Super producer Rick Chertoff was hired and everything was rosey for the Bergen songbird.

But something went very wrong in the process. Everything points to the failure of the American producer to bring forth Sissel's personality and uniqueness to the degree desired by Sissel.

For Sissel the entire album should reach the mark, not just a few songs. Nevertheless she wanted the album to reflect her Norwegian roots.

Now Sissel is rejecting the finished album. According to Dagens Næringsliv the project has cost six million Norwegian crowns ($750,000 US).

With that, the continual delays stand in a new light.

"I don't know when my album will come out. We shall see," said Sissel to BA, when she recently sang in her hometown of Bergen in connection with the European Cultural Capital opening.

Now we understand why the album time after time was delayed. None of the affected parties would speak to the press yesterday about the blunder. But Tore Erik Hermansen in Stargate Studios looks to be a central figure in the continuation. He sees it such:
"It is actually common in the music industry that a collaboration doesn't turn out how one hoped. It happens too often in Norway that music is released whether it's any good or not. I think it's a healthy sign that Sissel says stop."
And perhaps it's not strange that he thinks so because Hermansen appears to be Sissel's new collaborator.

"We're currently writing new songs for Sissel," said Hermansen in Stargate Studios to BA and, "I understand that there are special circumstances which brought Sissel back to Norway. We are, in any case, not used to using such a long time as two years on an album," he said.

Will you use any of the USA songs?

"That I don't know. But in the beginning we're going for new songs. We will, in any case, write something new. The goal is to have the new material ready for Sissel in a few weeks," said Hermansen.

FANTASTIC ARTIST
Stargate Studioes are the new wonderkids in the Norwegian music industry. They have already had international success with among other things remixes for Mariah Carey and studiowork with the popular group Five, which for the time being is on the British Top Twenty.

They are very pleased to be working with Sissel.

"She is a fantastic artist. We will try to strengthen her unique expression. The only thing I'm now concerned about is to find good songs. I am happy that we can come in with fresh ideas. That we don't have to surf on the Titanic wave."

Will the music be more Norwegian?

"We are all Norwegian, so that speaks for itself. But we mustn't forget that music is a global language," emphasized Hermansen.

The idea is for Sissel to use the Stargate Studio in Trondheim to record some of the songs. It is rumored that she will also use Disclab Studio in Oslo, where Lene Marlin created the foundation for her success.

But this is rejected by producer Hans Olav Grøtheim.

"I'm not working with Sissel," he said decidedly to BA.

A bit of the problem is that Sissel is connected to Universal Records, while the actual producers in Disclab are contracted to competitor Virgin, where Lene Marlin-promoter Per Eirik Johansen holds the fort.

"I have little desire to comment in the matter," is all the administrative director for Virgin, Per Eirik Johansen, would say.

The delicate part is that Arne Svare is the manager for both Lene and Sissel. Therefore there aren't any currently willing to admit where eventual Sissel recordings will take place.