Deborah Henriksson
I love Swedish folk recording artist Deborah Henriksson’s new album Traces. I love the title track and the song Calling. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when she agreed to be an Amused Now featured artist.
Traces is Deborah Henriksson’s fourth album, and she recorded all her own lyrics. Deborah smiled when I asked her about the album: “I wanted to do songs that were about what I had to say. My other albums were songs by other people. I couldn’t find anything that said what I really wanted to say, so I wrote my own.”
Deborah Henriksson gave us the back story behind my favorite song Calling: “That song is one of my favorites too. It’s a wonderful childhood memory. I used to go to Cape Cod with my parents when I was a child. The song is about the music that I heard when I was on the beach and heard the waves rolling in. It’s all about waves rolling in and out.”
If Deborah grew up near Cape Cod, how did she get to Sweden? She married a Swede.
Deborah Henriksson’s music has been described as everything from classic to contemporary folk, so I asked her to describe it: “A cross-over of many styles, from folk to Celtic to country to new age. It has a world music ambience. Sometimes it’s very simple; sometimes it’s lush. It’s different!”
She co-writes and produces her music with producer Mats Lyman. I wondered: Why do they work so well together? Deborah explained: “He understands the way my voice works very well. I’m a soprano, and when we did a previous recording of Christian songs, he heard something in another range.” There’s synergy.
Deborah Henriksson has such a lovely singing voice. When I asked about her music background, she laughed: “I have many years of voice lessons. I also have a degree in music. To do the kind of singing that I do now, I basically unlearned everything that I had learned. I don’t sing with a classical technique any more, but I do use a bit of classical breath control. I know how the voice works, so I’m able to analyze what works and what doesn’t.”
Even though she’s based in Sweden, Deborah Henriksson has a worldwide fan base. She heavily uses social media to connect with fans. “I use YouTube and I use ReverbNation and, of course, Twitter. If somebody writes that they like something, I always write back and thank them. I try to make contact with people as much as I can. It’s fun too.”
What advice does Deborah Henriksson have for other artists outside the United States trying to make a name for themselves here? “The biggest thing is to never lose your passion for what you’re doing. Passion is the motor behind everything that you want to do. The main thing is whether or not your music is appreciated in the different markets. Some styles are more popular than others in certain places. That’s the secret. Find out who likes your stuff. The doors won’t open if they don’t like it, and if they do like it, the doors do open. ”
Deborah Henriksson is working hard to get the word out about Traces. “I want to go out and sing those songs anywhere I can.” Deborah is coming to the Florence Winter Folk Festival, on the Oregon coast, in January. That is a great opportunity for me to meet her and see her perform live. I look forward to that concert.
She’s working on other US concert dates, so US fans need to keep watch!
The Amused Now Featured Artist Series
Deborah Henriksson
@DeborahHenrikss
Facebook
Google+
Cynthia Kahn, Founder of Amused Now
@Amused_Now
Facebook
Google+
YouTube
iTunes