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This month sees the release of A, the first album of original material by Agnetha Fältskog since 1987’s I Stand Alone. It is an album that many assumed the former ABBA singer would never release, or even get round to making. Her preference to stay completely out of the limelight and her refusal to do any promotion for her last record, the covers album My Colouring Book released in 2004, led many, and Agnetha herself, to believe that she was done with music.

The man who made her change her mind was Swedish songwriter and producer Jörgen Elofsson, who has previously been behind hits for the likes of Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and Westlife. He contacted a friend of Agnetha’s, saying that he had some songs for her. This friend, a fan of Elofsson, managed to convince the infamously reclusive Agnetha to invite Jörgen and his songwriting partner Peter Nordahl to her home to play her the songs. A lot happened in between, and now, 18 months later, we have the finished album just days away from being in stores.

Return to pop music

Back in March, Universal Music invited a select group of media representatives to attend a pre-listening event for the album in London. Elofsson and Nordahl were present and on hand to introduce each of the ten songs. Equally interesting as the songs themselves were Elofsson and Nordahl’s stories and anecdotes on the making of the album, including meeting Agnetha, playing her the songs, and writing and recording with her despite her own insecurities, and their own preconceptions of what she was like as a person. The listening session, which Scan Magazine attended, turned out to be a fascinating insight into one of the most famous yet mysterious women in the world, and her return to pop music.

“I withdrew for a little while”

Elofsson and Nordahl drove to her secluded lakeside farmhouse on Ekerö, eight miles from Stockholm, one of thousands of islands that surrounds the Swedish capital. Despite getting lost, they arrived early. So early, Elofsson says, that they chose to drive around for a little bit longer until the agreed meeting time, rather than disturb the singer any earlier than arranged. Any fears they had of meeting Agnetha though, built up due to her reputation as a bit of a recluse, were quickly dispelled when she opened the door to greet Jörgen and Peter. They received the warmest of welcomes via her bright smile and open arms.

The aforementioned reputation as a recluse is one that Agnetha herself dislikes, as Elofsson quickly learned. Speaking last month, Agnetha revealed: “To say that I’m mysterious, that’s all been created by the media. I get quite hurt by it actually. It’s something that has sprung up along the way because of certain things. Maybe because I withdrew for a little while. But there are periods in your life when you have to take care of yourself. Things happen and you have to be alone and have things quiet around you for a while.”

Still, Elofsson recalls being a little bit nervous around her for the first few meetings, until they became more familiar with each other. In one of their earlier meetings, he remembers sitting in her kitchen with her, and the radio was on in the background. Suddenly an ABBA song came on. “Peter and I didn’t really know how to react or how she would react, and we looked at each other nervously.” But Agnetha herself broke the awkward silence by laughing upon realising that the song was playing, and reassuring them that “it happens sometimes”.

“It started sounding better and better”

“We saw her open up, become much happier, with music again in her life,” says Elofsson of those first few meetings. They played Agnetha three songs at first, which ended up as the three opening tracks on the A album: The One Who Loves You Now, When You Really Loved Someone and Perfume In The Breeze. Thankfully, she loved them straight away, later revealing: “I never thought that I’d ever sing again. But hearing the first three songs, I just couldn’t say no.” And so the deal was done, and they set about to getting Agnetha into the studio to record the songs. That in itself turned out to be something of an obstacle though, due to her insecurities about her voice, having gone so long without singing. She revealed her concern to the pair that her singing voice might now “sound old”, even wondering if it “still worked”. She began taking singing lessons before hitting the recording studio, but after only two sessions felt confident enough again. “Once I learnt how to breathe properly again, I felt it would work. And then it started sounding better and better.”

“She wanted to make music again. We could feel that,” says Elofsson. “Basically, she’s a musician, a songwriter and singer who hadn’t done that for a while.”  And so the next step for her to take was to see if she could find herself as a songwriter again. Speaking of her experience of sitting at the piano and crafting a song all by herself after so long, she says: “I felt that this was an album of Jörgen’s songs, at least nine of them. But I thought it’d be fun to have one song on there, and so I started writing songs again.” Elofsson recalls that to persuade her to find herself as a songwriter, he suggested she write something about what she evidently loves dearest of all at this point in her life – her grandchildren. But in the end, she was able to come up with something a lot deeper. “I hadn’t written any music for a long, long time. But I sat at the piano and suddenly it was there,” Agnetha says. “I managed to squeeze one song out, and it will actually be the last song on the album. It’s called I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed.” The 70s-inspired ballad with a “why is love so hard to understand” lyric, ended up being one of Elofsson’s favourite songs from the album.

She started dancing

Another song of note is Dance Your Pain Away, the sole up-tempo track on an album of slow to mid-tempo music. It is a rip-roaring and camp disco-inspired number, quite reminiscent of her ABBA days. “I would almost have a heart attack every time I would present a new song to her,” jokes Elofsson. And he was particularly wary of what she might think of Dance Your Pain Away. But he need not have worried. “When I first played her that song, she started dancing right behind where I was sitting. And I knew then that it felt right.”

One song that will be getting plenty of attention in the UK is I Should’ve Followed You Home, a duet with Take That member and X Factor judge Gary Barlow. Elofsson and Barlow wrote the song together last year, and Barlow recorded it in Elofsson’s studio. However, Agnetha was not present while Barlow was recording his parts as she had already booked in a holiday abroad. The song is one of those that starts off slowly, before becoming more upbeat after the first chorus. “We didn’t want to do a traditional ballad, but something a bit different,” says Elofsson. “I think it sounds like it could be a hit in England.”

The finished album, A, will be released on May 13th, and Agnetha has already booked in some promotional appearances for it; something she did not do for her last album, My Colouring Book, in 2004. All this points towards a singer who at 62 years of age, and after almost 30 years of shunning the spotlight, appears to finally be ready to step back into life as a recording artist. And based on the quality of A, we are certainly ready to enjoy all of the new music that should hopefully follow a successful comeback for the one and only Agnetha.

As she herself trills on the 60s-flavoured Back On Your Radio from the new album: “Are you picking up my signals from the radio?” It is nice to be able to respond once again with a resounding “loud and clear”.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photo: © Baldur Bragason

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Krister Henriksson’s career is taking a new turn. The Wallander days are well and truly over as he prepares to take to the West End stage. With a move from modern crime fiction to a 19th century period drama, Krister Henriksson’s Doktor Glas, his acclaimed one-man stage adaptation of Hjalmar Söderberg’s haunting 1905 philosophical novel, will show the British audience a new side to his talent.

To British people, Swedish actor Krister Henriksson is best known as Wallander, the protagonist of the TV crime series based on Henning Mankell’s novels about a forlorn Swedish detective. His and the show’s popularity in the UK have also put Ystad, a small medieval town in Sweden’s most southern county Skåne, on the international map. Unwittingly, he has become a key part of Britain’s “Scandimania” and new-found love for Nordic noir, and Krister is now used to heads turning with curious glances on the streets of England’s capital.

Loved by the Swedes
Ever since Wallander’s first airing on British television in 2008, the Brits have been captivated. When Kenneth Branagh appeared in the British adaption of the series, his tormented character adaption was not as popular, and the UK audience desired the original. Last year, Krister’s second series won the International TV Dagger award at the 2010 Crime Thriller Awards in the UK.

Loved by the Swedes, Krister Henriksson is so much more than Wallander. Ever since his first major performance in 1973 at the Stockholm City Theatre in the lead role in Peer Gynt, he has starred in popular works by the likes of Shakespeare, Beckett, Strindberg, Ibsen, Miller and Pinter.

Krister grew up in Grisslehamn, an old fishing village by the Sea of Åland, around 110 kilometres from Stockholm and halfway to Finland. His career choice was not obvious; he began by studying medicine, but a stint at a theatre during military service changed everything.

West End calling
After many years on the Swedish stage and television screens, during the filming of the Wallander series, Krister began to consider a new stage adaptation of the classic Doktor Glas. “This was a way for me to spend less time in the hotel bar during my spare time in Ystad,” jokes Krister.

He began by reading the Swedish classic novel Doktor Glas by Hjalmar Söderberg and ended up reading it more than 70 times. The story is an intense and tragic tale of a physician and his client, a beautiful young wife of a corrupt clergyman. When she confides her unhappiness in her marriage, Glas promises to help her perpetuate her extramarital affair with another man. First staged in 2006, the play received rave reviews in Sweden, Norway and Finland. It also received the Swedish Theatre Award Guldmasken for a one-man play.

“Each time I read it I was fascinated with this incredible story. So I decided to adapt it into a monologue, but I could have never dreamt that it would become 150 shows with a tour around Scandinavia, and now due to show in the West End in Swedish with subtitles; it’s absolutely incredible,” he says.

“It’s such a great honour to play the West End. But I’ve promised myself one thing, that it doesn’t matter how it goes, to be given this opportunity is a victory in itself for me. I was, after all, invited to live and work in London for a while, and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”

Krister will be moving into a flat in Bloomsbury soon and is excited about a long stay in the British capital. “I’ve always felt comfortable amongst English people; I find them easy to get along with, and the cultural distance between us doesn’t seem too great. I don’t really enjoy travelling much, but London is a city I always return to and I love coming here.”

So, does he still get nervous before a premiere? “Yes, no matter how experienced an actor you are, nerves will always be there,” he explains. “You need to be physically and mentally strong when you enter any stage, including the West End, an experience I could have never imagined!”

The play’s move from Sweden to the West End is very much thanks to the English actress Victoria Jeffrey, as it all started with a letter from her and to Krister.

“It was beautifully written, from one actor colleague to another, something which is quite rare. I wasn’t planning to reply at first, but did, and told her that we should meet up if she was passing by Stockholm. She took up my offer, resulting in her attending a Doktor Glas performance at the National Theatre and becoming convinced that it would do well in London. She then contacted the producer Martin Witt, who had the courage to believe in the project.”

At first Krister was surprised by the idea of delivering a Swedish-language play in Britain. “I think English is a beautiful language, but I’m so glad the British want to hear me speak Swedish. I hope they will be able to hear how beautiful it can also be.

“I also feel very privileged to be working on the West End stage. I’m happy that the time has come for a play like Doktor Glas, and I’m grateful that the London theatre community believe in this project.”

In the shadow of Britain
Krister is also not worried about the critical response the project will receive in London. “I enjoy a challenge; I like taking risks in my career. I’m not scared to make a fool of myself, and to add to that, I only do things for myself, things that I truly enjoy. I believe that if you do things wholeheartedly, the experience will always turn out positively.

“In a way Sweden has always been in the shadow of Britain, and having grown up watching wonderful British actors, I think it’s time to pay back. You’ve done so much for us; now let us do something for you.”

Does this mean we’ve seen the last of Krister as the troubled yet charming Wallander? “It’s been a great journey and I’ve loved living with this character, but now I think it’s time to move on to other things,” Krister says, and adds rather self-critically: “The first 13 episodes were not so great, the following 13 got better and the final 6 were fantastic. But after 32 episodes, I’d had enough. But it annoyed me when I found out that the British detective drama Inspector Morse had recorded just one more episode than us.

“But British crime is sensational and something I’ve always admired; the Brits know how to appreciate this genre, and I’ve always been a huge fan.” Although Krister goes on to confess he has still not seen the British adaption of Wallander but is looking forward to having the time to catch up.

And what challenge will Krister take on when Doktor Glas finishes in London? “I will immediately start writing my biography,” says the 66-year-old actor. “I’ve already written a couple of drafts that I’ve showed my publisher. His comments were: ‘Krister, it all seems too perfect; your career is too flawless. You’ll have to dig deeper and find the embarrassing moments, the times that were difficult.’ So without saying too much, I’ll reveal some of my secrets, but all in good time.”

Doktor Glas runs at the Wyndham’s Theatre from 16 April to 11 May 2013.

For more information and tickets, please visit: www.drglas.com

By Karl Batterbee | Photo: Pål Laukli/Eccentric Music

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Launching your own television series, producing and releasing your first clothing line, becoming a judge on your country’s top-rated TV talent show, appearing as one of the star attractions in a neighbouring country’s highest-rated entertainment show, and, not forgetting, taking your actual bread and butter – your singing career – to new heights by getting to work with the two producers behind the most recent hits by Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Lopez.

To the luckiest of international stars, the above list reads like an impressive selection of noteworthy highlights spanning the length of their career. But for Norway’s biggest pop star Tone Damli, this is her to-do checklist for a tight, three-month period. In fact, getting a chance to interview a singer like this, who is not just at the concentrated peak of her career thus far but is also on the brink of much bigger things this year, turned out to be so difficult that it almost resembled the plot of ABBA: The Movie. But as the film portrayed so well, it is rare to find a Scandinavian pop act who is juggling so many opportunities at the same time and achieving so much success with all of them. So it is fascinating getting an insight into it from the woman herself.

“I’m working too much”

For a start, one wonders if the artist in question is actually getting a chance to enjoy any of this. Or if she is just too busy to stop, think and appreciate it all. “Well, right now I’m working too much,” says Tone unsurprisingly. “But I try to tell myself to enjoy it all and to be grateful. And I really am. I love working and I love having a lot to do. So yeah, I enjoy it; I feel happy about it and I feel lucky.”

Depending on which day of the week you speak to Tone, she will be focusing on a different priority amongst her work commitments. But when I speak to her, she has just spent the last five days dividing her time between two jobs in particular: the launch of her own clothing line in Norway and her participation in Sweden’s biggest annual entertainment show, Melodifestivalen (which was won last year by another recent Scan Magazine cover girl, Loreen). This meant jetting to Gothenburg on Wednesday for Melodifestivalen rehearsals, then back to Oslo on Thursday for the launch party of her fashion line, then back to Gothenburg on the Friday and Saturday for more rehearsals and for the actual live show, and then returning to Oslo the next day for the release of the clothes in stores.

“Right now I’m actually standing in a store because the clothes were released today. And at this very moment I’m watching lots of girls trying them on and buying them, and it makes me so proud.” This is the first time she’s done anything like this. Has she found a new calling? “Really, it feels so good to see my clothes on other people. And I love the clothes myself; I’m extremely proud of them. If this works, maybe I’ll do it again, maybe I’ll produce another clothing line. There’s a big part of me that loves fashion, and of course it’s also part of being an artist too, how you dress.”

“I’m always searching for a bigger audience”

With so much else going on, you would expect the main focus of an artist, the music, to be taking a back seat. But after eight years, three albums and a greatest hits collection, Tone is actually about to embark on her most ambitious body of work to date. She has been travelling to LA to work with two of the biggest music producers in the business, Rodney Jerkins and Andre Lindal (the latter of whom is also Norwegian).

So how does an internationally unknown girl from Norway get to work with the same guys who were behind one of the most successful worldwide hits of last year, As Long As You Love Me by Justin Bieber?

“It happened because my manager used to work with Andre many, many years ago when he was back in Norway. They know each other. And so basically he asked Andre if he had any songs that would fit me. There was one in particular that Andre and Rodney felt was for me, like it was made for me. And I loved it. So back and forth we went to LA to record it, and we had a great time with them in the studio.”

That song is Perfect World, and it has already had the Norwegian press in something of a frenzy, despite it not having been released yet. “And now that the single is getting such positive feedback, I’m truly grateful,” says Tone of its reception so far.

After eight years of success, is Scandinavia perhaps starting to feel a little restrictive for Tone? Especially with this new hit on her hands. So is 2013 the year in which Tone finally attempts to branch out internationally? “That is something I want to do, yes. I want to travel the world. And I’m always searching for new stuff all the time, and for a bigger audience. So I’m definitely going to try. But I’m a person who is also very grateful for what I have. I will continue making music all the time, and I make music for those who like my stuff. If those songs can work in another country, then I would be extremely happy.”

The full range of experience

Tone Damli was introduced to Norway as a singer in 2005 when she competed on Idol and finished second, and she has now received the ultimate honour for an Idol graduate and been invited back as a permanent judge on the show. So how did it feel and was it like a full-cycle validation?

“You know, I actually got an invite before to be a judge on Idol. But it was really only now that I felt ready to do it. It’s only now that I feel I have the full range of experience to take with me onto the show, to find talent and to teach them what I know. And I’m loving it.”

And what advice would Tone, the Idol judge, give the young Tone auditioning for Idol eight years ago? “I would tell her to listen to the people around her who are already in the business and to take advice from all of those people that you meet. It’s a huge circus, a lot of pressure, and it’s like you’re getting famous overnight. And that can be pretty hard, so you have got to be tough and also careful. But all that matters is that you love the music and you love what you do, and you trust yourself. And of course you must work hard but also take care of yourself.”

That Scandinavian music talent has such a good reputation internationally she attributes to hard work. “It must be the fresh air in Scandinavia,” suggests Tone. “I don’t know; it’s hard to say. But what I can say is that in Norway we really do work pretty hard.”

And anyone who doubts that sentiment need only take a quick glance at Tone Damli’s schedule, or watch her new TV series which has just started in Norway, which follows Tone around and is documenting every moment of this incomprehensibly packed but hugely exciting chapter of her life.

By Pierre de Villiers | Photo: Monica Takvam

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Swedish actor Rolf Lassgård has a reputation for being a nice guy. A few days before Scan Magazine is due to interview him, compatriot and fellow thespian Peter Stormare describes the 57-year-old as “an amazing, low-key man who is loyal to his roots and has not been changed by fame”. Lassgård proves to be exactly that.

Reclining on a couch in a PR firm’s basement, the man best known for playing Inspector Wallander is warm, self-deprecating and funny, starting our time together by pointing to a stain on the carpet and exclaiming: “That’s water, not me!” He is also bursting with enthusiasm. Showing no sign of being jaded after a career that has spanned more than three decades, Lassgård is as excited about his craft as a young star who has just landed a big break.

“I always try to keep the amateur inside me alive – that fire and fun,” he explains. “It is like a small candle inside you remembering what it was like when you first started. If that light fades away, your work can just become routine, so I try and remember just how much fun the job is.”

The right trail

The passion Lassgård has for acting certainly shines through in his latest film False Trail. A sequel to 1996 crime drama Jägarna, it features a haunting performance by the actor as detective Erik Bäckström, who travels to Norrland to investigate the brutal murder of a woman. For Lassgård the experience of making False Trail in the small town of Överkalix was about as good as things get on a film set.

“You had this extraordinary backdrop that made me love doing the film even more,” he recalls. “We were in a village with about 3,000 people and there weren’t a lot of distractions. Me and other cast members like Peter Stormare [who plays a local policeman] were in this bubble and could really work out the balance between the characters. It was also great that all actors in the movie were born in the northern part of Sweden, and everyone was talking in the dialect of the region.”

Born to act

Filming in Norrland meant Lassgård could return to the region where he first fell in love with acting as a youngster. He recalls how, growing up in Östersund, being an actor seemed more of a calling than a possible profession. “I had a very strong feeling that I had to try to be an actor,” he explains. “I was working a lot as an amateur and really enjoyed it. That is why I tried to get into acting school.”

He joined the Institute for the Performing Arts in the village of Storhögen outside Östersund before attending the stage school in Malmö in 1975-78. There Lassgård met director Peter Oskarson, joining his Skånska Teatern in Landskrona and then the Folkteatern in Gävle in 1982. The move to Gävle would change his life forever. Not only was Lassgård so enamoured with the small town outside Stockholm that he now lives there, it is also where he met his wife of more than 30 years and the mother of his three children, Birgitta. Ask Lassgård why his marriage has succeeded when so many other showbiz matrimonies have failed and he starts chuckling.

“Maybe I have been married so long because I’m away so much,” he says. “It is like one of those fisherman marriages! I know one of the secrets is living your own life. Like all marriages, it goes up and down. In the time we have been married, we haven’t been together all the time because I do travel. It is important to set time aside to spend with your family, though. I have taken several breaks during my career to make sure that I am just at home. I need that space to fill up the batteries again.”

Split personality

By deciding to live in Gävle, Lassgård has been able to effectively split his personal and professional life. “I really do have a double life,” he says. “I almost always work away from home, which is a good thing because you can concentrate on work. But when I return, I can really get away from the business and the media because there are not so many who would travel all the way up to Gävle.”

While listening to Lassgård enthuse about his home town, it is not hard to understand why the actor has never moved to Hollywood to chase after lucrative blockbuster roles. “If I was 25 when I started working in the movies, it would probably have been a different situation,” he says with a shrug. “Now, if it happens, it happens. But to be honest, I am really happy being part of the Scandinavian film and TV industry. There are some exceptional crime dramas being made in this part of the world. For me it all started with the Inspector Martin Beck novels, which introduced the whole anti-hero thing, and then other writers have taken that to a new level.”

Leading the way

As someone who, in the mid-1990s, starred as policeman Gunvald Larsson in a series of movies based on the Martin Beck books and has played Kurt Wallander between 1994-2007, Lassgård helped pave the way for hugely popular Scandinavian TV series like The Killing and The Bridge, and movies like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And while America and the UK have chosen to make their own English versions of The Killing, Wallander and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the actor believes the attention being paid to Scandinavian offerings is ultimately a good thing.

“Remakes are sad in some ways, but the reality is that English is a world language,” he says. “I think what happens is that people maybe see Kenneth Branagh’s Wallander, which I think is great by the way, and then discover my version and watch that as well. And I’m sure the same happens with things like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and it just makes people aware of the talent in Scandinavia.”

As the interview draws to a close, the conversation turns to how Lassgård spends his time away from movie sets. “Lots of music and I do ordinary things with my family,” he says. “And ice hockey. I am addicted to ice hockey.”

How much time Lassgård gets to follow his favourite sport remains to be seen as his career shows no signs of slowing down; the actor is shooting two more films based on the Sebastian Bergman crime books early in 2013.

“People may think that because of the dark subject matter of some of the films I star in I go home feeling depressed, which is not the case at all,” he says. “The only darkness I take home with me is if I am not satisfied with what I am doing. In fact, often it is the opposite, and I end up coming home happy because you are doing a job you enjoy.”

By Ulla Nilsson, Managing Director, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the United Kingdom

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The United Kingdom has faced tough economic times in the last few years. An unbalanced economy and the banking crisis have led to increased national debt, financial instability and high unemployment rates. In 2012, Britain suffered the first double-dip recession since 1975 and is enduring its longest economic slump for a century. Sweden, on the other hand, has been more successful in handling its economy through the global crisis and finds itself top of international ranking lists both in terms of economic clout and quality of life.

When most of us in the United Kingdom think about the contribution Sweden makes to today’s world, IKEA, Volvo, Skype and Stieg Larsson’s novels most readily come to mind. Whilst these are household names, business in Sweden is constantly evolving and becoming more competitive. In fact, Sweden is one of the fastest nations in the world at adapting to new trends and ideas. It has deep-rooted principles of innovation and creativity and is constantly on the cusp of groundbreaking innovations.

Just over a century ago, Sweden was among the poorest nations in Europe. It is a small country, home to 0.15 per cent of the global population. Yet today it is a world leader in innovation. A recent study by the US-based think tank Martin Prosperity Institute ranks Sweden as the most creative country in the world. The report is based on the 3 T’s (Technology, Tolerance and Talent) and concludes that there is a strong correlation between creativity and economic growth, and that technological abilities together with the general ability and skills of the workforce combine effectively to support the country’s openness for innovation. Personally, I believe that these two factors, together with Sweden’s tolerance and compassion, have contributed to a real breeding ground for innovation.

A largely moderate political climate has encouraged and fostered a culture of cooperation between individuals, which has enabled creative industries to thrive. The Swedish Model today is a social and economic mix characterised by increased privatisation, in which tax-financed public services still play an important role. The Swedish government’s policies are for full employment, equal pay for equal work and the collective welfare of society as a whole. These policies create the right environment for innovation, allowing entrepreneurship to flourish and establish new markets both at home and overseas.

Today, more than ever before, innovation, enterprise and intellectual assets drive economic growth and increase standards of living. Innovation is instrumental in creating new jobs, providing higher incomes, offering investment opportunities, solving social problems, safeguarding the environment and protecting our security. It is those who are actively involved in promoting this model who are the stakeholders and ambassadors of the national image of Sweden and who are able to help promote and raise awareness of how business in Sweden is perceived.

Over the last twelve months, the Chamber has promoted businesses from a wide range of sectors, industries and topics, which, amongst others, have included finance, design, fashion, food, social responsibility and trends. As the Managing Director of the Chamber, I look forward to facilitating the exchange of ideas between Swedish and British businesses and promoting all those enterprises, new and old, which embody the special creativity that Sweden can and will continue to contribute to the 21st century.

www.scc.org.uk

Left to right: Patrick Kingsley, Trine Hahnemann, Signe Johansen and Emma Kennedy

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Four authors recently attended the popular and crammed Scandi Kitchen for a book signing event in central London.

Scandinavian Kitchen recently invited recognized culinary writers Trine Hahnemann and Signe Johansen, as well as the Guardian journalist Patrick Kingsley, author of the book How to be Danish, and famous British novelist and actress Emma Kennedy, author of The Killing Handbook, to join them for an evening of book signing and mulled wine.

“We wanted to have an event where people could ask Trine and Signe about the recipes in their books. Both Patrick Kingsley and Emma Kennedy were also publishing their books at the same time and were able to attend. This provided the great opportunity for acclaimed writers to meet and greet their readers over mulled wine,” co-founder of Scandinavian Kitchen Bronte Aurell explains.

Trine Hahnemann is the celebrated Danish cookery writer of The Scandinavian Cookbook, Nordic Diet and Scandinavian Christmas. She is hugely popular in the UK, Scandinavia and the US, featuring regularly in cookery magazines across the globe. London-based Norwegian author Signe Johansen, also known as the blogger behind Scandilicious, introduced her second cookbook, Scandilicious Baking, the follow-up to Secrets of Scandinavian Cooking… Scandilicious. Her recipes are traditional and have proven a huge hit with the public. Signe features regularly in the media doing TV appearances and publishing recipes in major food magazines.

Guardian journalist and the debut author of How to Be Danish, Patrick Kingsley has created a unique book about modern Danish life; he also reveals that he already has plans for more guides to different countries. Emma Kennedy, a British novelist, actress and TV host, is the creator of a handbook for the Danish TV hit The Killing. It includes knitting patterns for Sarah Lund’s jumpers, and details on the plot and cast members; it is a must-have if you are a fan of the popular Danish crime series.

“Many satisfied customers returned home with signed copies of the books. I’m not sure how many guests we had as it was an open event, but we got through a lot of mulled wine and biscuits,” says Bronte.

“We are hoping to organize similar events and launches with interesting guests next year, but our main focus for the immediate future is bringing our food to the rest of the UK via our web shop and the national retailers with whom we now work on a wholesale basis. We’re also fine-tuning stuff at the cafe to ensure we deliver excellence.

“Scandinavia in general, not just the food, is attracting more attention. We’ve had an influx of amazing Scandi crime dramas on TV and some great movies. Fashion is extremely popular too… I simply think it is the time for Scandinavia in general to enjoy its moment in the sun. It’s wonderful that we’re part of this wave and we’re very proud.”

For more information, please visit:
www.scandikitchen.co.uk
www.signejohansen.com
www.trinehahnemann.com
www.patrickkingsley.co.uk
www.emmakennedy.net

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photo: Bjorn Opsahl, Monkberry AS

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He is known as Scandinavia’s talk show king: Fredrik Skavlan has spent the last couple of months commuting between Scandinavia and London to record his popular talk show Skavlan. The TV hit is broadcast every Friday night to three million viewers in Norway and Sweden.

It is strange to interview another journalist, especially when they are a Scandinavian household name. This award-winning host began in the mid-90s with the shows Absolutt and Først og sist. Fredrik Skavlan, 46, is a good-natured Norwegian who sets challenging questions and has the ability to listen and encourage his guests to open up. An array of famous and lesser-known interviewees are seated in a semi-circular format, each joining the discussion as they are introduced, resulting in some compelling  viewing. A simple recipe with some magic ingredients which will continue to be recorded at the BBC studios in White City over the next season.

Recording in a cultural hub

“London is the main centre of global cultural life; it’s all happening there,” Skavlan says over the phone from Oslo. “It’s difficult to get certain guests over to Scandinavia, but all are happy to come to London, so recording there made sense.”

This season viewers have been introduced to stars such as Richard Dawkins, Robbie Williams, Taylor Swift and Fredrik Ljungberg. Skavlan will carry on recording in London for at least another six months.

Skavlan reflects on why his show has become such a popular concept: “Talk shows are often based on politics, stars or entertainment, but there are few who mix these together, letting different people meet.

“The less I’m involved, the better it gets. My job is to carefully take a step back and let things naturally progress. Many talk shows focus on the host and his or her celebrity status and not the guests. Our show is the opposite; I take more of a laidback role, which is why the guests feel comfortable and the discussions in the studio are so natural.”

Like an overexcitable child

Skavlan still feels nervous before a recording and reveals that he eats sweets beforehand as an energy boost, joking how it is a little bit like becoming an overexcitable child. He thrives on the unexpected, embracing surprises and the twists and turns of debate, but he never feels one hundred per cent satisfied with the interviews. “I am always left with the feeling that I could have done better.”

Skavlan once dreamt of becoming an artist. In fact, he applied to Central Saint Martins in his youth to study illustration but was turned down. After working as a cartoonist and reporter for various Norwegian newspapers, his destiny would ultimately turn out to be in broadcasting.

“If I had not become a journalist, I would have probably been a half-successful artist in Norway today and would have still been happy with my life,” Skavlan explains.

In 2007, he took a break from the TV carousel, returning in 2009 to take Skavlan in a new direction with the unique co-production between public service broadcasters in Norway and Sweden.

­“The proudest moment in my career so far was probably when we had finished our first recording in Stockholm in 2009, starting our co-operation with Swedish National Television. When I realized it was going to work and that we had found a new way of communicating with the Scandinavian audience, it was a great feeling,” Skavlan says.

A romance with the UK

Skavlan is excited about working in the UK and admits that he has had a romance with the UK for as long as he can remember.

“It’s fascinating how this small island can produce such great things. My parents used to visit England as often as they could to go to the theatre. Since I was a child, British culture and music have been important to me.”

Several people from his production team have worked with Skavlan for many years, including Ole Jørgen Grönlund, who has been responsible for maintaining the characteristic look of Skavlan, creating an intimate atmosphere with plenty of close-ups.

“The idea has always been for the viewer to feel like he’s a part of the debate, that he or she is sitting on a sixth invisible chair,” Skavlan explains. “I’m working with a fantastic team of journalists in two countries; it’s very stimulating and challenging to work with a team who are like a family. We dare to be ourselves when we work and often argue; it makes me grow as a presenter.”

Skavlan recently became a father for the fourth time. His partner, Swedish-Norwegian actress Maria Bonnevie, gave birth to a baby girl a few months ago.

“It’s obviously a great feeling –  a miracle. I’ve witnessed it four times now; in fact, my 18-year-old flew the nest recently taking a plane to the UK to begin his studies in Oxford. It feels great to have this new little baby in my life; it will help me get to know new sides of myself.”

For more information, please visit: www.skavlan.com

By Nia Kajastie | Photo: Sanna Halmekoski & Thomas Erskine

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From 15 November 2012, all of Danske Bank Group’s banking operations will be known by the Danske Bank brand name. Among those to change its trading name was the UK bank formerly known as Northern Bank, one of Northern Ireland’s leading retail banks, which also has an office in London. Scan Magazine spoke to Ian Stockdale, Head of Personal Banking for Dankse Bank, London, about Danske Bank’s “new standards” and what the London office can offer the Nordic community in the UK.

As the world has changed, Danske Bank is changing with it, introducing its “new standards” in response to what the bank describes as the “new normal” environment, the current state of affairs that has prevailed after irreversible changes to the world around us. As part of this change, all banking operations within Danske Bank Group have taken the name Danske Bank, including Northern Bank, which has been part of the group for seven years.

As one of the leading northern European financial service organisations, Denmark-based Danske Bank Group is well known in the Nordic region, and the Danske Bank brand is equally well trusted and familiar to Nordics. In the Nordic region, Danske Bank Group serves customers through nationwide branch networks in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

“Through the rebranding, we will benefit from the strong name that we have, and we will become one international banking group,” explains Ian Stockdale. “The majority of our customers know Danske Bank Group, and while Northern Bank has been our legal trading name, many London-based customers have thought of us as Danske Bank and have already seen the benefit of Danske Bank Group’s investment over the past seven years.”

Catering to Nordic private and personal banking customers in London

Boasting a steadily growing Nordic customer base in London, Danske Bank can look after the personal and private banking affairs of Nordic clients both in London and back home.

“We have a unique offering for Nordic people living in the UK or planning on moving here because Danske Bank Group has full access to the UK clearing system,” adds Stockdale. “It’s a practical point, but an important and convenient  benefit  that those living here who already have accounts with Danske Bank in one of the Nordic countries can transfer money same day value, fee free. Opening an account with us could not be easier for existing customers, and we can offer service in all the Nordic languages.”

Locally Danske Bank can offer everything from day-to-day transactional banking to home loans, as well as the right expertise on more complex matters; private onshore and offshore banking can be ­ ­handled through the team at Danske Bank Luxembourg.

Danske Bank is also well known for its progressive technology platform, offering easy access to 24/7 eBanking, even for customers on the move through their new iPad and tablet app, as well as their award-winning mobile banking app, launched last year.

“Combining technology that puts banking at your fingertips, with expertise, local relationships and easy cross-border transfers within a leading European Banking Group, our new standards are designed to provide the best customer service in a rapidly changing world. Our change of name is a unique opportunity to create an even better bank for our customers.”

With these benefits in mind, Ian wants to welcome the Nordic community in London, and those planning on moving to the UK, to Danske Bank:

Velkommen til Danske Bank i London!

For more information, please visit:  www.danskebank.co.uk

By Alexander Stubb, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade of Finland

Photo: Pekka Mustonen

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In Europe, the optimists have had difficulty making their voices heard over those of the pessimists during the past year. It has admittedly been a tough time for everyone, but Finland continues to take a constructive approach to meeting Europe’s challenges. The amazing variety of events and projects seen in Helsinki during its year as 2012 World Design Capital shows Finland’s drive to find solutions to complicated problems.

When the EU received the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, the award formed a welcome ray of light as the autumn days became shorter. It reminds everybody of what Europe is all about: despite certain dilemmas, the EU still represents an excellent vehicle for building peace and wellbeing across the continent.

Just like the rest of the world, Finland has been experiencing slowed economic growth. Nevertheless, Finland’s economy remains one of the strongest in Europe, as indicated by its ability to maintain a credit rating of AAA throughout the economic downturn. We learned our lessons the hard way during our own economic crisis in the early 1990s, and our economy has held up relatively well in recent times.

Challenges lie ahead, but we Finns are at our best when the pressure is on. Our history has included situations that seemed impossible to solve, but time and time again we’ve rolled up our sleeves and overcome tremendous odds. Finnish expertise and Finnish sisu – our own unique blend of courage and endurance – have proved to be an indomitable combination.
Nokia forms a case in point. As the telecoms giant has restructured, former Nokia employees have created promising start-ups such as smartphone developer Jolla, and spin-offs such as web-on-TV business Uniqoteq.

Finland has reinvented its ability to promote export business by forming Team Finland, which gathers together the strengths of the Ministry for Foreign ­Affairs of Finland, global business enabler Finpro, the Finnish Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of Finnish ­Industries and other like-minded organisations. By the same token, Invest in ­Finland provides incoming foreign investors with guidance and advice.

By Ewa Björling, Minister for Trade, Sweden

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Openness to trade spurs production, innovation and consumption. Over time, exports have a positive impact on economic growth. These statements can be seen as my points of departure in my daily work as Sweden’s Minister for Trade.

In Sweden we constantly sharpen our innovative edge. Our vision is to be a world-leading country in research and innovation, an attractive place in which to invest and conduct business. Trade, combined with a business environment that facilitates innovation and investments is vital for society. This combination has served Sweden very well, enabling us to achieve stable growth and prosperity over the years. Like any company that constantly needs to keep up with changes in the markets, Sweden also needs to adapt to changes.

As Minister for Trade, it is my responsibility and pleasure to promote my country abroad. In this context I often refer to specific industries and businesses to illustrate that Sweden is an innovative and creative country. Cultural and creative industries have great potential for growth, and this is one of the main reasons why I launched the promotion calendar which focuses, month by month, throughout the year on creative industries where Swedish industries are at the forefront – such as music, communication, film, fashion, ­literature and gaming. Alongside these branches, our traditional industries, and others, continuously deliver products of good quality, price and design – some of these companies you can read about in this paper.

Our free trade ambitions open the way for constructive means of pursuing prudent macroeconomic policies based on innovation and trade. Swedes are eager to adopt and develop new technologies, and we aim to empower innovation, especially in the field of green solutions and other industries with potential for growth. Though the global economy may be in some difficulty, everything is still possible.