Sofia Talvik’s Xmas Calendar 2012 #18

Sofia Talvik's Xmas Calendar, window 18
Sofia Talvik's Xmas Calendar, window 18
Sofia Talvik’s Xmas Calendar, window 18

I knew I couldn’t be the only Swedish artist to tour the US in an old van! So today’s window is a Christmas card from another Swedish band who also like to do that. Folk-Rock band Secret Circus who are kindly sharing their song “Waves” as a free download with all the followers of my Xmas Calendar!

Secret Circus was started by twins Klas and Joel Åhman in 2008 in Stockholm, Sweden. The maiden voyage sent the brothers bumming around Europe, playing their way from town to town. They immediately discovered that music was their calling and decided to give music their all. They quit their jobs and spent the following year writing and recording their debut album “This is Secret Circus“.

Every year they flee the cold winter of Sweden and spend the season in their studio in Roswell, NM where they’ve recorded most of their material. And on January 18th I’ll be joining them for a concert in Roswell, NM (aliens anyone?) so don’t miss out on that if you’re in the neighborhood. Go to https://sofiatalvik.com/gigs for details.

Go here to download “Waves” by Secret Circus, choose your own price or get it totally free!

Merry Christmas from us all!

Merry Christmas from Secret Circus
Merry Christmas from Secret Circus

Did you miss a day in the calendar? See all the windows in the Xmas Calendar here: https://sofiatalvik.com/julkalendern

Sofia Talvik’s Xmas Calendar 2012 #3

Sofia Talvik’s Xmas Calendar, window 3

My favorite food on the Christmas dinner table is the Swedish Christmas ham, but I know that a lot of people out there prefer to not eat meat for Christmas. One talanted artist that was a guest on my Xmas Calendar in 2009 showed me some great ways to celebrate Christmas without meat, and I decided to share that episode with you guys as a re-run.

Stiko Per Larsson is a great Swedish artist who is not only a vegetarian, but also have a habit of doing long walking tours. He’s walked all over Scandinavia playing his music. Check out his music and upcoming gigs here!

 Here’s me and Stiko Per Larsson cooking a vegetarian Christmas dinner! http://youtu.be/r8ufMmi-NU8

Stiko Per Larsson. Photo: Niclas Brunzell
Stiko Per Larsson. Photo: Niclas Brunzell

Did you miss a day in the calendar? See all the windows in the Xmas Calendar here: https://sofiatalvik.com/julkalendern

Sofia Talvik’s Xmas Calendar 2012 #2

Sofia Talvik's Xmas Calendar, window 2
Sofia Talvik's Xmas Calendar, window 2
Sofia Talvik’s Xmas Calendar, window 2

 Win a secret exclusive Christmas present!

Sofia Talvik Christmas Poem Competition
Sofia Talvik Christmas Poem Competition

Contest Instructions:

Every year on Christmas I write small Christmas Poems on the presents to my family. The poems are small cute clues to what the present might be and we read them out loud so everyone can try to guess whats inside.

I want you to join me and write some clever and cute poems this year. Enter my Christmas Poem Competition and write a poem for a present to a family member or friend and I will choose a winner. Encourage your family members to do it as well, maybe it will become a tradition in your family as well!

ENTER YOUR POEM HERE TO JOIN THE COMPETITION!

You might also use it for shopping inspiration, maybe you will find a few things that are just begging for a poem. You don’t have to be Dickens and nothing really has to rhyme. Just give it your best shot and have a good time! Hey, what do you know, there’s a poem right there!

Merry Christmas!
/Sofia Talvik

Did you miss a day in the calendar? See all the windows in the Xmas Calendar here: https://sofiatalvik.com/julkalendern

Grand Prize
The grand prize is a secret exclusive Christmas present from Swedish artist Sofia Talvik.

2nd Prize
The second prize is a personalized Christmas card from Swedish artist Sofia Talvik.

Contest Starts
December 02, 2012 @ 02:00 am (PST)

Contest Ends
December 09, 2012 @ 02:00 am (PST)

Don’t miss me on Chicago Radio Monday 23rd!

Sofia Talvik live on UIC Radio
Sofia Talvik live on UIC Radio
Sofia Talvik live on UIC Radio

Tune into Chicago radio show “Noteworthy” on UIC radio (The official Illinois University radio) tomorrow Monday July 23rd at 5:30pm. I’ll be chatting about the tour and might even play at tune or two. You can listen through their website.

After the show, make sure you get on the bus to the Elbo Room where I’ll be performing at 10pm. Chicago based cellist Ian Maksin will be doing a set at 9pm so don’t miss that! We’ll also play a few tunes together! I can’t wait!

[quote]It’s not that I’m a fan of most Swedish artists because they take on American genres I find favor with, but more so how they approach them. I feel that sometimes for such a decidedly American creation as folk and its long association as being music for the thinking man, there is more pressure as an American to create something that lives up to the sound of its predecessors and that sentiment can be all too obvious to the listener at times. That feeling doesn’t come across when listening to Sofia Talvik’s latest album, The Owls Are Not What They Seem. There is an effortless emphasis on melody that is influenced by the past, but never indebted to it. On “Everybody’s Favorite Concubine,” Talvik delicately glides along in a sparse setting that throws a few nods to the 60s and is relaxed in the way in it conveys emotion. Once the background vocals softly come in, everything’s extra creamy. [/quote]

Hectic but Eclectic / UIC Radio

Help me get to Lollapalooza and I will take you with me!

Sofia Talvik live at Lollapalooza 2008

In 2008 I became the first female Swedish artist to play at the Lollapalooza festival. It was also my first US tour and now, four years later I’ve done a lot of tours and am on my biggest one ever. Since December I’ve done over 100 gigs in the US and I’m working my way towards Chicago again. So when an opportunity arrose to enter a competition for a slot at this year’s Lollapalooza I felt I had to enter. But in order to make them understand that they should book me I need YOUR help. The voting for the competition is live and you can help me by casting a vote every day, share it on your FB wall and with your friends. If I get picked to play I will give a VIP pass to Lollaplooza to one of you that helped me by voting.

Go HERE to see my video and vote for it!

Sofia Talvik live at Lollapalooza 2008
Sofia Talvik live at Lollapalooza 2008