”My kind of Christmas includes Let it Snow as much as Silent Night”, says Marianne who is out early this year with her Christmas record.

”I wanted to release the kind of Christmas record that I've looked for myself”, says Marianne Antonsen. ”Christmas has of course its natural religious dimension, but is also shopping centres, school plays, parties and gifts. ”Soulful Christmas Songs” reflects Christmas the way the majority of people experience it nowadays; a mixture of the religious and the material. Rather than having to choose one or the other, why not make room for both!”

Personal

When Marianne performs her eight Christmas concerts in her home town of Fredrikstad, it is her family that does all the rigging in the local old school hall. Daddy Antonsen sets up the stage whilst Marianne herself is up there under the ceiling, rigging lights. "These concerts are an  important part of my Christmas preparations", says Marianne.

In many ways, this recording has been a personal Christmas preparation process too. Made together with good friends and colleagues, Marianne’s husband and partner through many years, Tor Inge Rishaug, is producer.

”For this record, it was unthinkable to choose another producer. After so many live Christmas performances in the Antonsen home, Tor Inge is the one knows exactly what sound we're looking for!

As he title indicates, soul permeates and binds this whole recording together. The wide repertoir of songs are performed in a natural blend of English, Norwegian and Swedish.

New version of old Christmas hit

On one of the tracks, Marianne is joined by Danish singer Paul Krebs, and we can promise you this much: You have never before heard a more persistent version of "White Christmas"! Well suited to calm down body and soul. Our hottest tip: Antonsen/Krebs’ version of ”White Christmas” could squeeze out Bing Crosby on your CD-player this Christmas!

Marianne Antonsen hopes this record will fill a gap in the swarm of other Christmas recordings. "Soulful Chrismas Songs" gives us Christmas the way it really is for many of us: multi-faceted and personal.

Track list:

1. Please Come Home for Christmas                                               2:50

2. Silent night                                                                                     6:58

3. X-mas in Texas                                                                              4:12

4. Let it snow                                                                                     2:30

5. The Christmas song                                                                     4:33

6. O, helga natt                                                                                 4:26

7. Merry Christmas baby                                                                  2:57

8. White Christmas (duet with Poul Krebs)                                    5:44

9. Mary's Boychild                                                                            4:52

10. I'll be home for Christmas                                                          3:37

11. Grown up Christmas list                                                             4:15

12. Deilig er jorden                                                                           3:26

13. Go tell it on the mountain (featuring Bjelleklang)                    3:00