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This hits SO much harder when you know the story of the Swedish settlers, their struggles and life, and the point in that life where she sings this song.

Some background. This is from a musical by Benny and Björn from Abba, adapted from a beloved Swedish novel about the hardships of a Swedish family who come to the US in the 19th century. Helen, the singer is a very renowned singer in Sweden since she was a teen, and has emerged as one of Benny and Björn's favorite interpreters of their music.

@ulvsbane

2 жыл бұрын

And Björn and Benny were in the audience and can be seen at about 1.40.

@aaarrghdude

2 жыл бұрын

Also this story may be familiar since it was also an award-winning film in the 1970s, THE EMIGRANTS with Liv Ullman and Max von Sydow.

@BerishStarr

2 жыл бұрын

@@aaarrghdude Also, a new production of The Emigrants was released 2021. Same story, new actors.

@VoxTone2009

10 ай бұрын

@@aaarrghdude All of this and the movie is based on Vilhelm Moberg books.

Helen Sjöholm has done another beautiful song, Gabriella's sång. It's absolutely beautiful stunning

@ann-louiselarsson9725

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I love that song too!

@scubagiga

2 жыл бұрын

YES! You shuld totally check it out. That song Aldo had such a strong message! Love it! Link here: youtube.be/MVyOPU8klMY FYI, the Woman Helene is portraying is being violently abused by her husband.

@herrbonk3635

2 жыл бұрын

She has done thousands of songs...

@hannahthufvesson

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, it's one of the best, perhaps The Best!

@miamildh4521

Жыл бұрын

We hade Gabriella's sång this year on my moms funeral and it was so like mom what ther singing about ♥️🙏😭

Her voice is simply magical. She puts so much emotion into each performance, and songs like this one and “Gabriella’s sång” are some of the best examples of her talent.

@herrbonk3635

2 жыл бұрын

I can appreciate both Sjöholm and Björn&Benny, but to me, this is one of "abba's" most annoying songs.

I saw Helena sing it live when I saw Kristina från Duvemåla. As an atheist I still cry a tear every time I hear this. I can understand her frustration after a life with so much pain and suffering her faith has carried her through it, so her doubt is understandably terrifying and Helen captures that so well and so beautifully. My favourite musical experience was seeing Les Mis' in London shortly after it opened, but seeing Kristina is a close second.

@joacimkandersson1670

Жыл бұрын

I am so envious. The sadness of being one generation too young and never get to experience this live

@jonasfermefors

Жыл бұрын

@@joacimkandersson1670 I am sure they will put it on again in the near future. I saw Chess in London with the original cast and that was actually better in a reworked version I saw years later at Cirkus in Stockholm. It's fun seeing the original, but later versions can be very good.

@ohrusty

Жыл бұрын

I am jealous as well, I was a decade too late/young to be able to see this. As an atheist myself, too, I really understand how you tear up. I do it every time I decide to listen/look at her performances. You kind of have to be mentally ready.

@Mintylight

Жыл бұрын

I am also an atheist, but this resonates with me with my parents. Why weren't you there for me growing up? I'd thought you'd help me but you just put me down. And it makes me cry every time.

this has always been my favorit song. Helen is one of a kind. NO ONE can make this song sound any better.

Björn Ulvaeus, who wrote the lyrics, is an atheist. Incredible how he could write such powerful lyrics. Combined with Helens wonderful voice it gives me goosebumps

@stessemand

6 ай бұрын

Not to dismiss his IIIINcredible lyrics, but write what you know and this song is as much about not belonging, or even finding purpose.. however he found it, this is one of my favourite lyrics of all time.. it's sooo accurate!

@rudiknol3912

5 ай бұрын

And that is the power and love of God. Cause Bjorn may think he is an atheïst, but God is not and shows otherwise

@Lappen598

4 ай бұрын

För att han ifrågasätter allt

@mattias5157

Ай бұрын

Björn Ulvaeus doesn´t like God, but God doesn´t give a shit, he loves Björn Ulvaeus and uses him as a channel. God is a great guy and above all the greatest of humorists! / I believe / 😆

She's so brutally fucking good that "chills" doesn't really suffice to explain it. And it's 5x better if you can understand swedish.

One of the most amazing performances I have ever seen, period.

One of my favorite songs.. as a swede, i cry every time! !

Guldet blev till sand by Peter Jöback from the minnesota set is a goated banger aswell. Helens facial expressions makes this S-tier. This is one of the best songs ever written, she just keeps going into despair and the finish is so strong its unreal.

Wow, this is a very famous song and I've heard it before without paying much attention. This song performed by her is incredible.

IMO Sweden's best female singer.

@mattias5157

Ай бұрын

We also had Zarah Leander and Birgit Nilsson... And before the time of recording Christina Nilsson and Jenny Lindh, of course. But this is like the best vocal performance ever I think. Any cathegory.

This song means so much to me. My dad and I both liked this musical. When he died I really struggled. I wrote new words to part of this song as a tribute to him, but also to tell him how much he means to me and that I was heartbroken without him

One of my biggest regrets was not watching this musical live when it premiered so many years ago.. They only played it for 2 seasons I think. It was a MASSIVE success and got rave reviews. And was the start of an amazing career for Helen Sjöholm.

Both Helen Sjöholm och Peter Jöback is incredible singers. But the guys behind the music, they are legends, Björn och Benny from ABBA😉

I’ll remember this as the time you opened the gates to Swedish music

My whole body get's tense listening and watching her sing, yes it is passionate for sure!❤

She is amazing🥰🎶🥰🎶! Proud to be Swedish🇸🇪, love Helen Sjöholm’s voice. And I love your reactions and worlds, agree with you.🙏🏼😊

One woman's anger and despair conjuring a higher power into being. Heh, I'm a non-believer and _I_ feel that she deserves the aid and comfort of the divine.

Another, less known, song from that musical is "Hemma" (Home), also by Helen Sjölholm. In it she sings of the realization that she will never see her homeland again. It's quite the tearjerker as well. Less despair, and more longing, still very sad, and hauntingly beautiful.

@ronjacato9309

2 жыл бұрын

I can't listen to it without feeling the pain 😢

@attesmatte

2 жыл бұрын

@@ronjacato9309 Same... I physically hurts, imagining having to leave my home land forever. 😭

@ronjacato9309

2 жыл бұрын

@@attesmatte in the book where they leave sweden you get to hear a lot of Kristinas inner monologues. It struck a cord with me when she realized she would never meet her parents again and took a mental snapshot of them when they waved goodbye. Shortly after I read the books I heard this song - just heartbreaking when she sings about her parents.

@attesmatte

2 жыл бұрын

@@ronjacato9309 Yeah, I cried my eyes out! 😭😭

I loved this reaction. Really respectful and you could see how her song and message got to you. Thank you for that! Amazing to watch!

Thank you! I have met Helen Sjoholm and also ALL ABBA members, this song just suns it all up (for me). THANK YOU!

This song is from the same musical as "Guldet blev till sand" that you reacted to with Peter Jöback (but this perfomance is not from the musical itself)

Absolutely WONDERFUL AND AWESOME! What a strength!

Hi from sweden, she’s a great singer. So powerful voice and powerful song. Makes me so emotional everytime I hear it 💗

Makes me cry every time. So much despair

What a Gorgeous Voice 😍❤️ Yes, it does remind me of I dreamed a dream as well.

Of all songs about God, religion and belief this is one of of the strongest and moust beautiful. Hands down.

Kristina från Duvemåla is a masterpiece!

Yes Paul! Helen is fantastic love her acting in this chills every time !

This is Kristina, main character in the musical Kristina from Duvemåla. She didn’t want to leave her home for the land over the seas ( USA ) but eventually ( poor crops, a child who died after secretly overeating porridge and lots of other misfortunes). The musical is based on the books Utvandrarna (the Emigrants) Invandrarna (the Immigrants) Nybyggarna ( the Settlers) and Sista brevet till Sverige (the Last Letter to Sweden) by Vilhelm Moberg. They are telling a part of our history when about a fifth left Sweden for a better life in America as it was called around 1860-1910 when the poor crops wasted the life of so many.

@carinaejag

2 жыл бұрын

She over ate oat flour that swelled in her stomach and killed her, not porridge. In porridge the oat has already swollen . The danger is to eat the flour.

@attesmatte

2 жыл бұрын

@@carinaejag She ate rice porridge that was hidden, left to swell.

I love this song so much! It’s heartbreakingly beautiful.

I have listened to this song soooo many times and i love it but watching this video and Helens powerful facial expressions while she sings it gives me constant chills through the whole song EVERY SINGLE TIME! also..check the face of the lady behind her on the right, she's really feeling it 😁

LOVE this Song, the musical Kristina and "of course" Helen...!!

Helen made this so much more than anyone else ever could, if you ask me. 🙏 She ways my biggest inspiration as a young girl.

Helen is INCREDIBLE!

The camera zooming in on 2 men was on Björn and Benny from the famous group ABBA that wrote this musical.

Hi! Some background info: this is from a musical made by ABBA Björn and Benny - Helen plays a woman who immigrated from Sweden to America during 1900th century. In the musical she looses her child cus the child eats something poisonous. She gets an existential crises, can god exist if he took her child? The song is a masterpiece and Helen is truly amazing!

When i was 13 i was in an school internship during the summer in the Theatre in Malmö that played this. I saw the rehersals with Helen and Peter Jöback as the only person in the audience, front row, every day for a weak, then went at lunch with the cast. It was amazing :)

Check out this song with Helen in english together with the Swedish Radio Orchestra. She is even more intense in that performance. You saw Bjorn and Benny in the audience in the beginning, from ABBA. They wrote the musical "Kristina from Duvemala". Many beautiful songs there...

Thank you for reacting some swedish artists Many of them are so good ❤️🙏❤️Nice

My favourite song! Awesome! Best regards, Lena

We love Helen Sjöholm here in Sweden🇸🇪. She is absolutely amazing, a voice like an angel.🫶🏼🪽 This as you know by now is from a big show, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulveus from Swedish “ABBA”, doing. They were the head behind “Chess♟️” too. Thanks for your reacting. Hugs From 🇸🇪🫶🏼

🙏Thank you for listening/reading the lyrics🙏 ❤

Almost only swedes in the commentary of this video. That's kind of sad. I hope people from other countries discover this video as well!

I still remember the feeling when I saw this musical, I guess it is around 25 years ago. This song and Peters Jöbacks song " Guldet blev till sand" was the best. I went to se it once more. The only thing it destroyed every musical for me after that, because I will never experience that feeling again. I still remember walking home grom it and I was in heaven.

Just found your channel, love it.

1:24. That's Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson from ABBA. They have composed this song.

Koppången is one great sång performed by Helen Sjöholm! 🤙

She is lovely! And she is married to my fathers fathers, sisters, husbands, brothers son 😂 It is a standing joke in my family 😂

Best performance ever!

Gives me chills everytime i hear this song even if i am a non-believer and i usually dont like songs about the christian mythology. But this song is great, so powerful and beautiful.

Now you've listened to this song, you also need to listen to "Ljusa kvällar om våren" and "Gabriellas sång", sung by Helen Sjöholm 👍🏻

this song is from Kristina lost her child, comming to a new country (Minnesota, USA) Dont understand the language and realy dont wanna learn cause she dident wanna move from the beginning. I dont know if you can get the books but the writer was Villhelm Moberg.

I liked this before even starting the video. Let's go!

Epic performance

At 04:00 it should translate to "Who would then take care of me?" (Vem tog hand om mig sen?)

If you want to hear a new version of this song. Listen to ”Newkid - du måste finnas”, there is a video on youtube when he sings the song directly to Helen.

Also check out the first musical from Björn & Benny (Chess). I recommend "Inte jag" (Someone else's story), with Helen Sjöholm. Magnificent!

I am so happy you felt her conflicted pain

oj oj oj as we say in Sweden. So good!

It is based on Villhelm Moberg's books Utvandrarna,Invandrarna and Sista brevet hem till Sverige .It is books that truly is in the Swedish soul.It was a third of Swedes who emigrated to USA from 1850-1900

Wowww,.Best.

This song is from a Swedish musical called Kristina from Duvemåla. Duvemåla is a city in Sweden. The musical is about a couple named Karl Oskar and Kristina who emigrate to America. Helen Sjöholm plays Kristina in this musical

Well... she didn't even think she had a singing career before she met Björn & Benny, but...

Wales Present. So glad to see someone react to Helen Sjöholm. The hole musical is quite an experience and yes it makes grown men cry. Especially with a little info on what is being sung. "Hemma"(home) is another great song.

abba benny and björn 1:22 !

This is world class

Björn and Benny from ABBA wrote this. You MUST listen to Gabriellas song with Helen Sjöholm. Its amazing.

I always get tears in my eyes hearing this song! In the musical She has just been told she will not survive having more children and she also lost a child! So in this song She has serious doubts if there is a God!

1/3 of the entire Swedish population emigrated to the US during the 19th century. Every Swede today has ancestors who went in search of gold and fruitful soil. Many never made it. This song is about fictional Kristina who's prayers hasn't been heard or granted and the thought of God not answering her prayers even tho she lives her life devoted to him makes her questioning her faith, to the extend that she doubt if he exist or not. I think Helena did a outstanding job with both her tone and facial expressions to portray a women in despair. And she sings like a goddess. Best female voice in a musical in my book.

One of my greatest regrets is not going to see this musical, it will never be the same with another cast… of it’s ever performed again. Like seeing Chess without Tommy Körberg, another swedish singer you should react to!

@dlind1985

2 жыл бұрын

How true! He's an absolutely gorgeous singer! And he's autodidact too... (Tommy is cousin with my mother and *no,* I'm not biased)

@portiaj4374

2 жыл бұрын

Me too!

This is written by Björn and Benny from ABBA. Susan Boyle has done a version in English (the lyrics Susan wrote herself) It's from a musical written in the 80s, "Kristina from Duvemåla" about Swedish immigrants in US. Susan Boyle often sing songs written by Björn and Benny. She did a duett with Elaine Paige that was from "Chess", another of Björn and Benny's musicals.

@jonasgeorgsson

2 жыл бұрын

Chess is written in the 80s, Kristina is written in the 90s.

Helen sjöholm är Anastasia i disney 😍

Wow she is good

Björn and Benny from ABBA in the begining

This song is her plea to GOD to keep her as she falls down

You know if you just read the lyrics, I'd think the writer was in an abusive relationship and needed therapy. 😅 I'm obviously amazed by her singing and proud as 🇸🇪. It makes me tear up everytime. It's just a thought that hit me as I've never watched it with lyrics before and acctully read it.

This is a horribly beautiful song. Together with Gabriellas sång. She is amazing. The movie is good too.

Hi,I'm a Swede and i have to say she is killing it on this one. She also make it in English but this one is better if you can bare with the language. She is a great singer but her songs normaly dont apeal to me but this is to good to resist.

It is You have to be there!!!

Les Mis, "On my own" have the same kind of emotions.

@camillanilsson853

2 жыл бұрын

They both make me cry and forget to breath...

take the song "Hemma" from the same concert...

Have you ever heard absolut Tommy Körberg?

Thats a strong reaction, glad that you enjoy Helena. I recomend ”Anthem” from the musical chess also written by Björn/Benny from ABBA. The Singer Tommy is as good as Helena 😊 m.kzread.info/dash/bejne/hGuFrMdqn9vWoNY.html

You should also react to Tommy Körberg

React to Gabriellas song!! By the same singer

Wait till you hear her sing "I Gott Bevar".

How did u even find this song to react to in the first place? :D

@TeacherPaulReacts

2 жыл бұрын

It was a request from a member of my KZread community 😊

Tommy Körberg is another amazing Swedish singer, my favorite song with him is Anthem: kzread.info/dash/bejne/douAzqRtYarSprg.html

@magdalenahermansson5775

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, that one is amazing 😃

Random video on my youtube home all made me cry. Thanks, you bastard :) ;/

Does it even get better? Or rather is it possible to be better then this song and Helen Sjöholm :)?

Fantastisk sång men inget slår Gabriellas sång i originalutförande

Didn’t you react to this like 10 months ago?

@rickardelimaa

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it's a reupload.

@TeacherPaulReacts

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, but it was part of a 1 hour live stream, so many people couldn't find it. Now, I separated it into a single video

Hi I just found you and love these types of videos! 😍 I myself am from Sweden and would like to recommend you listening to an other powerful and strong performer (group) called Sabaton. I recommend you listening to the song “en livstid i krig” in swedish. Sabaton is a group that base all or most of their songs on historical events and war around Europe 🤗 I think you can find this song with lyrics or in English as well

Reaction recommendation: Go Royal - Swedish Fika kzread.info/dash/bejne/oYZ9x9utdbutmLQ.html It's a Swedish song, but in English with some Swedish words in it. The song has got over 7 million views on KZread in it's original video (above). It's a light and funny song, with a fun melody. Very catchy, it makes you happy and frankly, you just wanna go and grab a Swedish fika. ;)

Now do Kåta Maja ;)

Atheists be like _"yo its not that bad"_