Polish journalist asks 'Where is Stina?'

[sound world]

Just found this online, in Polish. Here's Google's (grotesque as ever) translation, which it's possible to make sense of. Interesting insofar as it asks the question many of us are asking-where is Stina?-and especially-Why, in the age of the internet, can someone so well-known disappear so completely?

"Where is Stina?
March 20, 11:21
Bartosz Sadulski / Onet
The last album was released nearly 10 years ago. I never gave a number of interviews, has not played and sung in the media star, but a few years of its status could be described as "missing". And it is by no means in action.

 
Stina Nordenstam (Photo by the official website of the artist)
"My guess is that she disappeared. Had not heard anything about it for the last few years," Mikael Kahrle suits me, the editor-in-chief Releasemagazine.net .. Swedish music journalists know about the fate of their chips more or less the same as a film career Zbigniew Buczkowski. My questions about the fate of Stina Nordenstam sent to journalists and bloggers from the country music Ikea usually remained unanswered. Those who have written off, usually only able to share their helplessness and ignorance. They know nothing fans and record labels.

How is it possible that at the time when the Internet knows more about us than the birth mother, Nordenstam is able to hide for so many years? The more that the Swede is not a relic of a bygone era, in a kind Eve Demarczyk, but a very important inspiration and point of reference for the new generation of singers such as Anna Ternheim and Ane Brun. According to the investigation of a small Swedish blogger's leading website Music for Dummies, which was to educate readers that Swedish music is much more than just ABBA, Ace of Base and Roxette, Stina sang backing vocals featuring on albums Ternheim and Brun. But he added that it was very quiet, and he trying to find out something new about Stinie stuck aground on site.

Nordenstam was born in 1969 in Stockholm. Her parents were extreme leftists in his youth, she belonged to the Communist youth organization. Stina's father was fascinated not only collected works of Lenin, but also jazz. Introduced in arkany hours of this music could make Coltrane solos transcribed for personal use. Fascinated by Ravel and Satie. At age 15, she could sing so that teachers do not have the vocals to her nothing to do. As a sixteen devoted entirely music, dividing his time between school music and jazz band The Flipperman, which completely dominated the older musicians.

As time moved on the island outside of Stockholm, where he had his home and studio. There perfected hone her songs that were to appear in a one-time only version on the disc. Stina has decided not to tour. "I see myself more as an artist than a music artist. Music is something that should be good.'m Really obsesjonatką the recording process. Touring I see more as an entertaining, so I'm not interested," said the singer in one of the few extended interviews, and added: "play tracks recorded on the disc does not seem smart. I find it strange that the artist should naturally go out and play live. It is curious that the artist recording and is expected to play tracks. And if everything is done on demand. " When you dig through the Internet in search of the archives of concerts dates, come upon the setlists.fm the words "Nobody has seen Stina Nordenstam live yet!" which best describes the status of Stina as celebrities. On the one hand, it is not seen for years as an endangered species extinction. On the other - you can take questioned whether Stina exists. Apparently she played a concert in 1991. Apparently the concert in London in 1992 was a nightmare. Apparently.

The last album was released nearly 10 years ago. I never gave a number of interviews, has not played and sung in the media star, but a few years of its status could be described as "missing". And it is by no means in action.

In their defense, no disc. Flattering, closed, brilliant. After recording their debut "Memories of a Colour", many people criticized her voice, childish and stubborn at the same time, naked and elusive, full of jazz delicacy. Stina was unpleasantly surprised that what she said in the recording of the MTV program. It sounds a bit like someone telling about the times in which Dariusz Szpakowski not comment on football, but even 20 years ago, MTV puszczało not only music, but carries out programs with extremely niemedialnych artists. The recording was done after the second album, Stina "And She Closed Her Eyes". The song "Little Star" from the album was the soundtrack to "Romeo and Juliet" with Leonardo Di Caprio. After this album, Stina limited interviews and engaged in backbreaking work in her studio. He devotes himself to writing brilliant, important texts of songs about death, terrorism and difficult relationships. In the meantime, Vangelis recorded the song "Ask the Mountains". A few years later, working with Zbigniew Preisner on the music for the movie "Aberdeen" - wrote the lyrics to the song and sang the Polish composer's own. After recording the second album of his artistic repertoire extends the photograph. For a short time completely devoted to this passion. To take control of your image gets the same picture. On each is very different. Changes physically as it is musically different albums. Pursue their own music videos and thought about shooting a feature film, "It could be a psychological drama," he says.

Stina has agreed to cooperate with Mew, Yello and David Sylvian, but an offer from Chemical Brothers rejected. Art has become the only means of communication with the world, "the creative process helped me over the years, giving meaning to things. Had problems in the past with normal language and poczuicme reality, where everyone seems to have the same context, but only art gives a sense of the concrete," said The Independent in an interview after the recording of their latest album "The World Is Saved" in 2004. By the way, this album has agreed to several interviews mainly in order to confirm the belief, how much they can not stand.

At that time, the last time it spoke with journalist Stina Andres Lokko. Exactly a year ago, on the occasion of 43 birthday of the singer wrote the text for the biggest Swedish newspaper "Dagens Nyheter". "Since then, I have not seen her or heard of her. Neither of new music, the slightest sign of life," he wrote. Sweden, although it is not a big country, is the third largest exporter of pop music. He has hordes of great singers, from Robyn after Lykke Li. None of them is, however, such interest as Stina Nordenstam. The poignant song "The End of a Love Affair" from the last album she sang: "Now I'm on my own / The good days will come / I just need the time." Stina undoubtedly get from all those who are waiting for the recording more than a new episode of your favorite show as much time as is needed. Even if this time will have to be reckoned with in decades."

[RobB]

But is Stina 'well known'? No one in my family knew of her until i mentioned her.None of my friends knew of her. No one at work has ever heard of her either. Maybe in Sweden, Stina disappearing from view is seen to be quite mysterious but taken worldwide I'm not sure its been that difficult for her. If someone as 'well known' as Kate Bush was able to vanish completely for a number of years and to have had a baby,the news of which was never leaked on the internet, then it must be a doddle for someone in Stina's position, who can simply disappear by just stopping working. Probably a bigger mystery at the moment is....where is Enya?

Thanks for posting up the article Dave.....it certainly poses more questions than answers.

[paul-pgss]

Rob no worries! Enya was alive in 2011 which is fairly recent . In fact she was that lady you bumped in to the other day at Abby Road Studios.

In a May 2011 interview, Enya's manager said that she is working on a new album and will likely tour to support it, with part of the recording taking place in Abbey Road Studios in London.

But back to Stina. I do think it's rather special that she remains to have such a low profile. She seems to have no twitter, no facebook or any other account. That's quite rare these days. But it suits her. Honestly I have given up all hope she'll go back to recording new music.

[RobB]

Honestly I have given up all hope she'll go back to recording new music.

Hey Paul, don't ever give up hope,....after all, where there's Hope there's Sharon !!!

Thanks for the Enya news update..........the lady in the Abbey Road canteen who served me my chocolate muffin and lemonade did look a little familiar now that you mention it.

[Blown_A_Wish]

I suppose it all depends on what circles you move in... Amongst my old school friends in Sweden very few know of Stina Nordenstam, apart from maybe that the name sounds familiar, except for one girl who was the one who introduced me to her stuff in the first place.
On the other hand most of my friends in Ireland (who are either artists or independent musicians) seem to all know of her and really like her. In Ireland a lot of people cite her as a major influence, in Sweden I never hear mention of her... so I suppose it varies.

I prefer to live in hope too, like I think I said in another thread, if My Bloody Valentine could suddenly decide to put out an album 20 years after their last one I don't see why Stina couldn't do the same one day

[RobB]

Stina's still only 44 (i guess Dave and I are only fans here who can use the word 'only'? ), barely middle aged, so I reckon we'll still get the opportunity to listen to several more albums from Stina in the years ahead.

[RobB]

With Stina's most recent album,'The World Is Saved' being nine years old now (nine years since it was released anyway), I have a crafty little suspician that Stina will surprise us this time next year with a new album after a ten year break?

Then again.............