Kathleen Edwards: Better than hockey she sings about "one more song the radio won't like". if there was any justice in the world, the radio would have loved kathleen edwards' songs. it could be any wednesday afternoon at all in stockholm. but it's walpurgis night and it's obvious that spring is coming. there is a breeze blowing over medporgarplatsen. students in white caps are moving across the square together with other walpurgis strollers. it's only about a hour left to kathleen edwards' concert in södra teatern. the 25-year old canadian i probably unknown to most of the people that move across medborgarplatsen this walpurgis night. they have no idea what they are missing. kathleen edwards is stressed. the soundchecked is finished just now and the concert is approaching. - will this take long? she asks. she wants to be able to rest before the concert. when we hear about the larded tour schedule it's easy to understand. this is kathleen edwards' first visit in sweden. she didn't get to see as much of the country as it was first thought. the planned concerts in malmö and gothenburg had to be cancelled. - the tour has been very intense. what's your impression of sweden so far? - it's beautiful. you get a perfect view of stockholm from this theatre. as the daughter of a diplomate kathleen edwards has seen a lot of the world. her family lived both in south korea and switzerland when she was younger. - it was an amazing upbringing since i got to see much of the world. many people in my age haven't even been outside of canada. the ongoing tour has brought kathleen edwards to a lot of places all over the world. the european tour started in belgian brugge and was finished in manchester. - it's great fun to visit cities you haven't been to before and play before crowded lounges. suddenly she spots the yellow concert posters that's laying next to us. she picks one of them up and study it thorough. - is that my name on it? she asks and finally discovers that the only name on the poster is exactly kathleen edwards. - when we were in brugge it said "kathleen edwards - for lucinda williams-lovers" on the poster, she then sighs. she has heard the comparison with lucinda williams many times by now. something that she is not undividedly positive to. - it's a great compliment to get compared with her, she's a great songwriter. but it is also frustrating. i have been compared to her so much that people believe that she has been a great influence to me, which she hasn't. the comparisons could feel adequate during the first listenings of kathleen edwards' debut album "failer". but the longer time it spent spinning in the cd-player, the more it became clear that the sound didn't sound like lucinda williams very much. it sounded as it own, it simply sounded like kathleen edwards. how would you describe "failer"? - it's a record that contains songs that i wrote when i spent much time by myself. it's a "roots-rock-record" which i have always wanted to do. already when i came to the studio i knew exactly how i wanted the record to sound like.  you can clearly hear that failer is a very thorough record where the originator has put down lots of spirit to reach the best result as possible. the innerly songs are performed with a big heart. the last few months it has been spinning in the cd-player at yours truly. but to the european audience kathleen edwards is far from wellknown. "failer" was released in the u.s. in 2002, but didn't reach sweden until this year. how would you describe yourself as a person? - i'm beautiful, funny, smart... (laughter) - seriously... i find talking to people easy. at the same time as i like to spend time with myself sometimes. i like to laugh and don't take myself too seriously. before a quite crowded södra teatern kathleen edwards show off her funny side. she's keeping a dialogue with the audience and shows a wittiness and a humor that few have been able to imitate. she has been described as 'The best canadian export since ice hockey", and she often speaks about the subject ice hockey. when she mentions mats sundin and daniel alfredsson it is met by cheering. it's not as popular when she's talking about sweden's loss against canada in the world cup the day before. great concerts have a tendency to stop the time. all of a sudden kathleen edwards has played her last song and is leaving the stage. in the bar of södra teatern, "failer" is selling like butter. pleased voices are heard wherever you go. kathleen edwards is standing in the lobby with a glass of red wine in the hand. she's chatting with people and signing records and posters. she's smiling satisfied and takes time with everyone. the stress is blown away. are you satisfied with the concert? - yes, i am. it was fun to play in this room, it was beautiful. while she is signing records and talking to people, kathleen edwards reveals that "failer" will get a sequal next year. but first is touring until christmas. among other things she'll be at the roskilde festival this summer. walpurgis bonfires are burning all around stockholm. but sometimes fire isn't necessary for a fire. it can be enough with a small great canadian singer with an impressing debut album in her back. i am thinking about his when i am looking out from the terrass of södra teatern. stockholm has probably never been more beautiful. jonas solberger revolver.nu translated by suzanna				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews