Nina Söderquist has received acclaim by the world press for her success in London’s West End, where she played the lead in Monty Python’s musical “Spamalot”. During her 25 years in the industry, Nina has lived and worked all over the world. She has toured with Billboard chart toppers and rocked arenas with several Queen tours. Praised by Meatloaf and Phil Collins, among many others, Nina is currently adding her tour with Kee Marcello of the 80s rock group, Europe, to her over 500 live performances. Her duet with Swedish Billboard charted artist, Bjorn Skifs, on the track “Goodbye”, is currently in the Top 20 New Music Weekly singles chart.
“Goodbye” is a classic sounding power ballad written by Nina Söderquist in collaboration with Linus Sundvall, and exquisitely produced by Jimmy Jansson. What is a power ballad? In its purest, most drenched, hyper-emotional sense…it’s a ballad with power.
It surges, it soars, and it delivers gut-wrenching honesty. And then there is the vulnerable tenderness, essential in counterbalancing, the surging and the soaring. The perfect elements to deliver the yin and yang necessary for such a dramatically contrasting performance, are the voices of a male and female collaboration. The duet.
Great duets need special voices, with just the right chemistry. Successful duets like, Bryan Adams and Tina Turner come to mind, as does Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush, or Michael Bolton & Celine Delon. Without forgetting George Michael & Aretha Franklin, Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne, as well as Mike Reno & Ann Wilson.
And of course Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes. There have been many more brilliant duets of note during the past years and decades, and now you can add Nina Söderquist & Bjorn Skifs to that list, with their emotionally and technically towering performances on “Goodbye”.
“Goodbye” has a full, rich warm bodied sound that establishes a benchmark for all others to aspire to. Why is it that so many mainstream, big label artists are producing discs which are characterized by poor production values and over-compressed sound, while someone such as Nina Söderquist provides such a glorious warm listening experience?
She is an artist who obviously holds her work and her audience in the highest regard. The production is truly sumptuous and brings out the best in both Nina Söderquist and Bjorn Skifs.
There is something hauntingly painful and all-knowing in Nina’s voice and yet there is strength and beauty there too. Her voice is the perfect match for Bjorn’s gritty and powerful vocal response. If you like soul-searching lyrics set to a transcending melody, and just a bit of heartbreak, you’re going to want this single.
The arrangement and vocals are beautiful and the song writing is pure and mature. Yes, this is a truly remarkable single, taking into account current music trends and sounds. Nina Soderquist and Bjorn Skifs are still two lights shining very brightly in the pop wilderness!
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