Together with Norwegian artist colleagues such as Astrid S, Stein Torleif Bjella, Jonas Benyoub, Thomas Dybdahl, Ina Wroldsen and Kjartan Lauritzen, Carola Häggkvist enters “Hver gang vi møtes” on New Year’s Day to interpret her colleagues’ songs.
In the Norwegian “God Morgen”, the Swede admits that she was not completely familiar with the song catalogs of her Norwegian colleagues.
– I knew and had dug a bit into the girls’ material and chose a song after quite a while, because there was so much good material. I didn’t really know much about the men, she admits.
Despite a long career and vast experience, she says that she was nervous before the recording on Kjerringøy outside Bodø.
– You must give out part of your heart in the program, but also perform with songs that you have not sung before in front of an audience and also interpret them in your own way, says Carola.
Floored by “Stranger”
The reason she agreed to “So much better” Norwegian ditto was because she got “hot in her clothes” during her 40th anniversary as an artist last year and thought she could offer a little of herself to the Norwegians as well.
– And then I want to show that I can “kick some ass” and still be relevant, she says at a press conference before the program.
Häggkvist participated in the Swedish edition of the program in 2014 and feels that her participation changed the way the media treated her.
– You cannot write anything about a person. The other artists who participated were also very clear that the media had treated me badly in the 90s. After that it calmed down, I was treated more positively and met with greater understanding, says Häggkvist to NTB.
The Swede was most impressed by singer-songwriter Ina Wroldsen’s interpretation of her breakthrough song “Främling”.
– I love it. I get goosebumps all over my body, says Carola about Wroldsen’s performance.
– Heavy and fierce – I just want more of it, she adds.