Swedish songbird Linda Brandemark performs Cranbrook folk-rock show at Heidout Restaurant and Brewery Thursday, June 13

Submitted for e-KNOW

“I haven’t been back to Cranbrook since 1998,” remarks Uppsala, Sweden’s flame-tressed folk-rock songstress Linda Brandemark. “But I’ve never forgotten my Canadian foster home, and I can’t wait to come back.”

Brandemark performs live at the fabulous Heidout on Thursday, June 13 as the perfect kickoff to Cranbrook’s community-wide Spirit of the Rockies weekend festivities.

“When I was in senior secondary school in Uppsala,” explained Brandemark, “I was given a great opportunity to study abroad for a year, and since I already spoke fluent English, I had the choice between going to the UK, the US, Australia, or Canada – and I chose Canada!

“Canada appealed to me – similar nature and wilderness, vast open spaces, similar cultural values, and not so many scary animals! I found a wonderful host-family in Cranbrook, and doing my senior year at Mount Baker Senior Secondary was such an amazing time, for true. There were so many courses available then for arts and music and drama, and I met so many wonderful people who are still good friends today. My experience in Cranbrook was a formative one and made me the musician I am today.”

Linda Brandemark has long thrived in the vibrant and rich Scandinavian music scene, having released four critically-acclaimed independently-released albums (starting with 1998’s First Attempt, under her maiden name of Malmstrom) and touring consistently – not just around her native Sweden, but also across the Baltic Sea to the European cultural strongholds of Germany, France, and Spain.

She’s busy enough as a solo vocalist-guitarist, but also finds time in and around her responsibilities as a mother and a teacher to perform with the electric blues band Lighthouse Sweden and the folk-pop ensemble Dragon Dolls – both acts whom she’ll be busy with throughout the summer and beyond.

“Uppsala is the fourth-largest city in Sweden,” explained Brandemark. “And with almost 180,000 people, the local music scene is a busy one! There are lots of local bars and theatres and halls where local Swedish artists play, but it’s not uncommon to have world-famous stars like Elton John or Patti Smith or Daniel Lanois or Justin Townes Earle to perform here. Gigging in Stockholm itself is easy, as Uppsala’s only 70km north of the capital, and it’s a quick 35-minute commuter-train ride. There’s been a huge upsurge in young bands here in Uppsala over the past few years, everything from folk-pop to hardcore punk, so there’s always color and vibrancy and excitement to be had around here.”

Brandemark’s personal songwriting style combines the arty echoes of Kate Bush with the rootsiness of Emmylou Harris, and she’s even been known to toss in a Nina Hagen cover here and there to spice things up a bit onstage. Brandemark explains how her creative process was up and down for awhile, especially when weathering the storm of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, but has since enjoyed a personal resurgence in the joys of songwriting.

“Since I moved into the countryside outskirts of Uppsala, it’s been easier to focus on the craft,” said Brandemark. “During the lockdown I used my smartphone to record myself singing and playing guitar; I sent the basic tracks to a producer friend of mine, he waved the magic wand in his studio, and just like that I had a four-song EP!

“I do write songs by myself, but just as often I’ll find myself collaborating with my good friend Ellinor Skagegard, who is a brilliant singer-songwriter in her own right – sometimes I’ll add lyrics to her music, or music to her lyrics. We work very well together. And I’ll certainly be performing some of my newer songs live at the Heidout!”

Brandemark’s excitement about returning to Cranbrook is deep and sincere.

“The Canadians who I’ve met have, for the most part, been nothing but genuine, straight-up people,” said Brandemark.” A huge thing for me, as a musician, was that during my time in Cranbrook I met new friends who were interested in and excited about original music, which was a breath of fresh air for my creativity.

“Before I left for Canada, I was playing around the many bars in Uppsala and it seemed that everybody only wanted to hear Creedence Clearwater Revival covers, you know? Not that’s there’s anything wrong with CCR, of course, but it seemed that even if I was playing a song by Radiohead or Portishead or whoever, it was too far of a musical stretch for the audience to be comfortable with.

“What I got in Cranbrook, that curiosity of what I had to bring to the table as a songwriter and a singer, and the love and encouragement I was given – that strengthened my determination to continue writing my own music when I returned to Sweden. And as a direct result of that Cranbrook Love, I released my albums.”

And Cranbrook is lucky – and happy – to have such vibrant international talent returning to the Key City of the Kootenays.

“I really can’t believe it’s been 26 years!” said Brandemark. “See you soon!”

Linda Brandemark performs an intimate folk-rock performance (with special-guest opening act Ferdy Belland) at the Heidout (821 Baker Street, Cranbrook) the evening of Thursday, June 13. Free admission to the public; seating is first-come, first-served.

Showtime 7:30 p.m. For more information, please visit: 

https://www.instagram.com/linda_brandemark/

https://www.facebook.com/linda.brandemark

Photos submitted

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