WELCOME TO MY WINTER WORLD
SAVING IT UP FOR WINTER - Monzie Blue
A warm and heartfelt welcome to YOU!
Thank you for stopping by. I am so happy you have found your way to my cosy little corner of the internet, and I hope you stay a while. Find yourself something nice in a mug to warm up on, take a look around, and make yourself at home. You are welcome here exactly as you are, in this very moment.
Maybe you love winter — with all its light in the darkness — or perhaps you find it a bit heavy and intruding, and can hardly wait for it to be over? I invite you to take a deep breath, listen to the music (feel free to download it to keep forever), read the lyrics, and enjoy the images. Let winter — and the music — calm your thoughts and soothe your soul for a while and just let yourself drift along. Eventually spring will come again! It always does.
With love
Monzie Blue 🩵
Saving It Up For Winter - listen to or download the 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 dark season.
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Traces 4:320:00/4:32
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0:00/3:03
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Unwrap me slowly 4:000:00/4:00
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0:00/3:28
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0:00/2:45
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Monzie Blue (Monica Krogstad) is a Norwegian vocalist and songwriter with a soul-stirring voice and a knack for heartfelt storytelling.
Raised in Nittedal, just north of Oslo, she started her music career as a percussionist in several school marching bands and singing in choirs. Monica also spent several formative years in London and Oslo, where she penned her first songs back in 2011.
For over a decade she has fronted the blues-rock band "The Shady Crew", as well as leading other musical projects.
November 2023 marked her solo debut as Monzie Blue, paving the way for her April 2024 album, Love Lost and Returned—a release celebrated with a grand show at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene. She has since kept the momentum going with a string of new singles, including "I Let Winter Still My Soul" and "Things That I Love About You," both part of this EP.
On "Saving It Up for Winter," Monzie Blue invites listeners into the warmth, wrapping them in her cozy, comforting vocals, creating the perfect mood to settle in with and simply enjoy while waiting for spring.
Cover photo: E. Bakken
ABOUT THE MUSIC
The five tracks on the EP “Saving It Up For Winter” take us on a journey through various landscapes of emotion, reflection, and inner peace — sprinkled with a touch of joy, groove, and love.
THE TRACKS
The piano and cello ballad "Traces" explores the quiet space between people, where words are not always necessary. The foundation of love takes center stage, and the song serves as a reminder that forgiveness and understanding are often found in the silence.
The title track, "Saving It Up For Winter," is about creating fond memories that can be revisited when life feels cold. It’s about taking chances—even when you know that something good might not last—because the memories themselves make it worthwhile.
In "Unwrap Me Slowly," Monzie Blue embraces vulnerability and intimacy. It is a song about being seen and loved for who you truly are—getting to know one another layer by layer, with care and respect.
"Things That I Love About You" is a cheerful, heartwarming tribute to the small, everyday details that make love real. It’s not the grand gestures, but rather the little moments that build a strong relationship.
The EP concludes with "I Let Winter Still My Soul," a beautiful, meditative track about surrendering to the rhythm of winter. Here, the darkness and silence become a source of reflection and inner peace.
THE CREATORS
All the songs were written by Monzie Blue (Monica Krogstad) in collaboration with several international songwriters: Tom Kimmel (USA), Tom Dayer (UK), Pankaj Dave (UK), Sabine Konrath (DE), Anders Wihk (SE), and Ann-Sofie Wensbo (SE).
Ivan Blomqvist produced and mixed the first four tracks, while Anders Wihk produced and mixed "I Let Winter Still My Soul." Monica Krogstad has co-produced. The production utilizes a minimal number of instruments to create an intimate space for Monzie Blue’s warm voice, yet it remains intricate and inviting. It feels almost as if she is whispering into your ear, reassuring you that this winter, too, will eventually pass.
In addition to Monzie Blue’s vocals, the recordings feature Ivan Blomqvist (piano and percussion), Erlend Albertsen (double bass), Isabel Williamson (cello), and Anders Wihk (grand piano). The EP has been mastered by Espen Høydalsvik at OsloFuzz.
VISUALS
The visual aspect of the EP is as personal as the music itself. For the single released in January, the artist chose to feature a beautiful watercolor painting by her mother, Vera Chlóe Sternang, who passed away in 2023. The landscape sets a lovely tone for the EP’s winter theme. Monica has also long been an avid amateur photographer and wanted to further explore the visual dimension with this release. She has selected images from her extensive personal archive — all taken in the vicinity of where she lives in Norway — beautiful winter scenes that she felt complemented both her mother’s painting and the songs.
Simply drift into these landscapes and stay as long as the music plays — then hit repeat for as long as you need.
Wishing you a magical and peaceful winter season!
With love
❄🩵❄
