JOSEFINE CRONHOLM Singer, Composer, Improvisor
Growing up on the countryside, in the southern part of Sweden, with the nature close and as an audience, she knew in a very early age that she wanted to express herself through singing and dancing, so by the age of 16 she moved to the city and started highscool where she studied theater, music and dance. Here she experienced diversity, people to identify with and not least; the magic of the stage. Anything here could happen and that was the starting point of finding a room where the reflections on emotions and life is expressed through musical landscapes, improvisation, rhythm, lyrics and comunication.
In her childhood home there were lots of music played. Both Jazz and swedish folklore as well as classical music and with that background she has a strong foundation in both composed and improvised music.
1995 she moved to Copenhagen and during her time at The Rythmic Music Conservatory she started to work with the British piano player Django Bates and recorded the acclaimed album "Quiet Nights" (Screwgun 1998).
At the same period she founded her group IBIS and recorded her debute album "Wild Garden" in 2001 (Stunt Records) and "Hotel Paradise" in 2003, which was made in connection with the prestigious prize Swedish Jazz Artist of the year, awarded in Sweden by Swedish national concerts and the record company Caprice.
Her third soloalbum "Songs of the Falling Feather" was released in 2010. In this production Josefine worked with the magnificent musician Henrik Lindstrand who also worked as a co producer on the album and was produced with a strong focus on the mood of the songs and orchestrated with the content of each song in mind.
ACT Music released this critically acclaimed record. She received The Danish Art Council Award for the album due to it extraordinary artistic qualities.
In 2013 a new Trio ARC is made with Paolo Russo and Thommy Andersson and the album is called "Archipelago". (Gateway music)
2018 - her 4th soloalbum "EMBER" is released. (Stunt Records) The album received very good rewiews and was nominated for a jazz grammy at Danish Music Awards for "this year´s best vocal album".
She begins to work with the Danish drummer Marilyn Mazur in 2001, first as a member of the group Percussion Paradise and later in the trio Mazur/Cronholm/Jonsson, and in the quartet Celestial Circle with John Taylor and Anders Jormin. (ECM Records) She is also a member in Mazur´s eleven women orchestra "SHAMANIA" (Esteam music)
2020 - a new collaboration has been launched NEAR THE POND with Kirk Knuffke, cornet & vocal (US) & Thommy Andersson, bass (DK/SE)
The album NEAR THE POND is released at Stunt Records 2021.
2023 - The album MILTON PÅ SVENSKA is released (Stunt records) A collaboration with the danish pianoplayer Steen Rasmussen. On this album the music by the brazillian singer and composer Milton Nascimento is interpreted and the lyrics are translated to swedish by Josefine.
Josefine Cronholm is an internationally touring musician who travells wherever an exiting musical and human moment and collaboration appears.
Beside her own work you can hear her with artists like;
Marilyn Mazur, Kirk Knuffke, Thommy Anderssson, Makiko Hirabayashi, Anders Jormin, Richard Galliano, Lelo Nika, New Jungle Orchestra, Steen Rasmussen, Ida Bach Jensen, Frans Bak, Jacob Fisher and many others.
Josefines voice has also been used for filmmusic such as; Mirror Mask, Forbrydelsen, Springet, Aben Oswald.
Josefine Cronholm was born in the south of Sweden in 1971.
Since 1995 she is based in Copenhagen where she lives with her family.