Cimberly is happy to be home again at Sara kulturhus.
Skellefteå’s latest star, Cimberly, is back home. Yesterday, she arrived in her home town to rehearse for tonight’s performance at Sara kulturhus.
– I’m a bit tired - I got up at 5am to get to the airport. But later I’ll head in to rehearse and that’s when I come alive again, says the artist, who is in high spirits despite the lack of sleep, as she walks through Sara.
She’s greeted with warm hugs and smiles from old friends along the way. Most of those she meets are also part of the event. In total, around 60 students from Solviks Folk High School are taking part – showcasing their art, literature and music.
Among them is Andreas Grenholm, one of the organisers and a staff member at the school, who embraces Cimberly warmly. He has played with her before and knows her well. He’s looking forward to today’s festival.
– We want to give our students the chance to work on a real production. Being able to perform here at Sara kulturhus - who have been incredibly supportive - makes it feel genuine. It’s a huge boost for the students to perform alongside real professionals on such a big stage, he says.
More than 800 tickets have been sold for tonight's performance. Entry is free during the afternoon.
Also performing is Samuel Ljungblahd, a familiar face to many local musicians even though he’s based in Umeå. For Cimberly, it will be their second time performing together.
– It’s an honour to sing with him. He has a beautiful voice and a wonderfully expressive musical language. There’s so much inspiration to draw from him.
Samuel Ljungblahd is on stage together with Cimberly and Trinity.
Backing them will be local choir Trinity.
– They’ll deliver a wide-ranging set, everything from rock to soul, says Andreas Grenholm, who hopes the spring festival will become a tradition.
Judging by the interest, it just might. At the time of writing, more than 800 tickets have already been sold. But during the day, from 3pm, entry is free.
– We’re going to do the best we can this time. But of course, we’re hoping this is something we can build on. That’s why we’ve designed it as a festival – it’s a flexible format that can grow or shrink and reflect the wide range of activities we offer at the school..
The audience will be treated to everything from rock to soul.
For Cimberly, saying yes to the invitation was an easy decision.
– I love doing things here at home. I know some of the people already, but there are also many new faces I haven’t played with before. It’s going to be so much fun.