Happy New Year!

Playing live at Stardust Video and Coffee in Orlando, FL

Happy New Year!

This has been a great year with lots of stuff happening. I made 4 EP albums with 4 different producers, the wonderful guys in my backing band. And all of you chipped in and funded the releases so that we were able to finish the project. 4 ass-kicking metal bands did 4 ass-kicking cover albums of my EPs and one of them actually released a video too (or rather will release in a few days so I’m cheating by telling you now) Badmouth made a video of their cover of my song “To watch the bridges burn”, check it out here!

Throughout the year I have worked hard to get an artist visa to the US, and thanks again to my wonderful fans who helped out with house concert contracts and letters of recommendation I finally got my visa and packed my things and went to Florida in November. In December my big “Drivin’ & Dreaming tour” took off and I’ve now been all around Florida playing in different venues. One unexpected thing that I experienced is that I had at least a few loyal fans show up for every gig. I didn’t know there’s be so many of you!

Throughout the tour we’ve had the RV break down and fixed, nothing major yet thank God. We’ve been invited to have dinner with Greg and Michelle of The Refinery, Tampa, for southern shrimps and grits at Sian and Otis’ in St Petes and to stay the night in a really cool A frame cottage with Doris in Melrose to mention a few of all the lovely people we’ve encountered along the way.

It’s now time to say good bye to Florida and head up to South Carolina and Georgia for January. Many new experiences are to come, many new shows to be played. We’re heading into new states and a new year. In January my new album “The Owls Are Not What They Seem” will be released and I hope you will continue to support my tour as I go through America in my old RV – Drivin’ and Dreaming.

Happy New 2012

/Sofia

 

One week into the tour

Featured act at Flamingo Fleemarket

I’ve had a pretty fab first week touring. We’ve been on the west coast of Florida and it’s been great. Not to mention the RV life. The RV turned out so nice after we fixed it up and it really feels like a home now. Especially since we got the brand new queen size bed and the cozy king size duvet. And it’s so nice to wake up to different places every day too. One day it’s on the beach, the next in a fruit tree garden. I’ve even overcome my fear of driving the beast.

Waking up on St Pete's Beach
Waking up on St Pete's Beach
Our cozy bedroom
Our cozy bedroom
Truckin' & Dreaming ;)
Truckin' & Dreaming 😉

This week I played at the Independent in Tampa and St Petersburg. Got invited to a real southern lunch at Otis and Sian’s place and was treated to a great massage at the Warm Mineral Springs where I did a sold out intimate concert at the spa cafĂ©. Yesterday was a long day with two gigs. One in the daytime at the Flamingo Flea Market in Bonita Springs and later on a house concert followed by a bluegrass jam. Bluegrass seems to be the melody of this neighborhood and even though I tried to pitch in, I think I’d better stick to folk music. But Roger Borg who set me up with the gig treated us all to some awesome Swedish meatballs, so I felt right at home anyway.

With John, Sian and Otis at the Independent, St Pete
With John, Sian and Otis at the Independent, St Pete
Featured act at Flamingo Fleemarket
Featured act at Flamingo Flea market
Flamingo Flea market
Flamingo Flea market
Trying to understand the bluegrass business
Trying to understand the bluegrass business

 Thanks to all who came out to see me this week. To everyone who has been so kind to invite us to their homes and to all the venues!

Don’t miss out on downloading me free Christmas single and support ActionAid in their fight against poverty here:

Dreamin’ in Lakeland and Tampa

Visiting WMNF 88.5 in Tampa

The tour has finally begun for real, meaning that we’ve started touring in the RV. The maiden voyage went to Lakeland where I did a gig at the awesome Evolution Records along with Brian Clark Miller. Me and Jonas then headed up to Bartow where we very graciously were allowed to boondock in Arlenas yard.

We then headed to Publix supermarket to get a lot of basic stuff that we needed in the RV kitchen, like ketchup, spices and stuff like that. We spent way too much time shopping and then had to speed our way to the Tampa radio station WNMF 88.5 where I played some songs and had a chat with DJ John Palmer.

I love the name of this product :)
I love the name of this product 🙂
Visiting WMNF 88.5 in Tampa
Visiting WMNF 88.5 in Tampa

In the evening we played at The Independent in Tampa, or Seminole Heights to be exact. We had a great time and met some awesome people.

Thanks to Evolution Records, WNMF and the Independent as well as everyone who came to see me!

Don’t miss out on downloading me free Christmas single and support ActionAid in their fight against poverty here:

Shoot me with your Winter Canon

Winter Canon by Sofia Talvik

My annual Xmas single is released and I’ve already gotten some great response to it. It’s funny though how my little pun with the cover and the title seemed to pass people by 🙂 The song is written in a manner that is called “canon” in musical terms. Wiki explains the canon like this: In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e.g., quarter rest, one measure, etc.).

But as it sounds just like cannon, I put a little cannon shooting snowflakes on the cover.

Winter Canon by Sofia TalvikPost
Winter Canon by Sofia Talvik

Here’s some links to the reviews that’s out so far:

Sofia returns to her Indie folk pop roots on a very pretty down-tempo number with beautiful imagery of the season.  It’s entitled “Winter Canon”, which is a cute title but doesn’t really express how lovely the song actually is.  About the only thing wrong with this single is that Sofia didn’t include her picture on the cover art.
(read more at) Stubby’s house of Christmas

She’s definitely one of the finest Swedish singer-songwriter, and there are doubtlessly many good ones. This year’s song is called Winter Canon and it matches the expectations easily. Her soft, bright voice makes this tune really special.
(read more at) Lie in the Sound

“Winter Canon” has a very old-fashioned American Christmas feel to it….I recommend giving it a listen, downloading it and going out of your way to do something for someone else.
(read more at) The Useless Critic

Get the single for free here!

Natura Coffee and Tea

Last night I played a gig at Natura Coffee and Tea in Orlando. I had a lot of friends coming to the gig as we’ve stayed in Orlando, both two years ago and now while we’re fixing up the RV. It was a fun gig and I had a great time! Today, we’ve almost finished the RV and tomorrow we’re taking it to Lakeland for a gig at Evolution Records.

Me Courtney, Jason and Shannon!
Me Courtney, Jason and Shannon!