldthroat has become a mother for the second time, three weeks after she became a "grandmother" for the first time.
Eddie Skoller's daughter and Sissel's step-daughter, Trine, gave birth to a daughter at the end of July.
This was Skoller's first grandchild.
(compiled from Verdens Gang and Bergensavis by Robert A Jones --posted 18. August 1999)
Sissel Kyrkjebø Pregnant!
Sissel Kyrkjebø Skoller (29) is pregnant and expecting child number two at the end of August.
Sissel's manager, Arne Svare, confirmed to Bergensavisen that Sissel has a due date already at the end of August.
"We'll be finished with the recording of Sissel's new solo album in June. We're not beginning promotions for the album until late in the fall, with plans for a release in the new year. Therefore, we've planned it out such that Sissel can have it calm around the time of the birth in August and then come back renewed when the work to promote the album starts around late October/early November," said Svare according to NTB.
He won't say which musical direction Sissel takes with her first, international solo album. But the choice of Rick Chertoff (Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne) as producer, points to Sissel moving in a roots direction.
Work on the album began in the Spring of 1997.
Sissel and her husband Eddie Skoller also have their daughter Ingrid (3). In an interview with VG before Christmas 1998 Sissel said the following about her role as a mother:
"It is incredibly wonderful to be a mama. I can really recommend it! I would very much like to have more children, of course Ingrid will have siblings."
(translated from the Norwegian VG article by Robert A Jones --posted 3. May 1999)
Sissel and the Chieftains A St. Patrick's Day Tradition
There are few things sweeter in life than the Chieftains on St. Patrick's Day. The Chieftains don't just put on a concert, they throw a party. The invited guests at this year's fest in New York City's Carnegie Hall were Akiko Yano, Joan Osborne and Eileen Ivers (who appeared on the Chieftains' new album, Tears of Stone), 10 Irish stepdancers, a guitarist and most importantly, Sissel. This is Sissel's third year performing on St. Patrick's Day in New York with the Chieftains.
One of the highlights of the evening was Sissel's performance of "Siúil a Rún" which she recorded on the Chieftains new album. Sissel's live performance was magical.
There was a big closing number, actually several numbers all tied together, wherein most of the featured performers of the night were showcased again...or rather encouraged to show off. This was actually quite comedic as well...the Chieftains are constantly teasing each other and making everyone laugh. When each member was showing off solo, the others on stage would pretend to make fun of them or be bored by the performance and the choice of songs they performed. When it came Sissel's turn to show off, she sang "O Mio Babino Caro" by Puccini, an impressive opera song which wowed the audience with her incredible voice.
Other highlights of the evening were Joan Osborne's performance of "Raglan Road" and the Irish stepdancers which performed at various points in the show. The audience participation, which at times seemed as though the entire audience was doing a jig in their seats while clapping the rhythm, also made it fun.
The Chieftains, Sissel and friends made for an incredible evening.
(Review written by Robert A Jones --posted 18. March 1999)
The Conan O'Brien show was another opportunity for Sissel to perform with the Chieftains on American TV which aired last night, St. Patrick's Day. (posted 18. March 1999)
Solo Sissel Postponed
Sissel's coming solo album is now postponed until early 2000, according to Norwegian newspaper, Verdens Gang (VG).
The reason for the postponement is the turbulance resulting from the merger of PolyGram and Universal record companies. Sissel was attached to PolyGram, but now many of the earlier PolyGram leaders have been traded out for people from the Universal leadership.
Sissel's management believes it takes time to get the new record company bosses to see the importance of Sissel's release and will therefore take the next year to make contacts and position themselves within the record company before the release.
"We're talking about the earliest release date for Sissel in February of next year," said Jørn Johnsen of Stageway to VG. Johnsen was the earlier chief of PolyGram Norway and knows the Sissel-project very well from his time as chief of PolyGram Norway.
The postponement comes despite the fact that the studio work on the album is nearly completed. According to Johnsen Sissel will be finished in the studio within April. (posted 9. March 1999)
The Chieftains new album "Tears of Stone" was released on 23. February 1999. Sissel sings "Siúil a Rún," which is sung partly in Gaelic and in English." (posted 28. February 1999)
Sissel will appear on the Chieftains new album "Tears of Stone" which will be released on 23. February 1999. Sissel sings a gaelic song "Siúil a Rún." (posted 8. February 1999)
Fire In Your Heart - The Best of Sissel - 1999
The album "Fire In Your Heart -- The Best of Sissel" has been released by Mercury Music Entertainment in Japan. This album is available on a limited basis in the USA as an import--we purchased it at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square, New York. It includes songs from most of Sissel's albums (excluding Glade Jul) and includes a new recording of the song "My Tribute [To God Be The Glory]" with the Oslo Gospel Choir recorded live at a Christmas concert in Gjøvik, Norway in 1997. Sissel had previously recorded a version of this song on the 1990 "Oslo Gospel Choir Live" album.
1. Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker
2. Alma Redemtoris
3. Dagen Gryr
4. Se Ilden Lyse
5. Innerst I Sjelen
6. Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg
7. Stolt Margjit
8. Stevtone
9. Å Vestland Vestland
10. Here, There and Everywhere
11. Calling You
12. My Tribute [To God Be The Glory]
13. Amazing Grace
14. Prince Igor
15. An Raibh Tu Ag an gCarraig? [Were You At The Rock?]
16. Fire In Your Heart
(posted 18. January 1999)
Sissel continues to work in New York on her new album which will be released in either summer or fall 1999. According to her manager, she will sing the theme song for a movie this summer and this song will also appear on her new album. (posted 8. January 1999)
Sissel has concluded her ninth successful Christmas concert tour of the three Scandinavian countries to rave reviews, which said it was the best Sissel Christmas tour, yet. (posted 4. January 1999)
Sissel's scheduled concerts in the Hollywood Bowl with the Titanic Concert on 9. and 10. October were canceled due to problems with scenery. (posted 7. September 1998)
Sissel appeared today on the USA TV show Entertainment Tonight. ET interviewed Sissel while she was visiting in her hometown of Bergen, Norway. They mentioned how much the people of her hometown love her and Sissel said that it was a privilege to have their love. (posted 26. August 1998)
The "Back to Titanic" album was released on Tuesday, 25. August 1998 -- debuting at #1 -- which included Sissel's vocals on the "Titanic Suite." Sissel does not sing the song "Come Josephine In My Flying Machine" as had been previously announced in the press. This song is instead sung by Maire Brennan. (posted 26. August 1998)
Sissel performed at the Bottom Line in New York on 6. May 1998 along with Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne, the Hooters, and Taj Mahal (all artists producer Rick Chertoff has worked with). She received a standing ovation for her performance of the traditional melody, Largo, and she sang a duet with Osborne. Tickets for the concert sold out in five minutes and were hard to come by. (Thanks to Jonathon Perkel and Gwynne Beatty for this information. posted 11. May 1998)
Sony Music has announced they will release the song "Rose" from the Titanic soundtrack as a single worldwide except the USA (because they don't want any conflict with Celine Dion's single in the USA). (posted 1. April 1998)
The "Titanic" soundtrack has reached a record 18 million copies sold worldwide. The soundtrack is on the top of the charts in North America, Europe and Asia according to Sony Music. (posted 31. March 1998)
After Sissel's appearance (17. March 1998) - on the American TV show "The Late Show with David Letterman," she wowed a New York audience that night in concert with the Chieftains. (posted 24. March 1998)
Sissel will appear this Tuesday (17. March 1998) -- St. Patrick's Day -- on the American TV show "The Late Show with David Letterman" with the Chieftains. This is Sissel's second year in a row appearing on David Letterman with the Chieftains on St. Patrick's Day. (posted 14. March 1998)
Sissel will be featured in the June issue of "Rhythm Music" magazine and in an upcoming TV Guide (USA) although the specific date of the TV Guide article is not yet available. (posted 14. March 1998)
Sissel was to appear this week on the American TV show "Access Hollywood," but will not appear because she has a cold. (posted 9. March 1998)
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