Sissel Kyrkjebø (born June 24, 1969 in Bergen, Norway), also known as just … Read Full Bio ↴Sissel Kyrkjebø (born June 24, 1969 in Bergen, Norway), also known as just Sissel, is a Norwegian singer. She is best known for singing the Olympic Hymn (Hymne Olympique) at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, for duets with Plácido Domingo, Warren G and The Chieftains, and for participation on the Titanic film soundtrack.

Also she performed during the intermission of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986 in Bergen, opening act of the winter Olympic games in 1994 at Lillehammer, voice to the Norwegian, Swedish and Danish version of “the little mermaid, Sung on the Titanic album (‘My heart will go on’ was originally written to her), Royal Variety show in London 1995, Preformed at annual Christmas concert in Vienna, 2000 Nobel peace price concert with Josh Groban singing “the prayer”, toured with The Lord of the Rings Symphony Tour in 2004 and her latest achievement is a number one on the Billboard classical charts with the christmas album “Spirit of the Season - with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir featuring Sissel”

Sissel's musical style runs the gamut from pop recordings and folk songs to classical vocals. Her work on the soundtrack to Titanic has led to comparisons with Irish singer Enya.

Sissel's combined solo record sales (not including soundtracks and other albums to which she contributed) amount to over 9 million albums sold, most of them in Norway -- a country with only 4.5 million people.

She’s released over 14 studio albums, her Christmas album from 1986 is the best selling album in Norway ever with almost one mill copies sold! She’s featured on several soundtracks and sold well over nine million albums world wide and her popularity continues to grow!

She truly is a northern star!

Here are the lyrics to her song "Ready to go home":

On this street below these walls
Where I used to walk now I can barely crawl
All this darkness rise and tall
Lord shine a light for me I’m ready to be caught

I’m ready to go home
I’m ready to receive forgiveness for my sins
I’m ready to begin

Take this river to the sea
Where the delta flows
The tide is washing over me
Guide this soul to heavens door
Show me where tomorrow lays
I’m waiting to be born

I’m ready to lay down
I’m ready now to sleep a promise I must keep
I’m ready to go home

So time I’ll lay down with these memories
Breathe the shallow deep inside of me
If time has run its course with me

I’m ready to go home
I’m ready to receive forgiveness for my sins
I’m ready to begin

When the evening shadows fall
When the time has come
I let defences fall
To surrenders to survive
I will give up everything to those I leave behind

I’m ready to go home
I’m ready to receive forgiveness for my sins
I’m ready to begin
I’m ready to lay down
I’m ready now to sleep a promise I must keep
I’m ready to go home, again

Going home again

Gi Meg Ikke Din Styrke
Sissel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Bjørn Eidsvåg)

Gi meg ikke ikke din styrke
Men vær sterk
Så jeg kan finne min
Gi meg ikke din visdom
Men fortell hvor den har kilden sin
Gi meg ikke ditt liv

Men lev
Så jeg kan leve mitt
Gi meg ikke din kjærlighet
Men elsk mitt hjerte fritt

Gi meg ikke din glede
Men vær glad
Så jeg kan finne min
Ta gjerne fra meg din smerte
Men gj?r den ikke helt til din

Gi meg ikke ditt liv
Men lev
Så jeg kan leve mitt
Gi meg ikke din styrke

Men vær sterk
Så jeg kan finne min

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sissel's song Gi Meg Ikke Din Styrke (Don't Give Me Your Strength) by Bjørn Eidsvåg are both reflective and contemplative in nature. The verses discuss a desire for personal growth and independence, while remaining connected to other people. The opening lines, "Gi meg ikke din styrke, men vær sterk, så jeg kan finne min" translate to "Don't give me your strength, but be strong so I can find my own." This line bespeaks a desire for independence and self-determination, without severing connections to the support and guidance of others.

The song continues to reflect on ideas of personal identity and autonomy, including a call to "lev" or "live," with the hope of inspiring others to do the same. Overall, the song is a moving exploration of what it means to be an individual while also being part of a larger community.

Line by Line Meaning

Gi meg ikke ikke din styrke
Don't give me your strength, but be strong so I can find my own

Men vær sterk
But be strong

Så jeg kan finne min
So I can find my own

Gi meg ikke din visdom
Don't give me your wisdom

Men fortell hvor den har kilden sin
But tell me where it comes from

Gi meg ikke ditt liv
Don't give me your life

Men lev
But live

Så jeg kan leve mitt
So I can live mine

Gi meg ikke din kjærlighet
Don't give me your love

Men elsk mitt hjerte fritt
But love my heart freely

Gi meg ikke din glede
Don't give me your joy