- Title: UK: SECRET GARDEN EUROVISION SONG CONTEST WINERS COME TO THE UK
- Date: 11th May 2000
- Summary: LONDON, UK (MAY 11, 00) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIONNUALA ABOUT HOW SHE AND ROLF MET "It was a chance introduction in Ireland in '94 during the Eurovision Songcontest week because we were both working in part of the Eurovision also in '94 and it was through this introduction and the we discovered that we had these same ideas and philosophy about music and Rolf int
- Embargoed: 26th May 2000 13:00
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- Location: LONDON, UK AND FILE
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVAE0KHWK07PS64Y1R7SV1YPB6OL
- Story Text: Five years ago "Secret Garden" won the Eurovision Songcontest with their hauntingly beautiful single "Nocturne".
Since then the Irish-Norwegian duo have sold over two million albums worldwide, and captured the hearts of fans across the globe from Europe to the United States, to Asia. Now, Secret Garden are coming to the UK for their first live tour and the release of their latest album "Dreamcatcher".
Fionnuala Sherry and Rolf Lovland met six years ago when they both worked for the Eurovision Songcontest. That fated meeting marked the beginning of "Secret Garden" and has since brought them platinum record sales and performances all over the world.
A professional violinist, Fionnuala was born and grew up in Ireland where she developed a passion for music at an early age. In addition to her classical, symphonic and operatic repertoire, she has been involved with artists like Van Morrison, Chris de Burgh, Bono and Wet Wet Wet.
Rolf started to compose his own songs at the tender age of nine and has now earned a reputation as Norway's most successful popular songwriter.
"It was a chance introduction in Ireland in '94 during the Eurovision Songcontest week because we were both working in part of the Eurovision also in '94 and it was through this introduction and the we discovered that we had these same ideas and philosophy about music and Rolf introduced me to a song called "Nocturne" and it was just an instant feeling of "we should try and work together", we should try to do this but not knowing how to do it", says Fionnuala.
Above all the music of Secret Garden is inspiring. Fans include Barbara Streisand who played their music at her 1998 wedding and who has recorded a version of Secret Garden's "Heartstrings" on her album "A Love Like Ours".
Fionnuala says "I think that's one of the powerful things with instrumental music that it allows us not to dictate. It's the other way around, it invites the listener to open their own doors and see their own pictures and create their own stories."
In times where peoples' stress levels are continuously increasing, soothing music is on demand. "I think you're right, you're touching a point which is essential. I think art and music always reflect real time and I think in a way we see that this music communicates with people for those reasons, that they need some sort of balance in life and that our music in a way represents something that they can relax to, they can find the balance to", says Rolf.
Secret Garden's latest album "Dreamcatcher" is inspired by the ancient Celtic and North American myth of the dreamcatcher, a net of natural material that can capture fleeting thoughts, dreams and visions during sleep.
"Dreamcatcher" was something that we came across first of all in Ireland, it was part of the old Celtic folklore and also it was part of the Native American Indians. I think that's also fascinating that these two cultures independently had created this special thing. The idea of a dreamcatcher - there are two different makes of it, it's sort of a circular shape made from wood and they weave a sort of a webshaped inside to it and the reasoning behind it is that when it's hung over the bed at night, it's used to filter out all the bad dreams and to retain the good ones. It's almost a very soothing thing" says Fionnuala.
Rolf says "For us it's been a natural development trying to always tell a story with our melodies, always try to let the violin express something that people can hear, but there are no words but still they relate to the story and they can see the meaning of the story and I think to sort of connect that into fairy tales and myths and all of that is a very natural step to do for us."
After spending most of their time traveling around the world, the couple are pleased to start their first ever UK tour "...which is really exciting for us to be here and to be given this opportunity now to come to the UK and particularly to perform because we have been all over the world and it's really nice now to come closer to home and actually have the opportunity to get on stage and not be jetlagged."
During May Secret Garden will be performing in Liverpool, Reading, Nottingham and Dublin.
"Dreamcatcher" is due to be released in the UK on May, 15.
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