Camilla Ringquist

CAMILLA RINGQUIST singer, composer, musician from Stockholm, Sweden Camilla has performed live for several years - including an appearance at the prestigeous Stockholm Jazz Festival 2003. She is working with some of the best musicians in Sweden and has appeared on TV and radio shows. Camilla has been compared with artists such as Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush and her music, which moves between genres: jazz, pop, rock and traditional folkmusic, has already found several fans and an international response.Camilla was one of the first female Swedish artists, who did not let the big record companies´s caution stop her from releasing her music on her own. She decided to start her own record label, TinyTiger Production in 2002, and her debut album "For Venus", a collaboration with producer Anders Fristorp, was released in 2003. It featured several internationally acclaimed musicians, including Magnus Öström (Esbjörn Svensson Trio/EST), pianist Elise Einarsdotter and Svante Henryson on cello - as well as less established names. In addition to her vocals, Camilla played piano and guitar.The debut album "For Venus" got a very warm response from both press and audience.In January 2004, Camilla attended the international music fair MIDEM in Cannes, in the twin role as both artist and record company executive. The result was beyond everything she had hoped for. Companies from several key countries showed interest, including USA, Germany, Japan, Australia and Denmark. Universal Music in Poland released a compilation album "Rendez-vous on the jazz boulevard" (2004) which included the single "Holiday". On that album Camilla appeared alongside artists such as Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Roberta Flack and Natalie Cole.Camilla´s inclination to write and perform is fuelled by a sense of lust for creating as well as a need. She was a quiet child, often communication with the outside world through her songs. Later on she wrote prose, resulting in several prizes for short stories as well as an, as of yet, unpublished novel. A collection of poems was set to music by composer Stellan Sagvik for a music dramatic piece called "Lips and Tongue". The instrumentation was a bit unusual: mezzo soprano, chamber ensemble, saxophone and bouzouki.Alongside with working on her own music, Camilla has been a voice teacher for several years at The Stockholm Conservatory of Music, in the genres of jazz, pop and rock. But lately she has put the teaching aside - to focus on her own musical career.In the Autumn of 2004 Camilla attended the music fair Popkomm in Berlin, where she got contact with the German label Skycap Records/Roughtrade distribution. In March 2005 she signed a licensing-deal for realease of the album "For Venus" in Europe.In Sweden Camilla has been awarded several scholarships and awards, including societies for both composers, artists and writers. In March 2005, she was named "composer of the month" by The Swedish Performing Rights Society, STIM, who had an extensive interview with her on their official website.In November 2005, Camilla released her second album "Love and Poetry" (TinyTiger/CDA), a collaboration with renowed producer/musician Lasse Englund, who has worked with several of Sweden´s biggest artist.The album "Love and Poetry" got fantastic reviews and the singles "Closer" and "Eyes of a man" have received a lot of airplay on National Radio P4. Camilla has also co-produced the video "Closer", which you can find on her website.In December 2005 "Love and Poetry" was released in Japan through Nordic Notes.In February 2006, Camilla made a performance with her band at Södra Teatern, one of the most well established music-scenes in Stockholm, featuring artists from all over the world. The concert, which was recorded by Radio P4, got a fantastic response from press and audience.Musicians at Södra Teatern:Camilla Ringquist vocal, 12 string guitar, piano Hannes Laaksonen electric guitar Olle Steinholtz double bass Svante Henryson cello Ola Johansson accordion and harmonica Mattias Ståhl vibraphone Elias Ringquist piano Anders Scherp drumsOn April 21 2006, the debut album "For Venus" will be released by German label Skycap Records/Roughtrade distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Later this Spring it will also be released in Poland, Portugal, France and Benelux.