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

Liliana
Sissel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Knut Koppang)

Liliana is one of the 20,000 Nicaraguan refugees in Honduras. This song is dedicated to her and to all those like her among all the world's refugees.
Sissel

Dagen har våknet for deg Liliana
Langt fra Managua
Langt fra ditt hjem

Jorden den dyrket du
Landet elsket du
Du skal elske igjen

Lyset har våknet for deg Liliana
Mørket har rømt
Og et håp har slått rot
Ordet var fanget
Men du vil hjem igjen
Så når dagen blir lang
Syng Liliana din sang

Stormen har stilnet og bombingen stanset
Men lengselen jager de rotløse barn
Langt fra familien sin
Søsken står kinn mot kinn
Når hat kommer frem
Ønsker Liliana seg hjem

Strekk deg mot himmel blå
Ønsk deg og du vil få
Naken fot på en endel?s sti
Liliana går fri

Dagen har våknet for deg Liliana
Langt fra Managua
Langt fra ditt hjem
Jorden den dyrket du
Landet elsket du
Du skal elske igjen

Drøm Liliana deg hjem
Drøm Liliana deg hjem

Overall Meaning

The song Liliana by Sissel is a beautiful tribute to not only one woman, but to all refugees around the world who are forced to leave their homes and loved ones behind. The opening verse speaks directly to Liliana, who is far away from her home in Managua, Nicaragua, and has found refuge in Honduras. The singer acknowledges Liliana's love for her home and the land she cherished, promising her that she will love again.

The second verse talks about a new day for Liliana, with the light waking her up and the darkness retreating. The hope has taken root in her heart that one day, she will return home. The word may have been captured, referring to possible censorship, but Liliana still wants to go home and sing her song when she sees the day turning long.

The third verse speaks to the trauma experienced by many refugees, including Liliana. The storm has calmed down, and bombings have stopped, but their longing for their families and homes persists. There is the tension between siblings as hatred arises, but Liliana always desires to go back to her home.

Overall, the song speaks to the universal experience of refugees forced to leave their homes and start anew. The message of the song is one of hope and perseverance, emphasizing the strength of the human spirit to overcome adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Dagen har våknet for deg Liliana
A new day has started for Liliana, away from her home in Managua and in Honduras as a refugee.

Langt fra Managua
Liliana is far away from her hometown of Managua.

Langt fra ditt hjem
Liliana is far away from her actual home.

Jorden den dyrket du
Liliana loved the land and cultivated the earth.

Landet elsket du
The country was dear to Liliana's heart.

Du skal elske igjen
She will love again when she returns home.

Lyset har våknet for deg Liliana
Light has dawned for Liliana as hope takes hold and darkness disappears.

Mørket har rømt
Darkness has fled.

Og et håp har slått rot
A ray of hope has taken root.

Ordet var fanget
Her voice was once silenced.

Men du vil hjem igjen
Liliana dreams of one day returning home.