Every year, Swedish artist Sofia Talvik releases a new Christmas song for her fans (and everyone else). They're always free and they're always wonderful. Recently, Sofia toured the United States and our influence has been flavoring some of her recent work. "A Long Way Home" is an Americana song about what I think of as a very American institution (even if its not)--truckers who spend most of their lives on the roads, driving hundreds of miles every day, dreaming of being home with their loved ones as they play a vital role in keeping the economy of our nation moving. "A Long Way Home" is available as a "name-your-price" download from Bandcamp. Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well. The woman in the video is Hanna Fange, a real life trucker (in Sweden, I believe) who grew up with the dream of driving those big rigs, even when told repeatedly that women couldn't be truck drivers.
Sofia Talvik's Christmas music, and I go way back. I'm always a little late to a party, so it was 2005, I think, when I discovered there were free Christmas songs from independent artists on the Interwebs (the phenomenon probably started around 1999). One of the first I found and downloaded back then was a dance track from Sofia & Sophie, "Xmas On The Dancefloor". I had no idea who Sofia & Sophie were, at the time (Sophie is Sophie Rimheden, btw). The song was offered along with three or four others as what was anticipated to be an annual Christmas music project, but wasn't. It was one year and out for that particular offering.
I began posting about Christmas music at the Imwan Seasonal Sounds forum in 2007. That December, I took great delight in posting about Sofia's holiday single, "Christmas". She looked especially fetching in red, lying in the snow and her songbird voice was in remarkable form on the Indie Folk track. But "Christmas" showed a much deeper side of Sofia than "Xmas On The Dancefloor". "Christmas" was also darker; it's no coincidence that she was wearing red. It still gives me chills and reminds us all that the season is complicated. Joy and despair spin around each other like falling snowflakes in what becomes a shared experience of them both. The cello of Christian Horgren was an especially nice touch on this one.
 A CAROL FOR THE LONELY (2008) |  SNOWY WHITE RIVER (2009) |
Sofia continued her annual tradition and I continued posting about them at Imwan and FaLaLaLaLa. Of note were that Sofia's annual treats were always free, but downloaders were encouraged to contribute what they would have spent on the song to assorted charities. The charities were usually connected to the theme of the song. So, for "A Carol For The Lonely", for example, Sofia partnered with Stadsmissionen, an organization that helped the homeless in Sweden.
In 2010, we began, here, at Stubby's. Sofia's annual Christmas single that year was an upbeat and danceable Indie Pop song, "Santa". It was a very catchy track about Christmas without that person you were with the year before in an eighties pop style (reminiscent of Wham's "Last Christmas", actually). Sofia partnered that year with The Body Shop and ECPAT’s world-wide campaign “Stop Sex Trafficking”.
In 2010, we began, here, at Stubby's. Sofia's annual Christmas single that year was an upbeat and danceable Indie Pop song, "Santa". It was a very catchy track about Christmas without that person you were with the year before in an eighties pop style (reminiscent of Wham's "Last Christmas", actually). Sofia partnered that year with The Body Shop and ECPAT’s world-wide campaign “Stop Sex Trafficking”.
 SANTA (2010) |  WINTER CANON (2011) |
2011's "Winter Canon" was a beautiful song filled with vivid winter imagery and accented by muted horns. "Angels sing for you," Sofia sang and, true enough, Sofia sounded absolutely angelic.
Which made 2012 all the more embarrassing for me. I had just started with what I've referred to here as "family obligations" and was burning the candle at both ends and in the middle, as well. And I.....spelled Sofia.....Sophia. I was mortified when Sofia gently pointed out the error. I still am mortified. I can't believe I did that. Sofia's song, that year, was "One Last Wish For Christmas"--a beautiful Americana tinged Indie Folk song about life-long regret and reflecting on it "in the winter of your years". The remix from Sami Sirviö gives the song an entirely different feel, but its every bit as entrancing.
Which made 2012 all the more embarrassing for me. I had just started with what I've referred to here as "family obligations" and was burning the candle at both ends and in the middle, as well. And I.....spelled Sofia.....Sophia. I was mortified when Sofia gently pointed out the error. I still am mortified. I can't believe I did that. Sofia's song, that year, was "One Last Wish For Christmas"--a beautiful Americana tinged Indie Folk song about life-long regret and reflecting on it "in the winter of your years". The remix from Sami Sirviö gives the song an entirely different feel, but its every bit as entrancing.
 ONE LAST WISH FOR CHRISTMAS (2012) |  A BERLIN CHRISTMAS TALE (2013) |
My "family obligations" became even more all consuming in 2013 and I stepped away from the blog, here, for the most part. And it was perhaps the nature of my life, at the time, that made "A Berlin Christmas Tale" the Sofia Talvik song that immediately became a part of my soul. As in the song, whatever else was going on, there was that part of me that could step back for a few stolen moments at a time and say "But, Baby, it's Christmas".
All of Sofia Talvik's Christmas songs are still available as "name-your-price" downloads on Bandcamp. The cover pictures are all linked up or you can just go to Sofia's Bandcamp Music page and see what all she has. Almost an album's worth, now. She's a remarkable artist.
"Family obligations" was a bit of a euphemism. I've been caring for my mother. She was bedbound most of that time. But I felt it was important that she spend her last months at home rather than in some hospital or nursing facility. I didn't want to get into my personal business here on a Christmas music blog. Still don't. But it feels somewhat appropriate in a post about Sofia's Christmas singles, which have been a big part of my life the past several years. Time passes and people and music and holidays mark the time. Mom passed in August. And that's the last I'll speak of it, here. Except to say that I love her very much, wherever she is now. And it was a blessing to have the time that we had.
All of Sofia Talvik's Christmas songs are still available as "name-your-price" downloads on Bandcamp. The cover pictures are all linked up or you can just go to Sofia's Bandcamp Music page and see what all she has. Almost an album's worth, now. She's a remarkable artist.
"Family obligations" was a bit of a euphemism. I've been caring for my mother. She was bedbound most of that time. But I felt it was important that she spend her last months at home rather than in some hospital or nursing facility. I didn't want to get into my personal business here on a Christmas music blog. Still don't. But it feels somewhat appropriate in a post about Sofia's Christmas singles, which have been a big part of my life the past several years. Time passes and people and music and holidays mark the time. Mom passed in August. And that's the last I'll speak of it, here. Except to say that I love her very much, wherever she is now. And it was a blessing to have the time that we had.
Update: It was bound to happen, I suppose. I spelled Sami Sirvio "Servio". It's been corrected.
More importantly, I really meant to at least mention that Sofia has some Christmas specials in her web shop and her Christmas bundles include her homemade Swedish toffee! Now there's something you're not going to find in your typical American shopping mall.
More importantly, I really meant to at least mention that Sofia has some Christmas specials in her web shop and her Christmas bundles include her homemade Swedish toffee! Now there's something you're not going to find in your typical American shopping mall.
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