Artists
who's who and who's doing what?Rebekka Bakken
- country:Norway
- style(s):Jazz Pop
- label:Universal
- artist submitted by:
"Europe's music world has fallen in love with Rebekka Bakken's voice. "
A Portrait
At first glance, one might be tempted to assume Rebekka Bakken's rapid rise was due to the current vocal jazz hype.
Bakken is too much of an individualist and a loner for her to be included in a trendy wave. This already becomes apparent with the term "Jazz" which the singer tries to keep at a friendly distance:
"I have great respect for jazz - that's why I don't want to say, I'm a jazz singer. On the other hand: What does it mean to say: 'I'm not a jazz singer!' I don't want to say that either. I just don't want to make a definition of what I am. I am nothing; I am just what goes through me. Maybe I'm even not a singer; I'm just doing whatever I have to do at the time. Who am I? - This question is more meaningful than the answer."
Already we find ourselves in the midst of the deeply philosophical thoughts that are characteristic of Rebekka Bakken.
The words describing Bakken's soul-searching voyages are very personal, clear and strong. Paradoxically, the voice carrying these profoundly deep words exudes great lightness and is slender, mesmerizing and crystal-clear like a mountain stream.
The voice: Touching, childlike, direct and powerful. Many have been used to describe Rebekka Bakken's singing; however, Bakken credits only one person as being her biggest influence: Bob Dylan.
Bakken: "In my early twenties I had a 'walkman experience': A friend taped 90 minutes of Bob Dylan's music. I listened to that non-stop for one week. It wasn't his singing, but his honesty that made me realize: Now I know what to do. And this knowing kind of guided me."
Bakken grew up close to Oslo and has been in R&B, Soul and Rock bands since her teenage years. After quitting her philosophy and economics studies, Bakken decided to take her singing career seriously. Her first album with Jazz-influenced Norwegian songs she herself wrote was recorded but never published. In 1995, Bakken moved to New York where she explored the new terrain with her own formation until the album "Daily Mirror" with Wolfgang Muthspiel opened the door to a broad audience. This was the actual beginning of Bakken's rapid career rise, which will undoubtedly reach a new level with her new debut album released in Septemter 2003.
Bakken about the results before starting the studio session:
"I have chosen 11 songs from the material I wrote during the last two years out of my own true musicality, out of where I stand. I am only trying to express myself, to express how I feel. The last two years have been amazing. So much has happened personally. That's what you hear in the music. For so long I tried to make a concept. But then I thought: Fuck the concepts. There are none. How can I decide how things are gonna be in future? The process is what is important to me."
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