Welcome, dear listener! Come in, kick off your shoes, and make yourself at home! Have a look around, click some buttons, feel free to download anything you like, and pay as you please. If you like what you hear, please share with someone else, too. Making music is a process on many levels, and one which I enjoy immensely. Sometimes I write on my own, and sometimes I write with other people. I enjoy both, but most of all I love finding those stories “floating around” in the air somewhere, just waiting to be caught by a pen and turned into music — human stories that we can relate to. If you scroll to the bottom of this page, you will find the stories behind some of the songs. Enjoy 🩵
Saving It Up For Winter (EP)
Saving it up for winter is a collection of warm songs for cold days, a tribute to the stillness of winter and the concept of "wintering" — slowing down, breathing deeply, and allowing the soul to find peace during the Read more
Saving it up for winter is a collection of warm songs for cold days, a tribute to the stillness of winter and the concept of "wintering" — slowing down, breathing deeply, and allowing the soul to find peace during the dark season.
When buying the album you also get a free beautiful wintery screensaver for your computer or mobile phone ❄️
PS. If you want it all for FREE, sign up for my newsletter on the frontpage, and you'll get a download link straight to your inbox 🩵
-
Traces 4:320:00/4:32
-
0:00/3:03
-
Unwrap me slowly 4:000:00/4:00
-
0:00/3:28
-
0:00/2:45
The Greatest Gift
A bittersweet, soft jazz-inspired Christmas ballad, that reminds us to cherish our time together and make good memories for the future.
The Way of Water - listen and download
This lush, flowing duet is a collaboration between Monzie Blue and NYC artist Sonya Heller. The two artists' rich vocal harmonies blend beautifully, drawing us in, urging us to look to the natural way of water to find a more peaceful co-existence in the world.
Je Choisis Aujourd'hui (radio edit)
A hopefull, but melancholy French song about missing someone and yearning for their return, but still trying to live in the moment
Debut album: Love Lost — And Returned
"Love Lost — And Returned" is a storybook of life, love, loss and light. It is a musical portrait of the journey that is human life itself, carried on the ebb and flow of beautiful string and piano arrangements, with Monzie Blue's comforting voice steady at the helm to carry you safely to shore.
-
Just not today 3:260:00/3:26
-
Farewell sailor 5:120:00/5:12
-
0:00/2:56
-
The brightest star 3:580:00/3:58
-
Start all over again 3:370:00/3:37
-
Final Goodbye 4:590:00/4:59
-
Lean into you 4:220:00/4:22
-
0:00/4:59
-
0:00/4:03
"Love Lost — And Returned" — Sometimes love can seem lost forever, when in fact it's just hiding from view until we are ready to see it again. I feel this painting by my mother says so much about the journeys we embark upon in this life. Artwork by Vera Chlóe Sternang
Debut single: Promise Me Nothing
A smooth and sensual jazz ballad, written, performed and produced in collaboration with Swedish jazz pianist Anders Wihk.
ABOUT THE SONG: “Promise me nothing” is a sensual jazz ballad, inspired by a painting by Icelandic artist Björg Thorhallsdottir called ‘Love does not hurt’. When I saw this in a local art shop years ago, I instantly fell in love with it. This painting is now one of the first things I see every morning, stepping out of my room, reminding me what love ideally should be like. Easy.
Through my studies with The Songwriting Academy in 2021, I was introduced to the highly accomplished Swedish jazz pianist, producer and songwriter, Anders Wihk, who travels the world with his piano. I sent him the lyrics and the start of a melody that I had, and a few emails and zoom calls later, he came back with the most beautiful full orchestral arrangement. I am so proud to finally send this song out into the world with both our names on it!
CO-CREATOR: Pianist, producer and songwriter, Anders Wihk. Get to know him here. Photo: wihk.com
PROMISE ME NOTHING CREDITS: Music & lyrics - Monica Krogstad and Anders Wihk - Arrangement - Anders Wihk - Vocal - Monzie Blue - Piano - Anders Wihk - Strings - Anders Wihk Orchestra - Producer - Anders Wihk - Co-producer - Monica Krogstad - Mixing - Bernard Löhr - Mastering - Espen Høydalsvik - OSLO:Fuzz - Label - Blue Day Records - Cover photo - Brian Marum - Design: Krogstad Kreativ
The stories behind some of the songs
-
Start all over again 3:370:00/3:37
-
Just not today 3:260:00/3:26
-
Final Goodbye 4:590:00/4:59
This landscape, painted by my mother, reminds me of the hills in Malaga where Start all over again was written, and so very much inspired by the swallows in the village where we were staying. Artwork: Vera Chlóe Sternang. Design: Monica Krogstad
Start All Over Again
ABOUT THE SONG: “Start All Over Again” means a lot to me and my co-writers, Patrick Phelan and Louise Wisechild. It was also written during the songwriting camp in Spain in May 2023.
Despite the cold weather, we had our meals outside on the roofed balcony, enjoying the view of the Spanish hills. Overhead on the ceiling beams, several barn swallow couples had built their nests, sticking them directly onto the beams as barn swallows do. To keep the nests from falling down into someone's dinner plate, the owners had secured the nests by carefully wrapping tea-bag cartons around them and nailing them to the beams. To us it looked like there were 3 boxes of tea bags stuck up there — Until one day there were only 2.
When asked, the owner told me that they had taken one down because the chicks in the nest had died. Still, there was a swallow flying in and out under the roof, clearly distressed and looking for her nest and chicks. It was so sad to witness, but also a reminder of a sometimes inevitable part of life and nature. The next day, however, the swallow came back along with her mate, and they were already starting to build a new nest.
Deeply moved by this I took my observations into the writing room to Louise and Patrick, and with the sound of the swallows singing outside, our song was born. The guitar in the recording is as Patrick played it during the writing session, and with Ivan Blomqvist's soaring string arrangement, it really feels as if the swallows came back with me from Spain.
When we observe and listen to nature, we are so often shown the best way to move forward when life tries to stop us in our tracks… simply by starting all over again.
START ALL OVER AGAIN: Music & lyrics - Monica Krogstad, Patrick Phelan, Louise Wisechild - Arrangement - Ivan Blomqvist - Vocal - Monzie Blue - Piano - Ivan Blomqvist - Guitar - Patrick Phelan - Cello - Kaja F. Pettersen - Violin / viola - Lise Sørensen Voldsal - Producer / mixing - Ivan Blomqvist - Co-producer - Monica Krogstad - Mastering - Espen Høydalsvik - OSLO:Fuzz - Label - Blue Day Records - Artwork - Vera Chlóe Sternang - Design - Krogstad Kreativ
Just Not Today
ABOUT THE SONG: "Just Not Today" is a smooth vintage-style jazz ballad for those days when you just need to take a time-out from the world. Sometimes it is okay to say no and just be still in your grief, until it's time to face the world again.
This song was written at a songwriting camp in Spain in May 2023, as a collaboration between Miles Young, Mark Norman and myself, with invaluable input from our mentor, Paul Statham. It was a cold and rainy day, and as songwriters who had just met in person for the very first time, we quickly got into a very deep and (for me, at least) quite emotional conversation. It was already lunch time and we had not written a single word when Paul came in to check up on us. He asked us if what we were discussing was the topic we wanted to write about. “Yes! Just not today!” was the answer, and this song was born. By the evening's playback, we had a song to perform, and after the retreat, we all met up again online to finish it. I am so happy with how it turned out!
And the other song that we didn't write that day? Well, that's still a tear-stained sketch in my notebook, and one day I'll pick it up again... Just not today.
Beyond darkness lies the light. Again, I'm so happy to present another one of my mother's beautiful paintings to accompany my song as artwork for this single. Artwork: Vera Chlóe Sternang
JUST NOT TODAY CREDITS: Music & lyrics - Monica Krogstad, Miles Young, Mark Norman, Paul Statham - Arrangement - Ivan Blomqvist - Vocal - Monzie Blue - Piano - Ivan Blomqvist - Double bass - Erlend Olderskog Albertsen - Producer / mixing - Ivan Blomqvist - Co-producer - Monica Krogstad - Mastering - Espen Høydalsvik - OSLO:Fuzz - Label - Blue Day Records - Artwork - Vera Chlóe Sternang - Design - Krogstad Kreativ
The artwork for "Final Goodbye" was also painted by my mother. I feel it is a perfect illustration for a song about her passing. Artwork: Vera Chlóe Sternang
Final Goodbye
ABOUT THE SONG: “Final Goodbye” is a fragile and emotional ballad about having to say goodbye for the very last time to someone close.
I wrote the song a few days after my mother passed away in January 2023. To be able to stay the final night with her, alongside my aunt, meant so much to me. There was such a special atmosphere of silence, peace and simply waiting for the inevitable final breath — for my mum to finally be free from the suffering and confinement that dementia brings. I still miss her and think about her every day, yet I am so grateful for all the memories she left behind, including the art she created, and the thousands of photographs she took throughout her life. I am so very proud that her beautiful paintings are featured throughout my entire album “Love Lost — And Returned”, that was released in April 2024.
I met pianist, composer, and producer Ivan Blomqvist at a music creators' conference in Oslo only days before my mother's passing. I had dreamed about making an album for years, but felt overwhelmed with even the thought of starting the process. Meeting Ivan turned out to be the perfect place to start, and in the Spring of 2023, we began recording in Oslo. Ivan has made the most magical musical arrangements for my songs and I am so excited about sharing them with the world piece by piece.
It feels so right for “Final Goodbye” to be the first single released from the album. So often when something ends, something else begins...
In loving memory of my mother, Vera Chlóe ❤️
FINAL GOODBYE CREDITS: Music & lyrics - Monica Krogstad - Arrangement - Ivan Blomqvist - Vocal - Monzie Blue - Piano - Ivan Blomqvist - Cello - Kaja F. Pettersen - Violin / viola - Lise Sørensen Voldsal - Producer / mixing - Ivan Blomqvist - Co-producer - Monica Krogstad - Mastering - Espen Høydalsvik - OSLO:Fuzz - Label - Blue Day Records - Artwork - Vera Chlóe Sternang - Design - Krogstad Kreativ