Sissel Takes America by Storm

From her stirring performance at the 1994 Winter Olympics to her unforgettable vocals on the Titanic soundtrack, you've probably heard Sissel sing. But you may not have known her by name. She hopes to change that with the release of her second album, My Heart, and a U.S. tour kicking off this month.

We caught up with Sissel as she was putting the final touches on her U.S. tour plans. Read all about Sissel's life in Norway, her earliest influences, and what it's like working with Josh Groban and Richard Marx.

What can we expect to hear on My Heart, your second American album, and how does it differ from your first self-titled American debut?

My Heart consists of a mixture of pop songs and classical songs. The songs I recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra were arranged by L.A.-based arranger Jorge Calandrelli, whose goal was to make technicolor versions of famous arias. On the other side you have the songs by Richard Marx. We have managed to blend the pop songs with the classical repertoire using the symphony orchestra, which is the biggest difference from my self-titled album Sissel and the new one.

What is your biggest goal for My Heart in 2004? In the U.S.?

My Heart debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart, which has been a long-term goal of mine. My main goal is really to build an audience so I can come back with my band over and over again. I love singing in front of a live audience. And, to me, that is the biggest reward and makes up for all the traveling and endless hours of hard work that you have to put in to build a career.

Do you feel you have to increase your visibility and success in the U.S. to be considered a global star?

The United States is very important as the whole world is looking to the U.S. for music. However, I'm not that eager being a global star. The most important thing is to enjoy the success you have and find time for yourself in-between.

How does being a mother influence the musical choices you make?

I wrote a song for my first U.S. album called "Sarah's Song." Even though my youngest daughter's name is Sarah, this is really a song from daughter to mother, and when I sing it I think of my own mother. I don't think becoming a mother has influenced my musical choices although I have considered recording a lullaby album.

Do your kids join you for any part of your U.S. tour? If so, what do you and the family enjoy most about your time in the United States?

I try not to stay more than two weeks on the road at a time and I haven't been traveling with my daughters since they were babies. I might bring them over this summer and maybe rent a house somewhere central that I can use as a base for U.S. activities. They don't know much about the United States except that this is where bagels come from. And they love bagels. (They are 4 and 8.)

Tell us what a day is like for you in Norway, where you grew up. Are you from a small town or a big city?

I'm from a beautiful town on the west coast of Norway called Bergen. Bergen is the capital of the fjords and it's surrounded by mountains and thousand of islands. The air is clean and crisp and in the summer you can sail and fish and hike in the mountains. In the wintertime you go skiing in mountains that are within walking distance of the city center. It rains a lot in Bergen and if you're born and raised there you tend to miss the rain when you travel to drier places. When at home I try to relax as much as possible, which is not very much as I have very active daughters. I visit friends and hike in the mountains as often as I can. And if I have time left, I watch TV. The last time I watched TV was in May 1996.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? Who were your biggest musical influences when you were growing up? What was your first "big break?"

I listened to all kinds of music like most kids. Professionally I think Barbara Streisand was the one singer who meant most to me. I often refer to her as my first vocal coach. My first big break was performing at the European Song Contest in 1986. Hundreds of millions of TV viewers watched and that changed my life.

Although you have had extensive experience in the music industry since you were a teenager, what challenges do you face musically and personally?

My biggest challenge personally is trying to combine a career with being a mom. You have to turn down a lot of tempting offers and you have to be very firm because the career can eat you alive if you're not disciplined. Musically I develop all the time and my main concern is really that there are so many songs I would like to sing while my voice is still at its best. Hopefully I have many years left but I can't stop worrying that I won't make it in time.

With the rebroadcast of All Good Things on PBS slated for March and your upcoming concert tour, can we possibly look forward to a new special on PBS featuring My Heart in 2004?

I hope to record a new PBS special this summer and I'm searching for a beautiful outdoor location in Norway. I have the orchestra and the songs and hope to find the dollars it takes to fund the recording.

Having such a diverse and extremely successful career has allowed you the opportunity to engage in everything from movie soundtracks to the opening of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Which performance has been the most memorable?

The most memorable performance was definitely when I sang at the opening ceremony of the Lillehammer Olympics. It was ice cold and very beautiful. It was actually hard to sing as I was moved to tears.

I understand you have performed with Josh Groban in the past. Can you tell us about that experience? What did you perform?

I did a duet with Josh at the Nobel Piece Prize Concert in Oslo December 2001. We sang "The Prayer," and I was so moved by his beautiful voice that I forgot to sing my first line. (As you might have understood by now, I get easily moved.) Former president Jimmy Carter received the prize and I got to meet him, too. It was a very memorable evening for a little girl from Norway.

Grammy Award-winner Richard Marx composed two of the songs on My Heart: "Someone Like You" and "Beyond Imagination." What was it like working with him?

Richard Marx is a great songwriter and a cool guy. We recorded in his studio in Chicago, and I immediately felt at ease. Since he is a singer himself, he knew exactly how to guide me through the songs. I had a great time recording with him, and maybe one day we can do a duet.