The DollyCamp (IX): En afton med Michael Jackson

Last December 10th, 2009, the director Jessica Nettelbladt was in FilmCentrum Syd, Malmö, showing sequences from her documentary "Dollykollot" (The DollyCamp), which is currently being cut, and talked about recording this film in Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Berlin, New York, Nashville, Dollywood and Iceland. The plot of this documentary is simple: four singers and a music producer (Nina Persson, Cecilia Nordlund, Lotta Wenglén, Helena Josefsson, and Gudrun Hauksdottir), met through a tribute to Dolly Parton and become close friends.

Picture by Sofia Josefsson

Debaser Malmö payed homage to Michael Jackson on December 25th, 2009.

Picture by Johan Bävman (sydsvenskan.se)

• Fre 25 Dec Inne: 19-03
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Forrest & Crispian, Paulina, Asha Ali, Vivian Buczek, Jonas Drejholt and Helena Josefsson took part in the concert. It also features the usual Aftonorkestern, usually with Magnus Sveningsson (Righteous Boy, The Cardigans) on bass, Nathan Larson on guitar and Patrik Bartosch (Eggstone) on keyboards. There is also a show "En afton med Michael Jackson" in Debaser Medis in Stockholm booked for tomorrow December 26th, but Helena will not play there.





Do you want some reviews from the concert? According to Håkan Engström, from sydsvenskan.se, "fast nothing could beat Helena Josefsson tonight". Emma Sonesson (aka BiLLY), administrator of the HJ Fanclub Portal, wrote: "Yesterday was a nice concert :D but I couldn't take a pic! :(".

"En afton med ..." is a project by Debaser Malmö, SVT and Monbio. Visit: www.enafton.com. "En afton med Michael Jackson" (A night with M.J.) is the last show of this project after three years of homages, including nights with Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie or Depeche Mode. Artists like Nina Persson, Tingsek or Titiyo have been doing really good covers of their idols' hits. Helena Josefsson was also in "En afton med Dusty Springfield" (December 2007) and in "En afton med Blondie" (February 2008). Some of the shows were recorded for the documentary "The DollyCamp".

LJdM

Helena Josefsson - Beat It


Helena Josefsson - Ain't No Sunshine

I was in love with Michael Jackson as a young teenager and still love his music and dancing. It will be fun! I have seen Michael Jackson twice, the Dangerous tour and the History tour. And I was so in love with him as a girl, making drawings of him, sending him letters that I wrote in gold :o) I will enjoy singing his music. I think he was amazing, cause he had the voice, the composing talent, the amazing rhythm-feel not to mention his moves!

It is exciting to sing his songs and I will try to do it properly even though it can never be as good as he did it. I will sing Beat it and Ain´t no sunshine with my own Swedish lyrics on them. I was thinking of Dirty Diana at first but someone else got it before me :o) I think my favourite songs are Human Nature, Beat it and Dirty Diana.

I will not play in Debaser Medis, and I haven´t been asked to. It´s good ´cause I want to be home to spend Christmas with my little family :o) I hope you will have a wonderful christmas! Helena!

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

Picture by Sofia Josefsson

Picture by Sofia Josefsson

Picture by Sofia Josefsson

Picture by Sofia Josefsson

Incomprehensible and terribly sad. A master left us. We will never experience anyone like Michael Jackson again.

Per Gessle

History:

• Main sources: Debaser Malmö - Kalender; helenajosefsson.com - News; helenajosefsson.com - Gigs; helenajosefsson.com - Guestbook; En afton med ... Michael Jackson; Twitter; sydsvenskan.se
• Related articles: "A night with Dusty Springfield" (LJdM, 28.12.2007); "En afton med Blondie" (LJdM, 27.02.2008); Vokalisternas och glittrets afton(sydsvenskan.se; 26.12.2009)
• Links from: HJ Official Forum - Waiting for Helena's second solo album; THJ Society - Wall; RoxetteBlog
• Originally published in LJdM: 08.12.2009.
  
• Updated: (1) 2009.12.09: LJdM published this gig the day before helenajosefsson.com did it. Helena confirmed it and answered some of our questions in her guestbook. (2) 2010.01.11: Videos added from Youtube, uploaded by CinnamonWeaver and Fred200008. (3) 2010.01.28: I added more pictures by Sofia Josefsson.
  

The DollyCamp (VIII): the trailer

LJdM readers can remember the story, but there are news and pictures about it.

In 2004, Nina Persson (from the Cardigans) gave Dolly Parton's biography to her friend Gudrun Hauksdottir to read and both grew even bigger Dolly fans then before.

They contacted the director Jessica Nettelbladt and together decided to record a film about five female singers from Malmö: Cecilia Nordlund, Lotta Wenglén, Helena Josefsson, Gudrun Hauksdottir and Nina Persson.

The movie, The Dollycamp (originally, "Dollykollot, Den långa resan till Dollywood"), with the five singers playing themselves, tells their musical love, friendship and music projects connected to Dolly for a time span of 4 years.

The documentary is trying to show what their idol, Dolly, or idols in general could mean to the singers, how it influences these 5 musicians and if you can succeed in "finding" your idol.

The trailer is now in Dailymotion and could be premiered very soon. Watch it, please!

LJdM

Martin is taking care of our baby during the days and I have started studying in Copenhagen. So there are quite some things to get used to time lacking and more love than I could ever imagine a baby could make me feel!

A little sneak-peak at the trailer of the music-documentary that is about to be finished! It´s about 5 female musicians from Malmö, of which I am one! Looki looki!

The movie contains music from me, new and old ones! All of us who are part of the movie have an equal part and all of us have music in it too!

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

Comments by fans:

The trailer of the movie looks very cool! I know Nina Persson very well, even saw her live in Petersburg in 2007, the Cardigans were fantastic, since I was in school we all sang "My favourite Game" and Cecilia Nordlund was supposed to shot the video for you, right? Hope this story would be released somehow soon, looks fantastic really!)))

Glad to know you're fine and everything goes well. I hope you have a splendid October and see you soon again on tour. The Party Crasher on the Road was fantastic, I saw a DVD trailer and almost cried! The German lives were amazing! How could you make such a brilliant music? ;))

All the best wishes and kind regards,
You're GREAT!!!! ))) Il.

Ilya Volkov -(a.k.a. Kreecher)- Roxette House

During the time while Helenas debut album "Dynamo" was released, when she had her promotion gigs all over Sweden, I notice a girl that was there filming sometimes. It was for a documentary about some Swedish female musicians from Malmö. Now you can se the trailer to the documentary.

Emma Sonesson (aka BiLLY) - HJ Fanclub Portal

The DollyCamp (VII): a righteous boy's cottage

Last June 2008, Dolly Parton began her European Tour in Sweden (Stockholm, 13-06-2008; Malmö, 14-06-2008). According to Skanskan.se, Jessica Nettelbladt recorded the last images for her documentary "Dollykollot", about 5 enthusiastic female musicians.


Gudrun Hauksdottir, the producer of Shemusic and the woman behind the Debaser club in Malmö, said: "Dolly Parton is an example to all us. She has dared to believe in herself and go her own way. Dolly is a strong business woman who is merely doing what all of us aspire. She has produced 300 songs. My friend Nina Persson (The Cardigans) gave me an American biography of Dolly Parton in 2004 as a present and the idea of a DollyCamp was born. We decided to start together a band and arrange concerts with Dolly Parton's music. It would be our love tribute to this country star. In addition to Nina and me, Robyn and three talented musicians from Skåne (Cecilia Nordlund, Lotta Wenglén and Helena Josefsson) joint us."

Their first gig was held in Malmö in 2004 and became a real success. They were invited to play at Pride festival in Stockholm in 2005, the World Athletics Championships in Gothenburg in 2006 and afterparty in Dolly Parton's concert in Stockholm in 2007. For four years, these musicians have become close friends.

According to Lotta Wenglén: "DollyKollot is a fun way to meet people and do something together. It is like a family where Gudrun is everybody's mother". Helena Josefsson said: "Dolly's provocative look and style is challenging and let the women learn that it is OK to be who you want to be. You can still succeed as an artist."

The director, Jessica Nettelbladt, explained her film: "I want to show that one can succeed or not, but the important thing is the journey and keep on believing in your dream. Naturally, I want my film to be shown in cinemas and I am fighting for it. The alternative is SVT Television. The idea is that the film should be ready next year."

Helena Josefsson writes today in her blog a post about the last meeting of the "DollyKollot Band". Read it.

LJdM

Jessica Nettelbladt who makes a documentary about female musicians of which I am one, was at AGM Studio in Christoffer Lundquist's daughter party and together with her, a cake tasted even better!

Two days later, we met up at a cottage 1 hour away from the studio towards the sea, and I left Christoffer alone in the studio. He needed to rest so the timing was good. Here in this cottage, we made the last meeting all five of us who are in the documentary. We had a great time, talking about our dreams and what had happened since last time, and we had salmon from the grill! Yummie :o) The other girls slept over in the cottage, while I went back to the studio to keep working. Here you can see how cosy it was:

It is Nina Persson, Lotta Wenglén, Cecilia Nordlund and arranger Gudrun Hauksdottir plus me in the movie. It will be edited this fall and then I hope you will soon be able to see the result! The cottage belongs to Magnus Svenningsson, bassplayer of the Cardigans, and his girlfriend and it was very beautiful! And here you see the filmteam:

The documentary has been a lot of fun to be part in, and I am sure I have made new friends for life! Both with Jessica, and the other musicians!!

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

The DollyCamp (VI): En afton med Blondie

Debaser, Malmö 2007/02/27 - www.debaser.nu

En afton med: Blondie

Debaser Malmö has payed homage to Blondie.

Blondie is an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s, and who have so far sold over 140 million records. The band was a pioneer in the early American punk rock and New Wave scenes. Its first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although successful in Australia and the United Kingdom, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next three years, the band achieved several hit singles and was noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles incorporating elements of disco, pop and reggae, while retaining a basic style as a New Wave band. Lead singer Deborah Harry achieved a level of celebrity that eclipsed other band members, leading to tension within the group. Following a poorly received album, and with core member Chris Stein diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, the group disbanded in 1982. As members pursued other projects, Blondie's reputation grew over the following decade and the group reformed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with "Maria" in 1999. The group toured and performed throughout the world over the following years, and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the RockWalk of Fame in 2006. Blondie has sold 40 million records worldwide since their explosion onto the music scene in the 1970s

Cecilia Nordlund, Toril Lindqvist (Alice In Videoland), Dennis Lyxzén (The International Noise Conspiracy), Markus Krunegård (Laakso) and Maja Ivarsson (The Sounds) have taken part in the concert. The band also features some famous musicians: Magnus Sveningsson (Righteous Boy, The Cardigans) on bass, Nathan Larson on guitar, Patrik Bartosch (Eggstone) on keyboards, Jens Andersson (The Ark), and Jens Jansson (Brainpool, A Camp) on drums.

The band also played the song "One Way or Another" with two guests: Moto Boy and Helena Josefsson.

LJdM

The DollyCamp (V): Dollykollot, the long journey to Dollywood

In 2004, Nina Persson (from the Cardigans) gave Dolly Parton's biography to her friend Gudrun Hauksdottir to read and both grew even bigger Dolly fans then before.

They contacted the director Jessica Nettelbladt and together decided to record a film about five female singers from Malmö: Cecilia Nordlund, Lotta Wenglén, Helena Josefsson, Gudrun Hauksdottir and Nina Persson. SheMusic and Le Joni produced it.

The movie, Dollykollot: "Den långa resan till Dollywood", with the five singers playing themselves, tells their musical love, friendship and music projects connected to Dolly for a time span of 4 years.

The documentary is trying to show what their idol, Dolly, or idols in general could mean to the singers, how it influences these 5 musicians and if you can succeed in "finding" your idol.

Some of the scenes are taken from the Stockholm Pride 2005 (Stockholm,6.08.2005).

Other scenes were filmed at Dolly Parton Tribute Concert (Debaser Medis, Stockholm, 16.03.2007, with 30.000 attendees).

The documentary film could be premiered in 2009. There would be another tribute concert at KB, Malmö, in June 2008.

LJdM

The DollyCamp (IV): A night with Dusty Springfield

Debaser, Malmö 2007/12/28 - www.debaser.nu

En afton med: Dusty Springfield!

Debaser Malmö has payed homage to Dusty Springfield.

Dusty Springfield (April 16, 1939–March 2, 1999) was a popular British singer whose career spanned four decades (1959-1995). She achieved her most notable success during the 1960s, with a successful comeback in the late 1980s. Her most famous hits are: "I only want to be with you" (1959), "Wishin' and Hopin'" (1964), "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (1964), "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" (1966), "Son of a Preacher Man" (1969) and "What have I done to deserve this?" (1987).

Titiyo, Niclas Frisk (from Atomism Swing), Nina Persson (from The Cardigans), Per Sunding (from Eggstone), Motoboy and Helena Josefsson have taken part in the concert. It also features Magnus Sveningsson (Righteous Boy, The Cardigans) on bass, Nathan Larson on guitar, Patrik Bartosch (Eggstone) on keyboards and the strings of Aftonorkesten.

"En afton med ..." is a project by Debaser Malmö, SVT and Monbio. www.enafton.com

Before the concert, people could watch Definitely Dusty, a documentary that includes the duo Dusty Springfield + Aretha Franklin in Stockholm gig (1968). And after the show the DJs Magnus Sveningsson and Johan Tholson played some dance music inspired in Dusty's hits.

Sara Berg, from Sydsvenskan, interviewed Helena Josefsson about being Dusty for a night. Helena Josefsson chose "Look of love", the notable Bacharach-David composition, for the 1967 spoof Bond movie Casino Royale. Helena also loves another Dusty's cover: Breakfast in bed (1969). Helena says that she would like to cover Nick Drake, Kate Bush and Michael Jackson too. According to herself, an hypothetic "night with Helena Josefsson" would include music covers (like bizarre rap versions of her songs played by Timbuktu), coloured scenography, dance improvisation and ... many cakes!.

LJdM has found a video from the show. Titiyo introduces Moto boy, that plays "You don't have to say you love me". After the song, you can see all the artists that have taken part. Helena wears a beautiful red dress.

Ola, a nice fan of the Cardigans, wrote a very interesting review in his blog.

LJdM

Probably few music is so wonderful as old recordings by Dusty Springfield. Once a month Debaser, a night club in Malmö, dedicates a night to a famous artist: in October, we had "A night with Velvet Underground" and in November it was "A night with Joni Mitchell". Tonight it is a night with Dusty. I went with Emma and Kristian. Debaser was full with approx. 500 persons as audience. The film about Dusty's life was nice. After it, the concert began. The Aftonorkestern ( with Particle Bartosch from Eggstone on keyboards), the Duncankvartetten , musicians from the band Damm! and four backgroundsingers appeared on scene. Then all the artists played. I would mention Moto Boy's and Nina Persson's versions. Nina was especially handsome tonight. The DJs session with music by Donny Hathaway, Sammy Davis Jr or Ronettes was a good ending for an intense concert. In February we'll have "A night with Blondie".

Moto Boy - If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)

Nina Persson - The Windmills Of Your Mind

Niklas Frisk - Just A Little Lovin'

Per Sunding - Anyone Who Had a Heart


Moto Boy - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

Ola E. - from Malmö, SE

Go to En afton med Dusty to hear the different songs from the Dusty Springfield tribute! (28.12.2007). You will find all the performances under "videos".

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

The Look of Love - En afton med Dusty

Breakfast in bed - En afton med Dusty

Have you ever tried Dusty Springfield? She has one of the very few feminine voices that I could listen to all day long. So emotional, so sensual, so heavy. With "Anyone Who Had a Heart", "You Don't Own Me","Yesterday When I Was Young", "In Private", and, of course, the splendid "The Look of Love" I have good reason to rely on her.

Adela Toplean - A_T_ blog

The DollyCamp (III): In the making - Dollykollot

Jessica Nettelbladt, a film director from Malmö, is recording since 2005 a documentary about five female singers from Malmö (Cecilia Nordlund, Lotta Wenglén, Helena Josefsson, Gudrun Hauksdottir and Nina Persson) and the influence of Dolly Parton in their lifes.

Branten Magazine interviewed Gudrun Hauksdottir, the director of Stockholm Pride and She Music Festival, about her favourite documentaries. She chose five:

• 1. Styvfar Demonen - Jasper Lake, Sverige 2005
• 2. The Beales of Grey Gardens – Albert and David Maysles, US 2006
• 3. Dark Days - Mark Singer, USA 2000
• 4. Shut up and Sing – Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck, USA 2006
• 5. SICKO - Michael Moore, USA 2007

LJdM

The DollyCamp (II): Helena at Dolly Parton Tribute

Helena Josefsson played yesterday night at Debaser Medis in Stockholm, a concert in honour of Dolly Parton. Helena speaks in her website about the invited artists:

Dolly Parton Tribute! Robyn, Titiyo, Cecilia Nordlund, Tingsek, Lotta Wenglén, Fibes Oh Fibes, Nina Persson (from The Cardigans), Martinique Josefsson and the charming band with lots of wonderful musicians!

Robin Rumich took some great pics of the Gala.

Helena with Tingsek: they had played together in the band ewing.1 when they were younger


Helena with Nina Persson from The Cardigans


Helena with Martinique

The director Jessica Nettelbladt recorded at this concert some scenes for a documentary film (defined as a "roadmovie" though) called "Den långa resan till Dollywood". Nina Persson, Helena Josefsson and other female singers from Malmö sing and talk in the film about the influence of their idol Dolly Parton. It seems a long project too, so it could be shown in 2008.

LJdM

The DollyCamp (I): Stockholm Pride 2005 - Dolly Partonkväll

Stockholm Pride is a festival for LGBT individuals held yearly in Stockholm. Since the start in 1998, Stockholm Pride has grown to be one of Stockholm's largest annual festivals, as well as the largest Pride celebration in Scandinavia. Each year Stockholm Pride attracts visitors from both Sweden and the rest of the world. During a whole week Stockholm Pride turns Stockholm into a free zone for the GLBT community, painting the city in the colors of the rainbow.

LJdM

Some of my favourite Swedish female singers were there and here are all three together on stage! From left to right: Nina Persson (The Cardigans), Robyn & Helena Josefsson (Sandy Mouche)

Saar (a.k.a. Sarah den Rara),
from Alkmaar, Netherlands

Dolly Partonkväll. At Pride Main Stage (Pridepark) with The Emmylous, featuring: Nina Persson (Cardigans), Robyn, Nico (The Mo), Magnus Tingsek (Tingsek) and Cecilia Nordlund (Monkeystrikes), Helena & Martinique Josefsson (Sandy Mouche), Lotta Wenglen, Sweet Mary and Christian Kjellvander. The Emmylous is an all girls, country band from Malmö, whose leader is Anna Carlsson.

The director Jessica Nettelbladt recorded at this concert some scenes for a documentary film (defined as a "roadmovie" though) called "Den långa resan till Dollywood". Nina Persson, Helena Josefsson and other female singers from Malmö sing and talk in the film about the influence of their idol Dolly Parton. It seems a long project too, so it could be shown in 2007 or 2008. According to the Swedish press, the song "Jolene", sung by Helena Josefsson and Nico (The Mo), was one of the brightest moments of the gig. All the artists played together Dolly's hit I will always love you. In fact, this is the second Dolly's tribute concert promoted by Gudrun Hauksdottir, after another one in Malmö in 2004.

LJdM

Pictures by Lotta Holmström (aka Araneida), SE

It was a great feeling singing at Stockholm Pride 2005!

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

Magnus Tingsek was one of the artists in Stockholm Pride 2005. Last June, we could see the release of debut album "Tingsek" from 26 year old Magnus Tingsek from Malmö, Sweden. In 1998, Helena Josefsson and Magnus were members of the forgotten band ewing.1. There have been rumblings from the Swedish indie sector about Magnus since he turned 20 when he got his first record deal with Ramblin Records in Lund - the neighbouring town of Malmö in the Swedish South. After having experienced first-hand the record industry's many ups and more downs over the last years - he has been working on his music - finely tuning a style that he can call his own. Like an adaptation of black and white soul music tinged with Magnus first love - Americana.

It all began in the town of Södra Sandby where Magnus and his brother Anders (long time member of Christian Kjellvander's touring band, Loosegoats) got access to the cellar at the local library. Here they sang harmonies to Depeche Mode tunes and inhaled every Beatles recording they got get their hands on. They turned the cellar into a makeshift studio and soon Magnus was playing drums, guitar, bass and was honing his voice in a wide array of local garage bands. As he got older he also mastered the pedal steel guitar with which he has toured with Kjellvander's band Loosegoats, EPs Trailerpark and local Helsingborg band "Ben" . One thing lead to another and soon he was in the US supporting Willie Nelson with Nelson's daughter Paula. In Sweden he also been touring with Sweden's leading rapper Timbuktu.

Listen to Tingsek on his his space. And watch the video of the single Egoflow, released today and directed by Erik Hjärpe (a.k.a. Voz Vibrante, a member of Damn!, The Martelli Tapes, and Krosusork).

LJdM