Jenny is reported to be playing at a gay bar in Sweden tonight. She will be playing two of her solo songs and two Ace of Base songs. A translation of the interview follows. Original link: http://www.qx.se/noje/14085/ikvall-upptrader-ace-of-basejenny-pa-paradise-jag-ska-spela-nagra-acelatar
Scroll down to see a review of the performance.
Tonight: Ace of Base Jenny at Paradise, "I will play any Ace-Tracks"
Want to hear Jenny Berggren’s new single and even a couple of Ace of Base songs.
Then you should go to Paradise in Stockholm on Friday evening. QX rang Jenny to learn a bit more.
Recently released Jenny Berggren’s single "Here I am", already played the song on the radio tonight and you can see and hear her at the gay club Paradise where she will perform four songs.
Hi Jenny, tell me how does it feel to go solo?
- It’s one big "at last!". It has been a long time coming. I have slipped away and made some of my own stuff in Ace of Base time also, but now I step out.
Have you finished with Ace of Base?
- Absolutely not. But right now I felt I had to do this. We did not come on, we had a hard time getting signed and I felt that I needed music in my life. But Ace of Base still exists, this is just something I must do. And there is nothing unusual in itself, a bit like what Fergie in Black Eyed Peas did.
The new single is called "Here I am", tell us about it.
- The first time I heard it, there was only the chorus, I asked to write a verse to it, because I thought it was so good. So I went home and wrote. I relied on myself and how I felt, it’s all about my faith and my relationship with God. If he reaches everywhere. I was sitting in a super luxury hotel rooms in Canada once and felt so alone and so empty. It is hardly to live where the superstar life. It’s a crazy journey to make. I was surrounded by luxury and success and yet I felt only emptiness. Then I took up Bible lying there in the hotel room and opened it somewhere and read in rows 3-4 and felt like it spoke to me at once. In just a few lines so I felt so strongly how it pointed to things I been through in my life. I felt that I was tired of chasing emptiness.
Many people I talked to describe you as "very religious", and then I get that gay little prejudiced "worried" … What is your attitude towards homosexuality?
- Haha, I have many homosexuals in my vicinity. And I believe God is for us all. Who am I to judge? I believe in love. I also realized that Ace of Base meant a lot to people. When we played on the "Night of the Proms" in Antwerp, highlighted a guy to me after the show. I realized he was gay and that he felt unwell and that he had intended to end his life. But before he could take his life as he listened to "Beautiful Life" and there and then he decided not to end his life. He told this to us all and the tears ran down his cheeks. I am still moved when I think about it. So I believe God reaches everybody. And will not people to church so he may well take to the streets. And that’s where my responsibility lies.
So you do not think it is a sin to have sex with someone of the same sex?
- I’m not God. You asking if I judge people by what they do in bed, the answer is no. Have never done. If you ask God, you get the answer that he gave his life for you because He loves you. The question is how you want to respond to that love? "
Tonight you should behave in Paradise, what can you expect from it?
- Wow, I think it will be great fun. I have asked a lot before this gig, I want it to be as good. I am super psyched.
What do you play, it becomes something of Ace of Base?
- Yes, I think people would be disappointed otherwise. Don’t you? So I will do two original songs and two songs-Ace.
Why do you do your first performance at a gay club?
- Why not? I work with many gay people and it has actually become so that I work a lot with people outside the church. There is no point in well there too.
You recently released an autobiography "Win the whole world", what do you prefer, to buy your book or your disc?
- Oops, huh difficult. That depends on whether it is literary or musical. But of course both are readily available so I would say that you should buy both (laughs). One can see the disc as a soundtrack to the book.
What is your best memory of Ace of Base?
- It’s many things. We were big everywhere. But it was definitely cool to be dressed to the teeth and go to great parties and receive awards at the American Music Award. We’ve been through a lot, the bitter zeal I include in the book.
Has it worn on your relationship as siblings?
- Yes, but also built. We’re adults, all three. When we went out and launched the second album we had already been gone for two years, so this time we took with our parents. We felt that we did not want to be away from them for so long. And it was fun for them to be on the trips.
What will you do at the weekend after your performance at the Paradise?
- My husband is of course with me on stage so we will go home to our two children in Gothenburg. But first, we celebrate a little well of course …
Good luck to you. When will you release your solo album?
- Thanks! The album will be in September. But the single is out now …
UPDATE: Swedish gay website qx.se posted the following about Jenny’s performance
Ace of BACE-Jenny in Paradise
LONDON.
Ace of Base star Jenny Berggren chose the right thing.
Are you supposed to do solo so you should make it among the Bears.
Jenny Berggren could not have received a better reception. The audience got to hear two new songs and of course Ace of Base classics Beautiful Life and The Sign. Nights like this one can think of is to lock really like this pressure. Jenny can sing, you Jenny Jacob can play guitar and gay men know how to get a dance floor moving…
Jenny was the Ace of Base. Jenny will be Jenny Berggren. A star is here to stay.
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