Sophie Zelmani and “Sunrise”: alternative pop rock at Stary Klasztor in Wrocław

Sophie Zelmani, whose real name is Sophie Edkvist, is a Swedish alternative pop-rock singer. She was born on 12 February 1972 on the outskirts of Stockholm. At fourteen, she received her first guitar from her father. Although she had no professional training, she soon began writing lyrics and recording songs at a local studio. These became demo tapes that she decided to send to various record labels. Sony Music’s Swedish division was the first to reply.

After signing a contract in 1995, she released her debut full-length album, Sophie Zelmani. Although all the material was recorded in just two weeks, studio work took several months. Warm reviews compared her compositions to Van Morrison's early work. A year later, the singer received a Grammy for Best Debut.

In 1997, when sales of the record reached 200,000 copies, Columbia Records decided to acquire the rights and launch a promotional campaign in the American market. The artist’s second album, Precious Burden, appeared the following year, followed by Time to Kill in 1999. Unlike her two previous records, Zelmani recorded this one with a regular band. The 2002 LP Sing and Dance featured intriguing country elements and references to Bob Dylan’s work. Two years later, Love Affair reached the shops. In 2005, the artist released the first compilation of her career, A Decade of Dreams 1995–2005, expanded with three previously unreleased tracks.

Two years later, Zelmani returned with the studio album Memory Loves You. A year after that, fans received another record, The Ocean and Me. For the artist herself, the album also had a therapeutic dimension. Zelmani has suffered from a fear of water for years, a phobia she struggles to overcome. Hence the song The Ocean and Me, which explores both her fear of and fascination with water. Her second compilation, Original Album Classics, reached the shops in 2008.
At the end of February 2010, the singer unveiled her latest work, I’m the Rain. The album beautifully combines Sophie’s low-register vocals with delicate, soothing musical accompaniment. The material came together gradually: the vocals were recorded first, guitars were added next, and only at the very end did the band record the remaining instruments.

She currently works with keyboardist Rickard Nilsso, drummer Peter Korhonen and bassist Thomas Axelsson.

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