Singing is part of life

My way

I have been singing since I was a child. I started to take singing lessons when I was 10 and joined choirs and performance groups. When I was 12 years old my sister suggested we should start a choir together. Of course, why not? It was a summer choir where everyone was welcome. Children and adults. We taught everything by ear and held the rehearsals in the local church on Blidö, an island in the Baltic sea.

I often think of that moment. It was so obvious that I, a 12 year old girl, could share songs and lead other people in singing. I did not question it, I just did it, together with my sister and brother -and our parents also joined the choir. It just felt natural to me and I loved it. As a grown up I don't find that approach as easy as the 12 year old girl but she is my role model and I am working on it. If we reclaim the childs light hearted approach, I think we could come so much further and at the same time appreciate all the wisdom we gather through life.

I grew up in the countryside in Jämtland, in the middle of Sweden. There were a lot of things we didn't have there and it was hours away from the pulse of a city. But somehow I grew a strong belief that everything was possible. Just do it! It doesn't happen somewhere else, it happens where you are if you make it happen! Do you want to play theatre? Start a theatre group. Do you want to sing? Gather some people and sing! do you want to write a book? Write it! If your friend lives 10 km away and you want to see her, walk there. Is there someone famous you would like to meet, call them and invite them to your library for a talk. Why not?

That strong feeling makes me believe in the countryside as a way of creative life. Here I can build a centre of culture and invite people from the whole world. Why not?

Of course there are challenges. A LOT of challenges, but there are challenges everywhere, just different kinds of challenges.

I believe that things are possible but also I am human, that means – I am afraid and brave, inspired and tired, happy and sad... We all have our strengths to offer to the world and the greatest gift you can give to yourself and the world is to seek and find what your strengths are. It does not serve anyone to be someone else and it is a big loss for everyone if your true self never comes through.

I have often felt that I am not good enough, I compare my self to others, “I am an imposter, what gives me the right to teach or lead other people? Why should I have the right to say things if I don't know everything. There are a lot of things that I don't know and maybe someone else could do this much better than me” The last years I have come to a conclusion, I have the right to be here and I can give something no one else can, I can offer myself and my strengths. I deeply believe that everyone is a creative being and everyone can sing, but you have to practise. You have to find it in you and I would love to help you on that journey. I love to be serious, precise and playful in the same time. I have big ambitions and visions with everything I do and I think the greatest ambition is to try to really see people. To be authentic and genuine in your work and life. To be true and warm to yourself and others.

“Kajsa is a Natural Voice practitioner and in her work she strive to bring back the song to people’s everyday lives ”

“FIND THINGS YOU DID NOT DARE TO BELIVE YOU HAD IN YOU”

— Kajsa Norrby-

One of my favourite things is to create a space for people to grow in. A space to be seen in. A space where you can discover and see new things in yourself and others. A space where you are welcome and where you belong whoever you are. We all have things to learn and we can all learn from each other. In my work I like to create a non competitive and non judgmental environment. I will not tell you what is right and wrong or how to succeed or what is good or bad, beautiful or ugly. I will not give you critique. That is not my strengths. My strength is to invite you to experiment, discover, feel and think. To use your voice and grow. I offer this through creating clear boundaries and structures around our work. Through leading with warm respect, integrity, curiosity and love. I have a lot of exercises, songs, skills and experiences. I want to share all my knowledge with you and love to learn more through out meeting.

I have studied a lot in my life. After three years of studying world music in high school I educated myself for around 8 years in music, singing, opera, physical theatre, journalism, creative writing, arabic, improvisation, storytelling, leadership and teacher training and education. At the same time, I started my own business as a freelance singer in 2011 alongside working as a social worker with people with special needs at weekends and during summers.

Many times I have looked at my own way through life as straggly - “What am I doing, am I not able to stick to one thing? Will I ever become something?” At the same time as I was studying and working I was also traveling. I worked as a farmhand in Wales, married a Syrian guy and went to Syria. We got divorced after eight years of quite a destructive relationship. But the road I chose was not straggly, I think it's just life. It goes up and down, both in the inner and outer world. I can see that all parts of it make me who I am today and I feel quite well educated in being me. I have a lot of knowledge.

I am both an artist and a educator. Before I started the culture centre, I worked mainly as a freelance singer and performer. Since 2016 I haven't had time for artistry. Most of my time now goes to admin and education work as a leader and artist director - but I have realised that my favourite stage is to stand together with others, make music and be creative. That's pure magic. Often during my workshops I improvise on top of the singers which is often a very powerful moment. I feel that the strongest way to connect as an artist is to have an active audience. An audience that is part of the creation through singing, because then they are present and open in a different way and completely magic things happen. I call it song healing.

My dream was always to build a self sufficient home and a creative platform for culture and education with song and world music in focus. So here I am at a farm from 1868 together with my husband Emil, a cat, some chickens, bees and a big vegetable garden, offering a wide range of cultural exploration, education and entertainment.