[INTERVIEW] Celtic-Nordic duo Secret Garden talks about musical roots, new album “Storyteller”

Members of band Secret Garden. Fionnuala Sherry from Ireland, left, and Norwegian Rolf Lovland pose for a photo. / Courtesy of Universal Music

By Anna J. Park

Secret Garden have a passionate following and numerous mega-hit songs, including "You Raise Me Up." The duo of Irish violinist and multi-instrumentalist Fionnuala Sherry and Norwegian composer Rolf Lovland has maintained their partnership for 25 years, selling millions of albums worldwide, many of which went platinum in numerous countries.

In a recent email interview with The Korea Times, Secret Garden talked about their musical union, inspiration and their tenth album "Storyteller," their latest release after "Secret Garden 20th Anniversary" in early 2015.

Sherry said she thinks her bond with Lovland is the foundation of their long-lasting musical journey together.

"I think the most important aspect is that we are very close friends and we really enjoy each other's company. With that also comes a lot of respect and we both share the responsibility of the work involved with Secret Garden. Our slightly different music backgrounds also help to bring a balanced approach to the music and we are never afraid to discuss conflict and express opinions," she said.

The other member of the duo, composer and pianist Lovland said he and Sherry have grown together over the years, yet their musical identity has stayed unchanged.

"I think the music has grown with us and that we've grown with the music. We have never had focus on re-inventing our style. We've always stayed true to the idea of melodies and our Norwegian and Irish identity. Secret Garden will never be a rock'n roll band or a new rap-group," he said.

As Lovland said, Celtic and Nordic folk melodies are the roots and inspiration of their music. Secret Garden has featured various guest artists and instrumentalists from Ireland and Norway on their albums, to best reflect their dual nationalities. The new album "Storyteller" is no exception with a merger of Irish and Norwegian artists.

Irish singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy, who sang Secret Garden's original song "You Raise Me Up" in 2001, participated again on the track "Beautiful." Since Brian Kenney sang Secret Garden's iconic "You Raise Me Up," over a whopping thousand artists and bands have covered it globally, including Josh Groban and Westlife. "Strength" features Norwegian singer Espen Grjotheim, and "Sunshine" is sung by another Norwegian singer Cathrine Iversen.

"Ireland and Norway are two very small countries with a very large traditional musical background with their own unique character. Both been slightly independent form the rest of Europe and have allowed their music to develop over the years and perhaps there is a storytelling and melancholic quality that they both share. We think maybe that's the sense and feeling that we have somehow tapped into when we came together to work," said Sherry.

"Storyteller" is Secret Garden's latest album. Courtesy of Universal Music

What is also special about this album is that it features four melodies from Lovland's first-ever musical, "The Pilot," which will premiere sometime around 2021. The musical is based on Norweigian playwright Henrik Ibsen's poem "Terje Vigen." Lovland said composing for a musical was a dream come true.

"The main focus will always be Secret Garden, but I also like to write to projects like film scores and the musical I'm working on, 'The Pilot.' It's always great to step out of the comfort zone because that's how you learn new things," he said.

For Korean and Japanese fans, the album includes a track by Korea's crossover music group Forestella ― "Beautiful" sung in Korean. The additional track is only available in the album's versions released in Korea and Japan.

"I think Forestella is really adding something to the song. It was recorded by us as a solo song with Brian Kennedy ― Forestella has turned it into a vocal arrangement and given it a pop-flavor. I think it's great, and I'm excited to hear how it's received," Sherry said.

Check out Secret Garden's new song "Beautiful," sung by Irish inger-songwriter Brian Kennedy, who also sang Secret Garden's original "You Raise Me Up" in 2001.

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