Stina Nordenstam
Quick Facts
Biography
Stina Nordenstam (born Kristina Ulrika Nordenstam, 4 March 1969) is a Swedish singer, songwriter and musician.
Career
Nordenstam was born in Stockholm. As a child, she was highly influenced by her father's classical and jazz music collection. Her voice led to early comparisons with artists such as Rickie Lee Jones and Björk. Her early albums, Memories of a Color and And She Closed Her Eyes were jazz-influenced with elements of alternative rock. 1997's Dynamite began a more experimental path—most of the album was filled with distorted guitars and unusual beats. A 1998 cover album, People Are Strange, followed in the same vein. In 2001 Nordenstam went with a more pop-influenced sound on This Is Stina Nordenstam, and features guest vocals from Brett Anderson. Nordenstam's 2004 album The World Is Saved continued the path set on This Is..., but presents a more realized sound and acknowledges her earlier jazz influences.
Her guest appearances include collaboration with David Sylvian's band "Nine Horses", including tracks from the album Snow Borne Sorrow and the Money for All EP. She also provided vocals for Vangelis' Song "Ask the Mountains", Yello's "To the Sea", and a collaboration with Anton Fier. In 2000, Nordenstam featured on a track from Danish prog-rockers Mew's second album Half The World Is Watching Me. The track was later re-recorded for the band's international debut Frengers.
Nordenstam is also accomplished in fields such as photography and music video directing. She is known to be reclusive: she gives very few interviews and she hasn't performed live since the Memories of a Color tour. She even alters her appearance using wigs and make-up for album covers and magazines. During the promotion for The World Is Saved, however, she gave more interviews than usual.
Discography
Albums
- Memories of a Color (1991)
- And She Closed Her Eyes (1994)
- Dynamite (1996)
- People Are Strange (1998)
- This Is Stina Nordenstam (2001)
- The World Is Saved (2004)
Solo singles and EPs
- "Memories of a Color" (1992)
- "Another Story Girl" (1993)
- "Little Star" first release (1994)
- "Little Star" remixes (1994)
- "Something Nice" (1994)
- "Dynamite" (1997)
- "Little Star" (1997), re-issued after use in the movie soundtrack Romeo + Juliet
- "People Are Strange" (1998)
- "Lori Glori" (2001) (promotional single release only)
- "Sharon & Hope" (2002) (promotional single release only)
- "Get on with Your Life" (2004)
- "Parliament Square" (2005)
Collaborations
- "Walk" with Fleshquartet, Freddie Wadling (1993)
- "The Photographer's Wife" EP with Anton Fier (1996)
- "Ask the Mountains" with Vangelis (1995)
- "To the Sea" with Yello (1997)
- "Aberdeen" soundtrack with Zbigniew Preisner (2000)
- "Her Voice Is Beyond Her Years" with Mew (2000)
- "Into the Wasteland" with Filur (2006)
- "Wonderful World" with Nine Horses (2006)
- "Birds Sing for Their Lives" with Nine Horses (2007)