Christoffer Lundquist is mixing Helena's second solo album (VII): The recording has landed! almooooost….!

Now I have been listening and listening to recording, and my reaction was all new- Martin and I started listening in a car on our way to his mother´s summer house, not far from the studio. And my head started banging and I started shouting and yelling and dancing there in the car-I have never felt that way from listening to my own music. But somehow, I always knew that one day, I would be able to really dance to my music. Finally! When we came back home, I sent a copy to the guardian angel and record company Per Gessle. Nervous… would I have to write even more songs? Now he has listened too, and he was also happy with the results! Luckily….!! The funny part is that the two songs he likes least are my own favourites :o)

Still, he felt he missed one song from the demo recordings. It is a Greek song that I have heard in the flamenco lessons, and I have made my own lyrics. He asked us to record this song. I am happy about it because the song is very interesting but it means that the album is NOT quite finished yet. I could not get an appointment in the studio until the end of August or so. But finally it WILL be finished and I am already longing for when we will start playing the songs live!

While I am awaiting for it all to be finished, I am going for a vacation! First we will visit my father on his 60:th birthday just above Gothenburg, and then, to Martin´s relatives in Piteå, in the very north of Sweden.

2008.07.02 Slottsträdgården, Malmö

Now I won´t have so much to write about the record for a while but I will keep you updated as soon as something happens!

Love, Helena

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

On July 2, 2008, Helena Josefsson took part in a magic show of her friends Malin and Ola Nilsson in Slottsträdgårdens kafé, in Malmö's wonderful organic garden situated just behind Malmöhus Castle adjacent to Kungsparken.

LJdM

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.

Christoffer Lundquist is mixing Helena's second solo album (VI): waiting and waiting

On two sundays, Martinique came over! Then I bought strawberries and other good things to celebrate it!

He loves being around cats and he recorded some bells with the kitten on his lap, but he also played football with the rabbit in the garden.

Christoffer's daughter Ingrid borrowed my big shoes and Christoffer´s guitar-she looks like candy! But her favourite instrument is the drums, but it´s not as interesting as horses.

Christoffer´s children finished this semester and their mother Ylva celebrated it with strawberry cake! And she came and gave me a piece too…!!!! The first strawberry cake for the summer :o) Jessica Nettelbladt who makes a documentary about female musicians of which I am one, was here that day and together with her, the cake tasted even better!

Now one week has passed since the recording was finished… And Christoffer is mixing it right now, he will be finished any minute now! And I feel so strange, one week apart from the music feels like one year! I miss it, and I can´t wait til an envelope with the mixes fall down from the hole in the door! Then I will take my bike to the beach and lie there listening over and over again :o) I remember the latest Sandy Mouche record, we did that and it was such a fantastic feeling! When you have been writing and writing and singing and singing and waiting and waiting, and finally- there it is! Now I just hope that the release date won´t be too delayed. It was said to be released this fall- let´s see what the record company has to say after they´ve heard the recording.

Helena Josefsson - H.J.