Cecilie's Strong, High Voice Graces Her Debut Album, Fearless

contents

jazz

Cecilie is a singer and songwriter from Norway who titled her debut album Fearless because she wants to encourage people everywhere to "be true to themselves and not let their fears hold them back. It's about releasing, letting go of whatever is holding you back, being present and alive, and listening to the world around you until you find your own personal direction."

Cecilie (pronounced sih-seal-yeh) has a gentle, vulnerable, new age style that includes elements of pop, folk and Celtic music.She sings with an angelic voice and heart-breaking honesty about love, relationships, inner feelings and personal tales of the trials and tribulations of life. She is backed by top Norwegian musicians on piano, guitars, key harp, violin, viola, mandolin, bass and drums. The music is arranged and produced by John Inge Knudsen (with Cecilie co-producing five of the 11 tracks).

Cecilie comes out of a background of singing in choirs all her life and performing theatrical musical plays.

More information on Cecilie is available at her website (www.ceciliemusic dot no). Her Fearless CD and digital download tracks from that recording are available at online sales sites such as Amazon, iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and many others. The music also can be heard (and this artist can be followed) at many major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal and more.

"I believe most people would be happier with their lives if they would listen to their heart, let it give them direction and then do what it tells you.....fearlessly, " states Cecilie. "That's why I called my album Fearless, because it is the most fearless thing I've ever done. Fear is such a big thing in our world. We are mostly fear-driven. The entire modern world often makes decisions colored by fear. Entire nations make the decision to go to war and individuals worry about other's perception of them, how to fit in, what to do if a particular course doesn't work out for them or they fail, or if they are good enough. Some fears are real and legit. I'm not disregarding fear itself or its function to help us survive, but a lot of times we are controlled by fears that do us no good, and that keep us away from our dreams and our true purpose. It is healing in working through our fear and not letting it control us. Sometimes music can serve as a beacon, a light in the darkness, and offer ideas to listeners. We all need inspiration to open ourselves to new possibilities for our lives."

At one point Cecilie left Oslo and took a job far in the north of Norway where she met several people who helped it feel like "Home, " the title of another song on the album. Similarly, in that same area she also composed "Winter Night, " a story about "how to find and treasure what is warm, caring and important in a sometimes cold world. Northern Norway is extremely beautiful with deep waters, huge mountains that dive straight into the fjords, midnight sun in the summer and almost complete darkness most of the day in the winter, but also with the magical northern lights displayed. I was also inspired by the old Norwegian fairytales and mythical figures such as trolls, fairies and the dark creatures of the oceans and forests."

Some relationships are positive, but others are more of a growing and learning experience. Cecilie captures the feeling of being under "The Spell, " a time of being "hooked, spell-bound, lost, without personal power or will, addicted to playing a game, until you wake up and realize your infatuation and find your way back to your true self." Another heartache inspired the song "My Heart Has Loved." Cecilie says, "I thought it was my big love, my one and only, but then it was over and I was shattered and grieving, so I wrote this song hoping and praying for love to come my way again." Her "Song in Me" explores some of the same territory. "A relationship is in a hard place when neither one is able to really see the other or find the other person's essence or deepest truths." The tune "Tango" is so-named because "a relationship is a dance and this song is about two people connected and caring for each other but just not able to dance at the same pace with the same rhythm, never seeming to move together, not on the same page."

In a more positive light, "Run Away" concerns "meeting someone who changes things and whom you want to run away with, to escape to your own world together, to be together always and not let anything come between." Sometimes the most positive and important moments in life are simple ones. "Saturday, " she says, "was written one weekend when my love served me a cup of coffee and I realized the magic of everyday life."

The composition "Angels" is "how listening to the power of nature, the energy around us, love or any spiritual voice can make you feel surrounded by something beautiful, feel protected, and appreciate everyday miracles." The song "Inside Me" captures "the loss of a very special loved one who lives on inside our memories. There is sadness and grief, but also hope for their soul to live on in a new place." The title track, "Fearless, " is about "letting go of fear and instead to trust in the new morning, that darkness will disappear."

Although this is her first musical album, Cecilie Foss has a wide variety of life experiences that include getting her medical degree and serving as physician for several years as well as on-going experimenting in the arts (choirs, musical theater, dancing, musical performances and songwriting).

"I was born in Oslo, Norway, and I have primarily lived there or in the suburbs. The first thing that really hit me musically was when I was six-years-old and started listening to the original recording of the musical 'Phantom of the Opera' with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, and soon I could sing all the words. I still love musicals like 'Les Miserables, ' 'Cats, ' 'Chess', " she says.

"I have been singing in choirs most of my life. When I was nine-years-old I made a classical music recording with my choir that was released in Norway. I have done many choir concerts, dancing performances, theater shows and musical revues."

After high school Cecilie spent a year studying music and drama at Peoples High School ("an alternative year before starting at university") where she played the role of Sandy in a production of "Grease." "After that year I started writing my own music. Usually I find a melody by singing, then the lyrics come after that, and finally I use the piano to find some chords to frame my melody with a simple arrangement. I also have played the flute for some years and I enjoy that."

One of her biggest inspirations has been Rolf Lovland, the Norwegian keyboardist, composer and producer who is half of the highly-successful new age music duo Secret Garden. "Finding myself in a musical desert I went to his music for inspiration, and I wrote lyrics to one of his melodies, recorded it and sent it to his management, " remembers Cecilie. "I got a positive reply back from him asking to hear more of my music, and now we have been in touch for a few years. He has been really encouraging and positive."

Other music Cecilie has enjoyed through the years includes Celine Dion, The Coors ("where the Celtic folk in some of my music comes from"), Enya ("my parents played her recordings often"), Yiruma, Kenny G., and "everything from Deep Purple to opera."

According to Cecilie, “I don’t mind being in the new age music genre because new age music is like soul food. I love this kind of music and I use it to calm myself, relax, heal inside and find the way back to my true self. What I wish for is that my music will touch someone on any level. I want people to take something away after hearing my music. What I hope is for the listener to be moved, or relate to something I sing, and maybe find a new idea or path for their life.”

write your comments about the article :: © 2018 Jazz News :: home page