soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...

aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fr ...

Lillehammer Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munic ...

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( , ; born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, hy, Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրեան, ; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a French-Armenian singer, lyricist, actor and diplomat. Aznavour was known for his dist ...

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

Andrea Bocelli Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born visually impaired, with congenital glaucoma, and at the age of 12, Bocelli became completely blind, following a brain hemorrhage resulting fro ...

Bryn Terfel Sir Bryn Terfel Jones, (; born 9 November 1965) (known professionally as Bryn Terfel) is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly '' Figaro'', '' Leporello'' and '' ...

Josh Groban Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, wi ...

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

Mario Frangoulis Mario Frangoulis ( el, Μάριος Φραγκούλης, Mários Frankoúlis; born 18 December 1967) is a Greek vocalist and theatre actor, famous for his refined tenor vocals. Born in Rhodesia, Frangoulis after his three decade long career has e ...

Brian May Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Freddie Mercury and ...

Tommy Körberg Bert Gustav Tommy Körberg (; born 4 July 1948) is a Swedish singer, actor, and musician. English-speaking audiences know him best for his role as Anatoly/"The Russian" in the musical ''Chess''. He played the role on the 1984 concept album, and ...

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard'' maga ...

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...

Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ...

Spirit of the Season "Spirit of the Season" is a song from the movie ''The Polar Express''. A cover of the song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Sissel Sissel is a Norwegian female given name, a variant of Cecilia.Odd Nordstoga, they are the only Norwegian artists to have an album go 11 times platinum in album sales for ''Strålande jul'' (Glorious Christmas). In Norway she is mostly known as Sissel Kyrkjebø; she started using her first name mononymously abroad later in her career. Her first name ' Sissel' is a Norwegian variant of 'Cecilia'. This is a popular first name from

Saint Cecilia Saint Cecilia ( la, Sancta Caecilia), also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman virgin martyr and is venerated in Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She became the patroness of music and musicians, ...

, the patron saint of church music. Her last name means "church farm" or "church field", and may be derived from an agricultural property owned by or located near the local church.

Early life

Sissel grew up on Lønborg in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...

with two older brothers, Eirik and Bjørn. Sissel and her parents often took hikes in the mountains surrounding Bergen. In early years she wanted to be a nurse, but at the age of nine music became her passion. She joined her first children's choir under the direction of New Zealand-born conductor Felicity Laurence. She stayed with the choir for seven years and said, "That was my musical education. We sang everything: classical and jazz, folk and even Māori songs. People said we sounded like an angel choir because we had this very clean pure sound, almost like an English boys' choir." Sissel won her first local talent competition when she was ten. She was influenced by various musical genres; her parents were interested in

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

and classical music, and her brothers' interest in rock music also influenced her. She has stated that

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

,

Kathleen Battle Kathleen Deanna Battle (born August 13, 1948) is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performance ...

and

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...

were inspirations.

Career

1983–1985: First TV appearances, ''Syng med oss''

In 1980, she appeared in the sing-along program ' ('Sing with Us') together with a children's choir. Her first solo appearance was in 1984, when she sang the Norwegian folktune "Ung Åslaug". Sissel performed in this program many times until 1989. Her first solo TV appearance without the choir was in 1983 on Norwegian TV, with the song "Evergreen" in the children's program '. Later same year she and Rune Larsen, her later manager guested the TV-program ' ('Do You Remember?'), hosted by Odd Grythe. She performed "" ('Childhood Home') and " Sukiyaki". She first sang " Å, Vestland, Vestland" on ''Syng med oss'' in 1985; it has been her signature song since then.

1986–1994: Rise to prominence in Norway, ''Sissel'', ''Soria Moria'' and ''Innerst i Sjelen''

In January 1986, Sissel appeared on the Norwegian TV-show " Kanal 1", hosted by Ivar Dyrhaug. She performed " You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

and later, in February she performed " Comin' In and Out of Your Life" on the 1986 Alpine Skiing World Cup TV-show in Norway. In May, Sissel performed " Bergensiana" during the intermission of the Eurovision Song Contest 1986, which took place in

Grieg Hall Grieg Hall ( no, Grieghallen) is a 1,500 seat concert hall located on Edvard Griegs' square in Bergen, Norway. Grieghallen was named in honor of Bergen-born composer Edvard Grieg, who served as music director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra ...

in her home town of

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...

. That was her big breakthrough and same year, her first album, '' Sissel'', was released. It sold more than 500,000 copies, making it the best selling album in Norway at that time. In 1987, Sissel made her debut on Danish television, on ''Under Uret'', hosted by

Hans Otto Bisgaard Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi a ...

. She performed two songs: "Vårvise" with Danish singer/composer Sebastian and " Summertime". Later that year, in November Sissel released her Christmas album '' Glade Jul''. It contained several traditional

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

s and it broke her previous record for best-selling album in Norway. This album still holds the record. Upon its release, it sold more than 600,000 copies in a country with a population of less than five million: to date, it has sold approximately 1 million copies. In Sweden, a Swedish language version was released, called ''Stilla Natt''. Norwegian newspaper ''

Dagbladet ''Dagbladet'' (lit.: ''The Daily Magazine'') is one of Norway's largest newspapers and is published in the tabloid format. It has 1,400,000 daily readers on mobile, web and paper. Traditionally ''Dagbladet'' is considered the main liberal newsp ...

'' honored her as "The Name of the Year" in December. That year Sissel also was invited to represent Norway in the

Eurovision Song Contest 1987 The Eurovision Song Contest 1987 was the 32nd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Brussels, Belgium, following the country's victory at the with the song " J'aime la vie" by Sandra Kim. Organised by the European Broa ...

, but she declined. This year Sissel wanted a break from her music career and attended a commercial upper-secondary school in Bergen. She performed at the memorial concert of singer/songwriter

Trygve Henrik Hoff Trygve Henrik Hoff (7 July 1938 – 2 December 1987), born in Rognan, Nordland, was a Norwegian singer, composer, songwriter, and writer. He was a teacher at Buskerud folkehøgskole (Heimtun) for many years when he lived in Darbu, Øvre Eik ...

in

Tromsø Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø. Tromsø lies in Northern Norway. The municipality is the ...

, in February. Hoff wrote several of the songs on Sissel's debut album, '' Sissel'' from 1986. Hoff died in 1987. In the fall of 1988, Sissel moved to

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

for a short period to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the Norwegian version of ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...

''. This production set box office records and was seen by over 110,000 people. In 1989, she released her third album, '' Soria Moria''. The album sold 180,000 copies. In the summer of the same year, Sissel travelled to the US and performed in New York City on the TV program '' Artists for Our Common Future'', which was broadcast around the world. She performed " Summertime" and " Somewhere". On a Swedish TV-concert recorded in

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

she met Danish comedian and singer Eddie Skoller, whom she later married. They sang "Vårvise" by Sebastian. In 1990, Sissel recorded the singing parts of the character Princess Ariel for the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish versions of the 1989 Disney movie '' The Little Mermaid'', and played the voice role of Ariel in the Norwegian and Swedish versions. In the same year Sissel visited The Faeroe Islands developing a project called "Kystland". It resulted in two TV programs, ''Med Sissel til Kirkjubø'' and the church concert ''Tidin rennur''. In December 1990, Sissel opened the new concert hall in Oslo, Oslo Spectrum at the Christmas-concert "Å gi er å se". In 1991, Sissel toured Norway and Denmark with her very successful church concert, ''Tidin rennur''. In the fall of 1991, Sissel met and performed with

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

on the Norwegian TV-show '' Momarkedet''. Sissel sang his song "

Solitaire Solitaire is any tabletop game which one can play by oneself, usually with cards, but also with dominoes. The term "solitaire" is also used for single-player games of concentration and skill using a set layout tiles, pegs or stones. These game ...

" while Sedaka played on the piano. He was very impressed and they collaborated on her next album, '' Gift of Love'' which came out in 1992. Sissel sings three songs written by Sedaka, including a duet on " Breaking Up Is Hard To Do". In the winter of 1992, Sissel was named one of the official musicians of the upcoming 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. She made a short appearance at the closing ceremony of the Olympics in Albertville, France. Dressed like a princess sitting on a giant fake polar bear like in the Norwegian folktale '' Kvitebjørn kong Valemon'', she performed "Molde Canticle" by Jan Garbarek. Her album ''Gift of Love'' was released in October, and the album sold only 60,000 copies. It received criticism for her new style on the album. Sissel joined

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

on his fall tour in Norway same year, and she also had several event performances in the U.S. In the summer of 1993, Sissel played the role of Solveig in ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed '' Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on ...

'' by

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential pla ...

at

Den Nationale Scene Den Nationale Scene ( en, National Theater) is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatres in Norway. History Opened under the name '' Det Norske Theater'' in 1850, the theatre has root ...

in Bergen. This was very well received by critics. Later, in August Sissel married Eddie Skoller in

St Mary's Church, Bergen St Mary's Church ( no, Mariakyrkja, Mariakirken) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Bergen Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the Bryggen area in the central part of the city of Bergen. It is one of the churches ...

in Bergen. Thousands of fans waited in the rain outside the church to get a glimpse of Sissel after the wedding-ceremony. The wedding received a great deal of attention from Norwegian and Danish press. In February 1994, Sissel performed during the opening and closing ceremonies of the

1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fr ...

in

Lillehammer Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munic ...

.
During the Olympics, legendary Spanish tenor

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

visited Norway, where he came across one of her earlier albums. He contacted Sissel and the next day they recorded " Se ilden lyse (Fire in Your Heart), Fire in Your Heart", an English version of "Se ilden lyse", the official theme song of the Lillehammer Olympics. These two versions of the song were released in February 1994 on Sissel's solo album '' Innerst i sjelen'' (Deep Within My Soul), a collection of Nordic

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...

s. Domingo invited Sissel, along with world-renowned French singer

Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( , ; born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, hy, Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրեան, ; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a French-Armenian singer, lyricist, actor and diplomat. Aznavour was known for his dist ...

, to take part in his annual '' Christmas in Vienna'' concert later that year. The concert was broadcast around the world and released as an album internationally.

1995–2001: Climb to international recognition, ''All Good Things'' and ''In Symphony''

In 1995, Sissel was invited to perform at the 1995 Live For Peace – Royal Gala in London. In celebration of 50 years V.E. Day she performed in front of

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

, in

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...

. She sang the renowned aria '' O Mio Babbino Caro'' from the opera '' Gianni Schicchi'' by

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...

and the Norwegian classic ''Vitae Lux'' with the choir Gli Scapoli. In 1997, Sissel toured the US with the Irish group

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

. They appeared, among other places, on the

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production ...

and in

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

. Later that summer, Sissel was involved in recording the soundtrack to the film ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

''. The soundtrack, called '' Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture'', became immensely popular, reaching No. 1 on the

Billboard charts The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...

and selling more than 30 million copies worldwide.

James Horner James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American composer. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements, and for his frequent use of motifs associated with Celtic music. Horner's first film score was in ...

, the composer of the film's music, knew Sissel from her album '' Innerst i sjelen'' and he particularly liked how she sang '' Eg veit i himmerik ei borg'' (I Know in Heaven There Is a Castle). Horner had tried 25 or 30 singers before deciding on Sissel. She was then scheduled to record the

theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...

to

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...

's 1997 blockbuster film ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

'', but

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...

's vocals were preferred due to James Horner's decision to support Dion's career. In an interview from December 2014, Horner quotes: "When I had completed the ''Titanic''

ovie Ovie is a given name, nickname and surname. It may refer to: Nickname * Alexander Ovechkin (born 1985), Russian ice hockey player * Ovie Alston (1905–1989), American jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and bandleader * Ovie Ejaria (born 1997), English foo ...

I had to decide for Celine Dion or Sissel s ocals Sissel I am very close, while Celine I had known since she was 18, and I had already written three film songs for er But that was before Celine was known and filmmakers and marketing people had not done what they should have done for Celine and ersongs. So I felt I owed her a ''Titanic'' chance, but I could

till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...

have used Sissel there." Instead, Kyrkjebø completed much of the

film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...

for the soundtrack album. Sissel had a No.1 hit across Europe in 1998 with '' Prince Igor'', a duet with an American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...

on the concept album '' The Rapsody Overture'' which combined American rappers with European opera singers. Sissel sang an

aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

from

Alexander Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin ( rus, link=no, Александр Порфирьевич Бородин, Aleksandr Porfir’yevich Borodin , p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr pɐrˈfʲi rʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bərɐˈdʲin, a=RU-Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin.ogg, ...

's opera '' Prince Igor'' during the chorus, while

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...

rapped. When the song was recorded, Sissel had just a half-hour to learn the Russian lyrics and she got help from a Russian, who drove a cab in New York City: the driver's name, coincidentally, was Igor. Sissel was on her way to the airport, but the taxi-driver drove her direct to the studio and followed Sissel into studio. He helped Sissel sing the Russian words correctly while Sissel recorded her part of the lyrics. In the end, he was satisfied and they made it to the airport afterwards. On St. Patrick's Day that year, Sissel made her second performance on the Late Show, singing "Love Will You Marry Me?" with

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

. In 1999, Sissel started working on a new album with producer Rick Chertoff, and travelled between

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan a ...

and New York. The CD was to be released in 2000, but Sissel was unhappy with the results of the recording sessions and scrapped the album. That year she sang the

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, an ...

song '' Siúil A Rún'' on

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

' 1999 album '' Tears of Stone''. The beginning of 2000 marked

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...

as the "European city of culture", and Sissel performed at the opening ceremony. In May, as a part of

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...

's ''

Nattjazz Festival Bergen International Jazz Festival or Nattjazz, is one of the largest jazz festivals of Norway. The festival has a musical profile with an emphasis on ethnic and contemporary jazz. It is held annually in late May, coinciding with Festspillene ...

'' she performed at a concert where she sang several duets with jazz singer

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard'' maga ...

. In November 2000, Sissel released (in Norway only) her album, ''

All Good Things All Good Things may refer to: Music *'' All Good Things'', an American Alternative rock band formed in 2013. Albums * ''All Good Things'' (album), a 2002 album by Sissel *'' All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions'', a box set by Jerry Garc ...

'', which was her first

solo album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

in nearly seven years. Following high sales, 300,000 copies sold, the album was released throughout Europe and Asia the following year. The album included the

duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a sol ...

"

Where the Lost Ones Go "Where the Lost Ones Go" is a single from Norwegian singer Sissel's '' All Good Things'' album, released in 2001 (See 2001 in music). It is a duet with Espen Lind, written by Lind and Magnus Rostadmo. It also appeared on Espen Lind's '' This Is ...

" with fellow Norwegian singer

Espen Lind Espen Lind (born 13 May 1971) is a Norwegian record producer, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is one half of the production team Espionage, and together with his long time partner Amund Bjorklund he has written and/or produced ...

, which was also released on his album '' This Is Pop Music'' in 2001. Sissel performed

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

s and a few of her new tunes at the Festival of Lights (''Lysfest'') in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...

in the beginning of December, culminating the city's celebration of being the cultural city of Europe. The concert was broadcast live on the Internet. Later the same month, she was invited to represent Norway at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, where she sang "One Day" and "Weightless", both songs from ''

All Good Things All Good Things may refer to: Music *'' All Good Things'', an American Alternative rock band formed in 2013. Albums * ''All Good Things'' (album), a 2002 album by Sissel *'' All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions'', a box set by Jerry Garc ...

''. She was introduced by

Jane Seymour Jane Seymour (c. 150824 October 1537) was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII of England from their marriage on 30 May 1536 until her death the next year. She became queen following the execution of Henry's second wife, Anne ...

as "the Norwegian star Sissel." Sissel also released a greatest hits collection in Japan that included two new songs, in collaboration with Gheorghe Zamfir. These songs were used in the Japanese TV show ''

Summer Snow ''Summer Snow'' is a Japanese television drama that was broadcast from July 7 to September 15, 2000, on TBS. It is a love story between a young man who has been forced to grow up too quickly, and a young woman with an activity-restricting ailment ...

'', one of which was the show's theme song. Sissel is enormously popular in Japan and has released several Japanese versions of her albums there. In 2001, she was asked to sing a

duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a sol ...

with the Danish goth rockers

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. Sissel sang with them on the track "Elia Rising" from their album ''Snakecharmer'', released in May 2001. Sissel was inspired by the

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

/

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...

-

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

"

Where the Wild Roses Grow "Where the Wild Roses Grow" is a murder ballad by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and pop singer Kylie Minogue. It is the fifth song and lead single from the band's ninth studio album, ''Murder Ballads'' (1996), released on Mut ...

".

Sort Sol 300px, A formation of starlings in the marshlands near Tønder, Denmark">Tønder.html" ;"title="starlings in the marshlands near Tønder">starlings in the marshlands near Tønder, Denmark. image:Fugle,_%C3%B8rns%C3%B8_073.jpg, 300px, Blick of so ...

and Sissel performed both in

Tivoli Tivoli may refer to: * Tivoli, Lazio, a town in Lazio, Italy, known for historic sites; the inspiration for other places named Tivoli Buildings * Tivoli (Baltimore, Maryland), a mansion built about 1855 * Tivoli Building (Cheyenne, Wyoming), ...

and at

Roskilde Festival The Roskilde Festival is a Danish music festival held annually south of Roskilde. It is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest in the Nordic countries. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and a promoter. In 1 ...

that year. At the

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 51,916 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

, they performed at 2 in the morning for a raucous audience of 50,000 rock fans. Sissel made her debut on the big screen in June, playing a female

lumberjack Lumberjacks are mostly North American workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to loggers in the era (before 1945 in the Unite ...

, Inga, in the Danish children's film, Flyvende farmor (Flying Grandma). In this movie, Sissel sings the Danish song "Himlen over Himmelbjerget". In September, Sissel played two "In Symphony" concerts in

Drammen Drammen () is a city and municipality in Viken, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the south-eastern and most populated part of Norway. Drammen municipality also includes smaller towns and villages such as Konne ...

, Norway, with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and special guests. The concert was broadcast in Sweden, Norway and Denmark and was also released as a

live CD A live CD (also live DVD, live disc, or live operating system) is a complete bootable computer installation including operating system which runs directly from a CD-ROM or similar storage device into a computer's memory, rather than loading f ...

, '' Sissel in Symphony'', which sold 240,000 copies. Later in autumn 2001, Sissel toured

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and S ...

and sang at a memorial ceremony in October at

Copenhagen Airport Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup ( da, Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup, ; ) is an international airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark, Zealand, the Øresund Region, and southern Sweden including Scania. It is the second largest airport in the Nordi ...

. Sissel then performed at a memorial concert for a 17-year-old boy,

Benjamin Hermansen Benjamin Hermansen (29 May 1985 – 26 January 2001) was a Norwegian boy whose father was born in Ghana; his mother was Norwegian. He was stabbed to death at Holmlia in Oslo, Norway, just before midnight on 26 January 2001 by people from ...

, the victim of a racially motivated murder in a suburb of

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

. She also performed at an AIDS/HIV benefit concert in Kulturkirken Jakob, Oslo where she sang " Eg Ser". On 6 December, Sissel performed with the

Oslo Gospel Choir Oslo Gospel Choir is a Norwegian gospel music, gospel choir centred in Oslo, Norway conducted by Tore W. Aas. The choir started up in 1988 and has since then become one of the most successful in Europe with success both in Europe and America. They ...

in Washington, D.C., as part of ''Norwegian Visions 2001''.

2002–2008: More international success, ''My Heart'', ''Nordisk Vinternatt'' and ''Into Paradise''

In 2002, Sissel recorded two duets,

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...

and

Bist du bei mir "" (If you are with me, I go with joy) is an aria from Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel's opera ''Diomedes'', which was first staged on 16 November 1718. The aria is best known as "," BWV 508, a version for voice and continuo found as No. 25 in t ...

(BWV 508), with

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

in April for his Sacred Songs album, released in September of that year. On 24 May 2002, dressed in traditional Norwegian costume, Sissel performed the Norwegian

psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived f ...

"Lær meg å kjenne" at the wedding of

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway Princess Märtha Louise of Norway (born 22 September 1971) is a member of the Norwegian royal family, a businesswoman and a self-described clairvoyant. The only daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja, she is fourth in the line of success ...

and Ari Behn in the

Nidaros Cathedral Nidaros Cathedral ( no, Nidarosdomen / Nidaros Domkirke) is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II (c. 995–1030, reigned 1015–1028), who became t ...

. In August, Sissel performed with the Danish Radio Orchestra at two outdoor concerts in the park surrounding Ledreborg Castle near

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 51,916 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

in Denmark. In addition to the orchestra, Sissel entertained the sold-out crowd of 22,000 and guests on these concert were artists like

Paddy Moloney Paddy Moloney ( ga, Pádraig Ó Maoldomhnaigh; 1 August 1938 – 12 October 2021) was an Irish musician, composer, and record producer. He co-founded and led the Irish musical group the Chieftains, playing on all of their 44 albums. He was parti ...

and The Pilatze Brothers. On 1 October 2002, Sissel released her first album in the US. It sold over 100,000 copies in its first three months of release with hardly any advertising or marketing.
The album sold better than Decca Records, Decca record executives expected, their initial goal having been to sell 100,000 copies in the first nine months. The album, titled ''Sissel'', was largely a re-recording of songs from her Norwegian album, ''

All Good Things All Good Things may refer to: Music *'' All Good Things'', an American Alternative rock band formed in 2013. Albums * ''All Good Things'' (album), a 2002 album by Sissel *'' All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions'', a box set by Jerry Garc ...

'' with the addition of two songs, "

Solitaire Solitaire is any tabletop game which one can play by oneself, usually with cards, but also with dominoes. The term "solitaire" is also used for single-player games of concentration and skill using a set layout tiles, pegs or stones. These game ...

" and " Shenandoah". In late 2002, one of Sissel's concerts was filmed at the Oslo Spectrum and later broadcast in March 2003 on PBS in the United States. The British Singer Russell Watson was one of her guests. The production was subsequently released as the DVD ''Sissel in Concert''. In December 2002, Sissel was again invited to represent Norway at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, for which she sang " Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from '' The Wizard of Oz'' and " The Prayer" in a duet with

Josh Groban Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, wi ...

. Sissel closed out 2002 by performing at a Christmas concert, ''Christmas in Moscow 2003'', in Moscow, Russia with

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

,

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

and

Emma Shapplin Emma Shapplin (born Crystêle Madeleine Joliton Interview video with Emma Shapplin for the Russian TV channel TVC. on 19 May 1974, in the Paris suburb of Savigny-le-Temple) is a French soprano. Discography Albums *'' Carmine Meo'' (1997, ...

. The show garnered mixed reviews from the Russian media, although Sissel received all-around high marks. This concert was broadcast on Russian television and in October 2014 this concert was released on CD. In April 2003, Sissel performed in Tokyo, Japan and then in April–May she toured US, visiting

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

, St. Louis and New York City. Sissel had a Poulsen rose (a rose engineered to thrive in cold Scandinavian winters) named after her on 10 August in Denmark. "She spreads joy among all of us with her wonderful voice" was the reasoning behind the honor, bestowed upon her in the garden of Haraldsted Church. Sissel performed The Rose, Vatnet, våren, fela and Solveig's Song during the presentation. Sissel sang with Swedish singer

Peter Jöback Peter Arne Jöback (born 4 June 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer, actor and musical artist. Biography Early life and education Peter Jöback was born on 4 June 1971 in Stockholm. He spent his childhood in Värmland and Österg� ...

on the Christmas single " Gå inte forbi" for his new holiday CD. Sissel also guested him on his Christmas tour in Sweden that year. Sissel released her second US album, ''My Heart'', in March 2004. It was a

classical crossover Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers who appeal to different types of audience. This can be seen, for example, (especially in the United States) when a song appears on two or more of the record charts which track differi ...

album and included two pop songs written by

Richard Marx Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American adult contemporary and pop rock singer-songwriter. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Marx's self-titled debut album went triple-platinum in 1987, and his first single, " D ...

and one

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

, "Wait A While", written by

Jon Lord John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...

of

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Originally formed as ...

. "My Heart" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Classical Album Chart after debuting at No. 7 and spent 31 weeks on the chart. In the summer and fall of 2004, Sissel went on tour with The Lord of the Rings Symphony.
She was a featured Solo (music), soloist for an orchestral performance dedicated to the music from ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's bo ...

'' films. ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's bo ...

'' composer

Howard Shore Howard Leslie Shore (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer and conductor noted for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for ''The Lord of the Rings'' and '' The Hobbit'' film trilogies. ...

, who arranged and conducted the music, planned on hiring three

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...

singers to handle the vocal chores, but after hearing Sissel, decided she would be enough. At each performance, Sissel performed with a symphony orchestra and choirs with 200 musicians on stage.

Howard Shore Howard Leslie Shore (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer and conductor noted for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for ''The Lord of the Rings'' and '' The Hobbit'' film trilogies. ...

stated, "Ancient Norwegian mythology and culture had a great influence on Tolkien's work. It is very thrilling to have the Norwegian singer Sissel perform as a soloist in The Lord of the Rings Symphony. Sissel's radiant voice illuminates this work." When asked about the tour in an interview, Sissel raved, "I love the music. It's such a wonderful feeling to be sitting in the middle of a symphony orchestra, surrounded by the beautiful voices of the choir and all those gorgeous melodies." In May 2005, Sissel performed with the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ...

in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...

, Utah, on their radio and TV broadcast, '' Music and the Spoken Word'', which is featured on nearly 2,000 stations across the US and around the world. Sissel joined the

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

to commemorate the Centennial of Norwegian Independence from Sweden, which was being celebrated that year. Sissel sang the

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...

song "

Like An Angel Passing Through My Room "Like an Angel Passing Through My Room" is the closing track on ABBA's 1981 album '' The Visitors''. It was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. History Work began on this track on 26 May 1981 in Polar Music Studios. The first demo re ...

", "Vitae Lux", the traditional Norwegian

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn ...

" Herre gud, ditt dyre navn og ære", and the Norwegian national anthem, "

Ja, vi elsker dette landet "" (; en, "Yes, we love this country") is the Norwegian national anthem. Originally a patriotic song, it came to be commonly regarded as the ''de facto'' national anthem of Norway in the early 20th century, after being used alongside "" since th ...

" (Yes, we love this country), with the choir. On 8 October 2005, King Harald of Norway knighted Sissel a ''Knight of the 1st Class in the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

'' for her contributions to music and as an ambassador for Norway. Sissel was 36 years old. The ceremony was held on 25 January on Hotel Bristol in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

. Same month Sissel was invited to perform on the well-known temple-concert, Ninna-ji Otobutai, in

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

, Japan. She sang "

Pie Jesu "Pie Jesu" ( ; original Latin: "Pie Iesu" ) is a text from the final couplet of the hymn " Dies irae", and is often included in musical settings of the Requiem Mass as a motet. The phrase means " pious Jesus" in the vocative. Popular settings The s ...

", "Sancta Maria" (

intermezzo In music, an intermezzo (, , plural form: intermezzi), in the most general sense, is a composition which fits between other musical or dramatic entities, such as acts of a play or movements of a larger musical work. In music history, the term ha ...

from

Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...

's opera '' Cavalleria Rusticana''), "

You Raise Me Up "You Raise Me Up" is a song originally composed by the Norwegian-Irish duo Secret Garden. The music was written by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland, and the lyrics by Brendan Graham. After the song was performed early in 2002 by the Secret Garden ...

", and a couple of other songs. This concert was aired on television in Japan. In December 2006, Sissel again joined the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ...

as the featured Solo (music), soloist for their annual Christmas concerts. In four performances, she sang for more than 80,000 people in the 21,000-seat Conference center in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...

. The concerts were videotaped for PBS television and aired the year after, in December 2007. Sissel celebrated more than 20 years in the music industry with the release of a greatest hits album presenting 40 of her best and most well-known songs, including some never-before-released songs. She toured Norway in December with her Christmas concerts with a mix of

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

s and hits from her greatest hits-release that year. In March 2007, a statistically representative sample of the Norwegian population chose her as the best female Norwegian musical artist in competition with 15 other big names, including

Lene Marlin Lene Marlin (born Lene Marlin Pedersen; 17 August 1980) is a Norwegian musician, singer, and songwriter. Biography ''Playing My Game'' (1998–2002) Marlin was born in Tromsø, Norway. She made her Norwegian recording debut on 12 October 1998, ...

,

Wenche Myhre Wenche Synnøve Myhre (born 15 February 1947), known in some countries as Wencke Myhre, is a Norwegian singer who has had a great number of hit songs since the 1960s in the Norwegian, Danish, German and Swedish markets and languages. Early care ...

, Kari Bremnes, and

Bertine Zetlitz Bertine Axeliane Robberstad Zetlitz (born 9 April 1975) is a Norwegian pop music, pop singer. Career Bertine Zetlitz began her musical journey at a young age, penning her first numbers aged just 12. After gaining a background in classical music, ...

. In the summer of 2007, Sissel toured Norway, Sweden, France, and the US with a band. According to Sissel, this is a new concert format for her, without a

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

. For the 2007 holiday season, PBS stations aired two concerts starring Sissel as part of the December pledge drive, one with the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ...

titled ''

Spirit of the Season "Spirit of the Season" is a song from the movie ''The Polar Express''. A cover of the song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Sissel Sissel is a Norwegian female given name, a variant of Cecilia.José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

titled ''Northern Lights'', released on CD and DVD in early November 2007. The albums of these concerts have proven to be extremely popular, with ''Northern Lights'' reaching No. 10 in the Billboard Classical Crossover list, and ''

Spirit of the Season "Spirit of the Season" is a song from the movie ''The Polar Express''. A cover of the song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Sissel Sissel is a Norwegian female given name, a variant of Cecilia.
for nine consecutive weeks. The album ''Northern Lights'' is a live recording of a concert at :no:Bergstadens Ziir, Bergstadens Ziir ("Jewel of the mountain town" in German), a church from the 17th Century in

Røros Røros ( sma, Plaassja, ) is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Røros. Some of the villages in Røros include Brekken, Glåmos, Feragen, Galåa, and Hitterdalen. The min ...

, Norway (a 17th-Century Germany mining town). It was inspired by Norway's winter, the Blue hour, and the mystical Northern Lights. The music were arranged by Kjetil Bjerkestrand and the musicians sharing the stage with Sissel were the

Trondheim Soloists Trondheim Soloists ( no, Trondheimsolistene) are a musical chamber ensemble of string players based in Trondheim, Norway. The ensemble was founded in 1988 and has been an arena for professional concert training for string-players at the Music Con ...

, the

Nidaros Cathedral Nidaros Cathedral ( no, Nidarosdomen / Nidaros Domkirke) is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II (c. 995–1030, reigned 1015–1028), who became t ...

Girls Choir, and Sissel's own band. The concert featured the tenor

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

, which performed the

Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...

/

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...

-

duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a sol ...

"

When You Tell Me That You Love Me "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on August 20, 1991 as the lead single from her nineteenth studio album, '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991). The song was released on the Motown label in the ...

" with Sissel. Sissel conducted an eight-city US tour in February 2008, singing selections from ''Northern Lights''.
A second leg of the tour covered more cities in the central and southern United States and lasted through April.

2009–present: New influences and break from music, ''Strålande Jul'' and ''Til deg''

On 9 November 2009, Sissel released a new Christmas album called ''Strålande Jul'' (Glorious Christmas), a project with Odd Nordstoga, another popular Norwegian singer. This album presents mostly lesser-known

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

s from

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and S ...

. Sissel toured in both Norway and Sweden with Odd Nordstoga,

The Real Group The Real Group is an a cappella group from Sweden. Members are Emma Nilsdotter, Lisa Östergren, Anders Edenroth, Anton Forsberg and Jānis Strazdiņš. The group's members compose and arrange most of their songs. They sing in English and Swedis ...

,

Orsa spelmän Orsa Spelmän is a folk music ( Spelman) sextet from Orsa in Sweden. In 1987, the former ABBA member Benny Andersson and Orsa Spelmän began a musical partnership with the recording of the album Klinga mina klockor. In 2001 the group became ...

, and Krister Henrikson. This album and their sold-out Christmas concerts received much critical acclaim in Norway and Sweden. The record company ''Universal Music'' anticipated sales of about 100,000 CDs, but ultimately sold more than 400,000 in Norway in the first two months. In May 2010, Sissel visited China with the

Trondheim Soloists Trondheim Soloists ( no, Trondheimsolistene) are a musical chamber ensemble of string players based in Trondheim, Norway. The ensemble was founded in 1988 and has been an arena for professional concert training for string-players at the Music Con ...

, on ''

Expo 2010 Expo 2010, officially the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, from 1 May to 31 October 2010. It was a major World Expo registered by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), in the t ...

'' in Shanghai. They performed songs like "Jag vill alltid følja dig", " Solveig's Song" and "Wait A While". Part of these concerts were broadcast on Norwegian television in the summer of 2010. On 20 September 2010, an

unauthorized biography An unauthorized biography is a biography written without the subject's permission or input. The term is usually restricted to biographies written within the subject's lifetime or shortly after their death; as such, it is not applied to biographi ...

of Sissel, named ''Sissel'', by Stig Nilsson, was released in Norway. Nilsson had written several songs for Sissel earlier in her career. In the book, Nilsson claims—among other things—that Sissel never became a worldwide superstar because she did not want to be. The book has only been released in Norwegian. On 15 November 2010, Sissel released a new album in

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and S ...

called ''Til deg'' (For You), recorded in

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...

's Polar Studios in Stockholm, Nidaros Studios in

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, an ...

, and in

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and th ...

. This album shows a new direction in music and is heavily influenced by the style of

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

, roots and folk. The album includes five songs sung in Swedish, three in Norwegian and two in English, including a Norwegian translation of Victoria Shaw's song "Never Alone", titled "Velkommen hjem", and a Swedish cover of

Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass- country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed wit ...

' song "

Ghost in This House "Ghost in This House" is a song written by Hugh Prestwood, and recorded by American country music group Shenandoah. It was released in September 1990 as the second single from their album '' Extra Mile''. The song reached number 5 on the ''Billbo ...

", called "Levande död". Sissel has collaborated with

Mikael Wiehe Mikael Christian Wiehe (born 10 April 1946 in Stockholm) is a Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer. As the main songwriter and driving force of Hoola Bandoola Band he was also one of the most important people in the progg moveme ...

,

Espen Lind Espen Lind (born 13 May 1971) is a Norwegian record producer, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is one half of the production team Espionage, and together with his long time partner Amund Bjorklund he has written and/or produced ...

, and

Py Bäckman Py Marie Elisabet Ulrika Bäckman Wennborn (born 5 July 1948, Stockholm) is a Swedish musician. She is a singer and songwriter of pop and rock for musicals and films. She also plays piano and harmonica. Career Bäckman grew up in Iggesund (G� ...

on the new album. In 2011 Sissel moved back to Norway after 22 years in Denmark. On 21 August 2011, Sissel performed the Norwegian hymn " Til ungdommen" by Nordahl Grieg at the National Memorial Ceremony for the victims of 22 July 2011 terrorist attacks. This ceremony took place in Oslo Spectrum and was broadcast live in all the Nordic countries. HM King Harald and HM Queen Sonja of Norway attended this ceremony with members from all the Nordic Royal Houses, and the prime ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark plus the presidents of Iceland and Finland. In September Sissel got her own

stamp Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents ...

in Norway when a set of stamps of four Norwegian female performers was issued. In December 2012 Sissel performed exclusively in two free Christmas-concerts in

St John's Church, Bergen St. John's Church ( no, Johanneskirken) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Bergen Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the Sydnes area of the city of Bergen. It is one of the five churches for the Bergen Cathedral ...

. This was the first time she performed a Christmas concert on her own in that church. In November 2013 Sissel officially returned to the stage, after a 3-year long break. She appeared on the Norwegian talkshow " Lindmo", where she performed "My Tribute" by

Andrae Crouch Andrae, Andræ (Danish) or Andrä is a surname and given name, which is a variant of Andreae, itself a patronymic (via the Latin genitive case) from the personal name Andreas. Notable persons with this name include: Surname * Ahmed-Tobias Andr� ...

. Sissel toured Norway in November and December with her Christmas concerts with a new mix of Christmas- and gospel songs. She hired three gospel singers from New York to back her up on these concerts. On 17 May 2014 Sissel performed the Norwegian national anthem "

Ja, vi elsker dette landet "" (; en, "Yes, we love this country") is the Norwegian national anthem. Originally a patriotic song, it came to be commonly regarded as the ''de facto'' national anthem of Norway in the early 20th century, after being used alongside "" since th ...

" and Griegs " Våren" on the Norwegian Constitution Day 2014 on

Eidsvoll Eidsvoll (; sometimes written as ''Eidsvold'') is a municipality in Akershus in Viken county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet. General information ...

, Norway. Royal guests from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark attended this ceremony which was broadcast live on television. Later, in September Sissel performed with the Greek tenor

Mario Frangoulis Mario Frangoulis ( el, Μάριος Φραγκούλης, Mários Frankoúlis; born 18 December 1967) is a Greek vocalist and theatre actor, famous for his refined tenor vocals. Born in Rhodesia, Frangoulis after his three decade long career has e ...

at a concert on 5 September at the Odeon of

Herodes Atticus Herodes Atticus ( grc-gre, Ἡρώδης; AD 101–177) was an Athenian rhetorician, as well as a Roman senator. A great philanthropic magnate, he and his wife Appia Annia Regilla, for whose murder he was potentially responsible, commission ...

in Greece. This concert, "Sing Me An Angel" was held in aid of the Non Profit Organisation "I Live For Me". They performed several duets like "

You Raise Me Up "You Raise Me Up" is a song originally composed by the Norwegian-Irish duo Secret Garden. The music was written by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland, and the lyrics by Brendan Graham. After the song was performed early in 2002 by the Secret Garden ...

", "

Nights in White Satin "Nights in White Satin" is a song by the Moody Blues, written and composed by Justin Hayward. It was first featured as the segment "The Night" on the album '' Days of Future Passed''. When first released as a single in 1967, it reached number ...

", "

Smile A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses ...

" and " What A Wonderful World". Sissel toured Norway and Sweden with her acclaimed Christmas concerts in November and December. In the fifth episode (of Season 3) of American television political drama series The Newsroom, which aired in December, a recording of Sissel singing " Shenandoah" was played over the death scene of Charlie Skinner (

Sam Waterston Samuel Atkinson Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television and, film. He has received a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award, and has receive ...

). In 2015 Sissel performed as vocal soloist at two Titanic Live-concerts in

Lucerne Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital o ...

, Switzerland on 13 and 14 March, and later at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

on 27 April, where Sissel performed the vocal lines of

James Horner James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American composer. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements, and for his frequent use of motifs associated with Celtic music. Horner's first film score was in ...

's orchestral score as well as the solo soprano for " My Heart Will Go On". A few weeks later

James Horner James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American composer. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements, and for his frequent use of motifs associated with Celtic music. Horner's first film score was in ...

died when his single-engine Tucano aircraft crashed in the

Los Padres National Forest Los Padres National Forest is a United States national forest in southern and central California. Administered by the United States Forest Service, Los Padres includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Mo ...

. In December 2015 Sissel was as one of nine names nominated for the 2016 Hall of Fame at

Rockheim Rockheim (also called ''Det nasjonale opplevelsessenteret for pop og rock'', The National Discovery Centre for Pop and Rock, and ''Det nasjonale museet for populærmusikk'', The National Museum for Popular Music) is Norway's national museum f ...

in Norway. The beginning of 2016 saw Sissel performing at a TV-broadcast Royal Gala on 17 January, celebrating the 25th or silver jubilee of HM The King and HM The Queen of Norway's accession to the Norwegian throne. Sissel sang "For alltid" ("Forever"), written by Ole Paus. She toured Sweden in the fall, from 14–31 October with her new concert, Songs of Love. And in November/December she toured Norway, Denmark and Iceland with her Christmas concert, Sissel's jul. Sissel again was nominated in December for the 2017 Hall of Fame at

Rockheim Rockheim (also called ''Det nasjonale opplevelsessenteret for pop og rock'', The National Discovery Centre for Pop and Rock, and ''Det nasjonale museet for populærmusikk'', The National Museum for Popular Music) is Norway's national museum f ...

in Norway. And the 2014 PBS-concert, "Sing Me An Angel" with

Mario Frangoulis Mario Frangoulis ( el, Μάριος Φραγκούλης, Mários Frankoúlis; born 18 December 1967) is a Greek vocalist and theatre actor, famous for his refined tenor vocals. Born in Rhodesia, Frangoulis after his three decade long career has e ...

was broadcast on television in the US from December. In February 2017 Sissel performed at a TV-broadcast Celebration-concert for her friend, singer-songwriter Ole Paus in the Opera House in Oslo. And in November/December she toured Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland with her Christmas concert success, Sissel's jul. In May 2019 Sissel released the first of 50 new songs that came out each week for the following 50 weeks. This new project, named '' Reflections'' celebrated Sissel turning 50 years that year. On 6 June, Sissel performed together with Italian singer

Andrea Bocelli Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born visually impaired, with congenital glaucoma, and at the age of 12, Bocelli became completely blind, following a brain hemorrhage resulting fro ...

at a concert in Oslo. In July, Sissel again was invited to perform with the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ...

and the orchestra at Temple Square in their Pioneer Day concert, which also was broadcast on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

. And in August, Sissel made a special guest appearance on the popular Swedish TV-show

Allsång på Skansen ''Allsång på Skansen'' (''Sing-along at Skansen'') is a Swedish show held at Skansen, Stockholm, every summer on Tuesdays between 8pm and 9pm. The audience is encouraged to sing along with musical guest stars to well-known Swedish and interna ...

, where she performed two new songs, " Welcome to My World" and "

Surrender Surrender may refer to: * Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy * Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power Film and television * ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...

".

Personal life

From 1993 to 2004, Kyrkjebø was married to her first husband Danish-American comedian and singer, Eddie Skoller. They have two daughters, Ingrid (born 1996) and Sarah (born 1999). On 13 August 2013, Kyrkjebø married her second husband, Norwegian tax lawyer, Ernst Ravnaas, in a private ceremony in Hov church.

Discography

* Unreleased/Rare/Unfinished/Performed songs by Sissel Kyrkjebø

Notable concerts and tours

Awards and recognition

* 1986 – '' Årets spellemann (Musician of the Year)'' in the

Spellemannprisen Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizat ...

. * 1986 – '' Årets navn'' (Person of the Year) by Norwegian national newspaper

Dagbladet ''Dagbladet'' (lit.: ''The Daily Magazine'') is one of Norway's largest newspapers and is published in the tabloid format. It has 1,400,000 daily readers on mobile, web and paper. Traditionally ''Dagbladet'' is considered the main liberal newsp ...

. * 1986 – ''På gang''-scholarship from Norwegian national newspaper VG, with

Åge Aleksandersen Åge Aleksandersen (born 21 March 1949 in Namsos, Norway) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is one of his country's best known singer/songwriters and musicians. Some of his most well known songs are "''Lys og varme''" (''Light ...

* 1990 – ''Ansgarskolens Mediapris'' (Ansgarschool's Mediaprize), with

Oslo Gospel Choir Oslo Gospel Choir is a Norwegian gospel music, gospel choir centred in Oslo, Norway conducted by Tore W. Aas. The choir started up in 1988 and has since then become one of the most successful in Europe with success both in Europe and America. They ...

for the 1990 album '' Oslo Gospel Choir Live'' * 1992 – ''Klods Hans Prisen'' * 1993 – ''Gledespiken-prisen'' * 1995 – '' Paul Harris Fellow'' by

Rotary International Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, prof ...

* 2002 – Ranked ''Scandinavia's Mostselling Artist'' with a total of 460 000 records sold on 18 months, with the albums ''

In Symphony ''In Symphony'' is a 2001 live concert album by Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø. It was recorded during her concerts held in Drammen Theater, Norway in September 2001. Sissel performed her most popular songs and some new songs in a new arr ...

'' and '' Sissel'' * 2005 –

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. The United Nations Inter ...

* 2005 – ''Knight of the 1st Class in the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

''. On 8 October 2005, The King of Norway knighted Sissel for her contributions to music and as an ambassador for Norway. She was the youngest ever recipient of this honor. * 2006 – ''Juryens hederspris'' (Most Distinguished Artist—akin to a lifetime achievement award) in Spellemannprisen 2006. She is the youngest Norwegian performer ever to receive this award. * 2007 – ''Topp 10 – Beste kvinnelige artist'' Sissel was awarded ''Best Female Artist of Norway'' by the Norwegian public broadcasting company

NRK NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest ...

in the TV program ''Topp 10'' on 17 March 2007. * 2009 – A rose developed by Poulsen Roses is named after Sissel and she baptized the rose in Baroniet Rosendal on 4 August 2009. * 2010 – In February 2010 Sissel was nominated for the 40th Peer Gynt Award, which went to Dissimilis. * 2011 – On 16 September 2011, a set of stamps of four Norwegian female performers (Sissel Kyrkjebø,

Wenche Myhre Wenche Synnøve Myhre (born 15 February 1947), known in some countries as Wencke Myhre, is a Norwegian singer who has had a great number of hit songs since the 1960s in the Norwegian, Danish, German and Swedish markets and languages. Early care ...

, Mari Boine and

Inger Lise Rypdal Inger Lise Rypdal (born 14 December 1949 in Lena, Norway) is a Norwegian singer and actress in many different genres: pop, rock, theater, film, and musical. She is the sister of singer Maj Britt Andersen and was married (1969–1985) to guitari ...

) was issued. * 2011 – Rolf Gammleng-prisen (Open category) * 2015 – In December 2015 Sissel was nominated for the first time for the Rockheim Hall of Fame 2016. * 2016 – In December 2016 Sissel was nominated for the second time for the Rockheim Hall of Fame 2017. * 2018 – In December 2018 Sissel was nominated for the third time for the Rockheim Hall of Fame 2019.

References

External links

*
Sissel Kyrkjebø
on

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Sissel Kyrkjebø
on

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kyrkjebo, Sissel 1969 births Living people Musicians from Bergen Norwegian women singers Norwegian Lutherans Norwegian sopranos Opera crossover singers Norwegian-language singers English-language singers from Norway German-language singers Italian-language singers French-language singers Latin-language singers Spellemannprisen winners

Early life

Career

1983–1985: First TV appearances, ''Syng med oss''

1986–1994: Rise to prominence in Norway, ''Sissel'', ''Soria Moria'' and ''Innerst i Sjelen''

1995–2001: Climb to international recognition, ''All Good Things'' and ''In Symphony''

2002–2008: More international success, ''My Heart'', ''Nordisk Vinternatt'' and ''Into Paradise''

2009–present: New influences and break from music, ''Strålande Jul'' and ''Til deg''

Personal life

Discography

Notable concerts and tours

Awards and recognition

See also

References

External links