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SAVE BATHSEBA!

To all of us who love music and need it to enrich our imaginations and our lives …

My beloved Opera “Bathseba” which is to be performed in May at the Royal Opera in Stockholm is in danger of being canceled. Not only that but the Opera is in danger of going bankrupt. The Opera and its artists are in crisis and we need your help!

What can you do? Get talking. Here, at the opera, at home, everywhere!
I have made a Facebook Group where you can talk as well. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=272374732338&ref=search&sid=796715494.1623125584..1

I know how much we are all amazed and moved by opera. You have shown me so much love as I’ve debuted at the Royal Opera and helped my star rise as an Operatic Pop performer. And of course we all know the stunning talents of Malena Ernman, a world class opera singer who won Melodifestivalen this past year. And what about the Three Tenors, Maria Callas, Andrea Bocelli, and yes Il Divo? I know you all love opera!!

Hillevi Martinpelto as Sven-David Sandström's "Bathseba"

I also know that you love new music! Batseba is newly written by the brilliant Sven-David Sandström and every listener can feel the power of its beauty, whether they are new to opera or a well-seasoned opera nut. It was full every night of its first run of performances last year and I’m sure it will be again .. if it’s able to be performed!

So please, let the opera know that you want to see Batseba and even more importantly that you support them in their time of crisis. And let all of Sweden know that you love the opera by sharing this group with all your friends. And for those of you in the States, you’ve heard that some opera houses have had to close this year. So let everyone know how much you love opera by sharing this group with them. It is a beacon for arts, culture, and the power of human imagination.

Let’s get talking!!!

reception@operan.se
Kungliga Operan AB, Box 16094
S-103 22 Stockholm, Sweden
+46(0)8 791 4300

Hello brethren,

When I think about the word “ecological” it makes a lot of sense to me: what is logical for ecology.

But now we are going to have to go beyond logic, because it is not being exercised at a time of crisis. Nature is God, and so we need to go on a crusade to get the information we need to take action to make the change necessary for our survival as a special .. preserve and honor the nature that gives us life.

I just watched the documentary “The Cove” about the dolphin trade in Japan. Japan has one of the biggest fishing industries in the world. They have been killing whales for food, but as the whales have run out they have begun the kill dolphins.

Here is why this killing is not eco-logical:

1. We all feel pain, and we know how terrible it is to feel pain. When dolphins are killed, they are stabbed without proper aim all over their body until they bleed to a level of weakness that they can be pulled onto a boat or dragged from the back of it. The dolphins also know fear, just like we do, but still they are captured and corralled into a small cove where they wait to die. How could we inflict that kind of pain on another mammal since we fully understand what kind of torture it is?

2. There are toxic levels of mercury in a dolphins body thanks to human beings dumping waste into the ocean. So we have poisoned the animals that we are about to kill. Poisoning, trapping and torturing .. what we mammals to do to our own kind. And then what do we do .. we eat the poisoned meat! Pregnant women especially who eat the meat give birth to children with deformities and the inability to use their bodies and their senses to survive. This means more pain for these children and more resources to take care of them. Weren’t we supposed to nourish ourselves on the food we eat? The toxic meat was also given away for free to school cafeterias. So first we poison the dolphin and then we poison our own children?

3. The dolphin meat is packaged as whale meat, so the customer is not being sold what they think they are buying. We all know we must eat to survive, and therefore providing other people with food is a service. But turning profit from selling food has turned it into a disservice. The fishing industry supposedly exists to provide food to people, but they are fishing themselves out of business and losing customer trust by providing poisoned, mis-marked food to their customers. Is it logical to poison and alienate the customer if the fishing company relies on the food that they provide?

Therefore .’.

It does not do any good to humans nor to dolphins to kill them for their meat. It is not logical, and it is not good for human beings, dolphins, or the environment.

So…

What can we do?

We need to get HUNGRY .. for INFORMATION!!!

I recommend two things:

1. Learn where your food comes from. Unfortunately we cannot trust the majority food manufacturers who will always put earning money for themselves ahead of the health of the customer. (And I must say, isn’t this a huge annoyance that we cannot trust the food we eat! We all need to get together and get the information we need so food manufacturers know that we are onto them and they will have to make a change.)

2. That you all see “The Cove” as a way to start your education.

http://thecovemovie.com/

Special note on the filmmakers:

One of the most amazing aspects of the movie is the danger the film crew had to face in order to make this documentary. In order to get proof, i.e. footage – the information the needed to show the world what was really happening – the filmmakers had to be incredibly crafty when laying out their plans to film, including planning late night trips to lay out specially made cameras build into rocks and sending trained divers to place underwater microphones so we could hear the dolphins frantically communicating as they waited to be killed and were killed. Meanwhile the filmmakers were harassed by the local fisherman and their cohorts and followed continually by the local police. I was moved by their bravery.

One of the filmmakers said “Either your an activist or an in-activist”.

So let’s do all we can: Get the right information and take action!

…for the sake of the beauty and sanctity of the “nature” that is our earth, and the integrity of human nature itself.

Today I got up really early (5.30 am) after thinking all night “it must be just about time to get up” and realizing I still had hours left to sleep …

That’s what can happen when you get the chance to play in front of a lot of people!

I got all dressed in my eco best and headed over to Swedish Radio in Stockholm with my boyfriend Martin and his guitar. Tobias our drummer met us there.

We were asked to do an acoustic set so we decided to do “Nothing and All” because it sounds good acoustic and because the lyrics are purely the IVA mantra … getting underneath it all to find the truth. We got to the station early which gave me a chance to warm up (no caffeine for me this morning, the voice does not like it!) and then off we went into the studio. P4 is one of the major Swedish Radio stations, the nationalized radio that reaches many, many Swedes so I was very nervous, especially about speaking Swedish. Fortunately Anna-Karin our host got me through the interview and I was off to do what I do best .. sing. I had a little shaker egg this time to play while I sang and I’ve never performed with one before, and after forgetting about it many times in rehearsal I managed to get it right today! Nothing like live adrenaline. So now I can stand, sing, and play a shaker. Not bad, I think.

You can listen to the program here http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/stockholm/program/index.asp?ProgramID=739

and listen to the album version of Nothing and All here http://www.reverbnation.com/iva

(All my clothes are ecological .. from Ekovaruhuset.se and Bazca.se)

love to you all!

IVA and host Anna-Karin Andersson from P4 Good Morning Stockholm

Tobias gets set up for P4

Martin gets sound checked for P4

IVA live on P4 Radio Stockholm (IVA, Martin Karlegård, Tobias Martinsson)

Thanks to my adventures in ecological living, I have been invited on an adventure .. to India. It seems an ecological acquaintance, one I met at the Eco Bar, a gathering arranged by the Sustainable Leadership Laboratory, is looking for an artist who can speak about “real” things to the rising generation in India. I’ve been invited to visit India in January and meet with different people, Bollywood Producers, music promoters and journalists, and ever more importantly I would like to get to know what’s on people’s minds in India and what their culture is like. I know a fair bit about their spirituality but not how much a part of life it is. And then some new songwriting will be in order.

Well my friend Emma, who I’ve convinced to go on the potential trip with me, and I decided to do some research so we went straight to the source .. Bollywood. Our first choice was “Om Shantih Om”. It was joyous, it was heavy, it was deluxe, and it was long. We learned that “Oh Fish” is how to say “Damnit” and to “Mind It” which meant check me out, I’m awesome, and to look out for all the “babes” and “dudes”. Emma and I have adopted a new language around it. The lead character was named “Om” and the other “Shanti” which I know is the sound of God and peace, and the main character was reincarnated in the middle of the movie to live out his dreams in the next life .. I can’t remember an American movie that tackled this subject like it was an everyday thing. (and who’s to say it’s not)

I’m going to have to work on my dancing a bit and learn to sing with all the wiggling they do on the notes, but I think I could pull it off.

Shahrukh Khan was incredible at going from silly and humble in his first life to cocky and rude in his second, and Deepika Padukone was the most beautiful woman in the film by a longshot .. wow she is a hot babe, dude. No fish there.

So I’m feeling adventurous about India .. why not go? I’ve always been keen on adventure.

OmShantiOm http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024943/

p.s. The mantra of the movie is if you want something with all your heart, the Universe pulls together all it’s powers to give it to you.

Am I in touch with all my heart? Are you?

Many of you have heard the music from “Ivoution”, my new album. And if you haven’t, visit http://www.ivasound.com and take a listen.

This week “Ivolution” has the honor of being the featured product on Klimatsmart.se. Klimatsmart is the best website in Sweden if you are looking for green & climate friendly products, news and
videos.  I know a lot of you like me want to know where to shop for the environment, and why, and you can read all about it on Klimatsmart.

http://www.klimatsmart.se/

tip: (Reload the page if Ivolution doesn’t come up on the first try .. Camino magazine is also featured this
week.)

Plus I had a great show last week at Alcazar in Stockholm. Check out the pictures and videos on my Facebook page : http://www.facebook.com/sireniva

Love to you and remember, this week, get out there and do what you know you need to do to live the life you love!

.’. IVA .’.

Hello brethren!

More and more people outside of Sweden have been discovering the album and have requeted to review the album. Here is the latest one from Ravenheart Music!

http://www.ravenheartmusic…com/bio.html

Thanks, Phil!!

The review doesn’t seem to realize that I wrote the music with Martin and Andreas K as well as the lyrics, but it’s cool. One reviewer thought the Sounds and Brolle Jr. had written my album. Guess this is how rumours get started.

Plus it’s just 10 days to IVA live at Alcazar! Ayda and I just played a party at Stureplan on Monday and it felt awesome to start the vibe early .. plus we met with Camilla Welton to pick out the music and I must say, it’s gonna be a beautiful night.

Tonight .. it’s band rehearsal!

Be sure to rsvp to Alcazar if you haven’t already. The place only holds 150 or so and it’s filling up! http://www.facebook.com/ev..ent.php?eid=153277263111&r..ef=mf

Love!
.’. IVA .’.

Hello brethren,

It’s been a great week for me thanks to you .. I hopped up to #3 in the local Reverb Nation Charts and up 468 in the global charts!! Thank you so much for coming and playing “Dreams”. You can visit the site here http://www.reverbnation.com/iva and at the bottom of this message is a widget code you can please share on your profiles so more people can listen.

The funny thing is I slept in this morning because I was so tired (usually up before 8am) and my conscience usually goes crazy when I do this. And look what happened .. I got an incredible happy surprise thanks to you all.

love

.’. IVA .’.

Reverb Nation Widget code:

<img style=”visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;” border=0 width=0 height=0 src=”http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyNTM3MDA*OTQzOTYmcHQ9MTI1MzcwMDUwMzE3MSZwPTI3MDgxJmQ9YmxvZ19wbGF5ZXJfZmlyc3RfZ2VuJmc9MSZvPTNlOGQ5ZGU1ZTNmMTQ3NmJiNGEyNmU2MTgxM2M3OTQzJm9mPTA=.gif” /><embed type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” src=”http://cache.reverbnation.com/widgets/swf/28/blog_player.swf?emailPlaylist=artist_67131&backgroundcolor=EEEEEE&font_color=000000&posted_by=artist_67131&shuffle=&autoPlay=false” height=”300″ width=”180″/><br/><a href=”http://www.reverbnation.com/c./a4/28/67131/Artist/67131/Artist/link”><img alt=”IVA” border=”0″ height=”12″ src=”http://cache.reverbnation.com/widgets/content/28/footer.png” width=”180″ /></a><br/><img style=”visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;” border=0 width=0 height=0 src=”http://www.reverbnation.com/widgets/trk/28/artist_67131/artist_67131/t.gif”/><a href=”http://www.quantcast.com/p-05—xoNhTXVc” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-05—xoNhTXVc.gif” style=”display: none” border=”0″ height=”1″ width=”1″ alt=”Quantcast”/></a>

This past week I went to Ekohair in Stockholm and had my hair colored ecologically. (www.ekohair.se) Did you know that the chemicals in regular hair die are poisonous to our bodies, as well as to the water supply and the fish that swim in that water? Did you know that you can lighten your hair with a little peroxide, ecological mud, salt, water, and shampoo? Come and visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/-IVA-/71523509286?ref=ts to read more. And visit Ecohair by calling 08-650 30 08.

Ecohair in Stockholm

Ecohair in Stockholm

she has roots!

she has roots!

The roots are gone and she's oh so pretty

The roots are gone and she's oh so pretty

climbing the charts

Hello brethren.

Much to my happy surprise, “Dreams”, the first song from my album “Ivolution” has been climbing the Reverb Nation charts. Reverb Nation is the music player that is linked to my Facebook page. (http://www.facebook.com/sireniva).

Please come and listen here http://www.reverbnation.com/iva !

I was at #7, then #6, and now I’m at #5 in the local charts for Stockholm. Please help me get to #1!

I’m also up 8 spots in the international charts for pop … Thank you for making all of this possible for me!

love

.’. IVA .’.

Hello brethren,

It’s been a while since my last post. I have been doing some traveling.

I went to Bath, England, to see my brother and his fiancé Paul have a civil ceremony to make them legal partners. It was a wedding. They asked me to sing and I was so nervous I almost passed out at the ceremony. It was an honor to be a part of it.

The woman at the Guild Hall in Bath handled the ceremony with so much reverence and so much love, and we were together in a beautiful room filled with family and friends. It felt natural and comfortable.

We live in a world today that is filled with so much corruption, greed, and pain. This is because of ignorance and confusion, people who are desperate for love and understanding and turn to money and power instead.

First of all, let’s not let that happen. Reach out to everyone. We are all the same.

Secondly, Jeb and Paul had a celebration of love. We need more of these! May people join together in love all across the world, and may our unions drown out the voices of anger and the black hole of corruption.

Today .. do something special to help someone that needs it .. and help them to accept your love. Let them trust it. Trust that you love yourself. You are perfect.

.’. IVA .’.

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