Her first record, Until Death Comes, was recorded at Stockholm's Atlantis Studios and co-produced with Jari Haapalainen of The Bear Quartet. The record was released in the EU in 2005 on The Concretes record label Licking Fingers, in the United States in 2006 on Secretly Canadian and in Australia in 2007 on Chapter Music. Hyvönen received the 2005 Stockholmspriset ("The Stockholm Prize") by the Swedish publication Nöjesguiden for her debut album.[1] Her first single, "I Drive My Friend", climbed the hit-list in Sweden for a few weeks.
Frida has been touring Scandinavia, Europe and the US with her piano since 2004. She also played in Shanghai. In the spring of 2006 she toured the United Kingdom with José González, and in the summer of 2006, she toured the US with fellow Swedish artist Jens Lekman. In the fall of 2005 Frida wrote music for dance performance PUDEL, by choreographer Dorte Olesen. She also performed the music live on stage. The music was recorded in 2006 and released in January 2007.
In the fall of 2007 Frida recorded a cover of the R.E.M. song "Everybody Hurts", released in digital form by Stereogum She also covered the song "Sista dan tillsammans" together with Mattias Alkberg on "Dubbel Trubbel", a tribute to Olle Adolphson.
Hyvönen's next album, "Silence is Wild", was released October 29, 2008 in Scandinavia and November 4, 2008 in North America and Australia.
She is also working on a collaboration with photographer Elin Berge, in a project that will be out in 2009.
Discography
Albums
2005 Until Death Comes
First studio album
Released: April 6, 2005
Label: Licking Fingers
Format: CD, LP, Digital download
2007 Frida Hyvönen Gives You:
Music from the Dance Performance PUDEL
Second studio album
Released: January 24, 2007
Label: Licking Fingers
Format: CD, LP, Digital download
2008 Silence Is Wild
Third studio album
Released: October 29, 2008
Label: Licking Fingers
Format: CD, LP, Digital download
2005: "I Drive My Friend" (single)
2008: "Traveling Companion" (single) (Marit Bergman featuring Frida Hyvönen)
References
Hopper, Jessica. "Frida Hyvonen unafraid of mixing music, feminism". Chicago Tribune March 9, 2007. Accessed August 12, 2007.
Loebenstein, Ghita. "Until Death Comes - Music - CD Reviews". The Age (Melbourne, Australia) March 30, 2007. Accessed August 12, 2007.
Reed, James. "An introduction to Nordic tracks – MFA to present a triple bill of Scandinavian rockers". Boston Globe February 25, 2007. Accessed August 12, 2007.
Sic Transit Gloria
Frida Hyvönen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And twice as wise
But I keep myself together
As I make way through this crowd
For if I would breathe out
I would sweep everyone of there high, high heels
Now wont you please use me for my soul is grand
And I'm excellent in bed
Let's forget about tomorrow and the price upon my head
Let's forget
And let us dance
All stiff and athletic
Over us the moon surrounded with stars
The consequent ascetics
Stand out so young, so fresh and modern
Next to the fading glory of all things living
Things in the world
You divide them in three
It's the light
It's the dark
It's what comes in between
My love I'm afraid we belong to the latter
Destined to dwell in the midst of all matter
Days are like islands
And nights are like oceans
Fortune and fame come and go with the tide
As there's virtue and vice
And love and denial and regret
And here we dance
All stiff and athletic
Over us the moon surrounded with stars
The consequent ascetics
Stand out so young, so fresh and modern
Next to the fading glory of all things living
The lyrics to Frida Hyvönen's song "Sic Transit Gloria" speak to the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, and the inevitability of aging and mortality. The singer acknowledges her own age and wisdom, but also recognizes that her time in the spotlight is coming to an end. She suggests that she could easily overpower the younger people around her with her experience and knowledge, but instead chooses to hold back and not take up too much space. The singer also acknowledges her own sexuality, suggesting that she is still desirable and "excellent in bed" despite her age.
The song then shifts to a call to live in the moment and forget about the future. The singer encourages the listener to dance and enjoy the present moment, even as they are surrounded by reminders of mortality and the passing of time. The moon and stars, usually symbols of eternity and timelessness, become a reminder of the transience of all things. The singer divides the world into three categories: light, dark, and the space in between. She suggests that she and the listener belong to that space in between, where things are more complex and nuanced. Finally, the song ends with a meditation on the passage of time and the recurring cycles of fortune and fate.
Overall, "Sic Transit Gloria" is a melancholy song about aging, mortality, and the importance of living in the moment. The singer acknowledges her own aging body and declining power, but also celebrates her own life experience and wisdom. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, with vivid imagery and a haunting melody.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm older than the moon
I have lived a long and wise life.
And twice as wise
I have gained a lot of knowledge over the years.
But I keep myself together
Despite my age and experience, I remain composed.
As I make way through this crowd
While navigating through this group of people.
For if I would breathe out
If I were to exhale.
I would sweep everyone of there high, high heels
I would cause a commotion and create chaos.
Now wont you please use me for my soul is grand
I am offering myself for your use because I have a great soul.
My brain's partly ?
My mind is not completely clear or stable.
And I'm excellent in bed
I am sexually skilled and experienced.
Let's forget about tomorrow and the price upon my head
Let's not worry about the future consequences of our actions.
Let's forget
Let's focus on the present moment and not dwell on anything else.
And let us dance
Let's enjoy the moment and dance.
All stiff and athletic
Dance with rigid movements and great physical skill.
Over us the moon surrounded with stars
We are dancing under a beautiful night sky.
The consequent ascetics
The people who follow a strict and disciplined way of life.
Stand out so young, so fresh and modern
They appear to be youthful, current and new in comparison.
Next to the fading glory of all things living
Compared to everything else that is ultimately mortal and will lose its beauty and greatness over time.
Things in the world
The aspects of the world around us.
You divide them in three
You can categorize them into three groups.
It's the light
The positive things in the world.
It's the dark
The negative things in the world.
It's what comes in between
The gray area or neutral things in the world.
My love I'm afraid we belong to the latter
I am afraid that we belong to the neutral or gray area.
Destined to dwell in the midst of all matter
We are meant to live in the midst of everything, both positive and negative.
Days are like islands
Each day is like a separate, distinct entity.
And nights are like oceans
The nights are expansive and vast, like the ocean.
Fortune and fame come and go with the tide
Luck and popularity can change quickly and are as unpredictable as the ocean tide.
As there's virtue and vice
There are both good and bad qualities in people and things.
And love and denial and regret
Among these qualities are love, denial, and regret.
Contributed by Stella I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.