While being in the Caucasus, I filmed our fieldwork and uploaded our videos on my channel on YouTube. These videos got a lot of views and more and more people started keeping track of the band. I started to give interviews and I was even invited to TV shows, just for the heck of it, because it sounds really nice to have Ingrid Sorensen in our show, just cooking with us, without us interviewing her. However, from the very beginning, I clarified this: "If you ask me about the lawsuit, I'm off". And all this, for the following reason. After 2023, far from the fact that all journalists (almost) were asking me whether I got married (I was fed up with being asked that, probably because people leaked the fact that I had moved back to Norway), the most common subject they wanted to bring up was the lawsuit issue. This belonged to the past for me and I was really exhausted being asked about it all the time. It truly seemed like a federal state!
Anyway, The Ancestor's Voice got really positive reviews. Prog Magazine described it as a rather down-to-earth album and highly inspired by Eastern sounds. That our previous albums had a more dreamscape or atmospheric sound, which might have been reminiscent of Porcupine Tree. Many of our songs, back in the days, fitted perfectly in National Geographic documentaries. And that's true. I had millions of those magazines, as many documentary producers were asking us if they could use our own songs. As for us, not only did we agree on that, but we were feeling so honoured that we didn't even want to be paid for that. That's why, as an exchange, they would give us National Geographic magazines for free. Furthermore, The Sky Moves Backwards was voted as the prog song of the year and this made me feel really satisfied because it was the most personal song I'd ever written. It felt like a warm embrace to know that there are people out there too, who feel empathy towards you and share your pain and the same feelings with you and truth be told, I never expected this song to have such feedback to the audience. And of course, it was my last goodbye to the depressed Poet's music.
So, after our album's release, I was invited to join a community of musicians, who were composing a genre, called landscape music. In the beginning, I failed to get what that could mean and I thought it had to do with something like world music. However, the members of this group explained to me that this was a style of music, similar to a soundtrack, and it would be inspired by several landscapes, countries or cultures. I thought it really fitted me, because I, personally, would often use images or visuals as a source of inspiration for my songs. And they would work in that group as following: They would compose their own pieces, upload them in landscapemusic.org and all the income would be sent to cultures, protected by UNESCO. When I heard this, I instantly went YES!!, because I consider it to be our duty, as ethnologists, to protect endangered groups of peoples. Furthermore, some years later, I used to keep my own personal world map, in which I would point to countries, which I would visit once a year (one every year) so that I could make field- as well as charity work. In 2031 I visited a village, close to Bombay and by the sight of how people lived there, I felt my heart being torn to pieces. But this is something we'll come later to. So, I became an active member of Landscape Music community and promised to compose music, whenever I am available.
Our tour started in late September. I have to say that Alexandria decided not touring outside of Europe ever again, due to lack of time and due to age. Thus, until late 2023 we would be playing solely in Norway. Then, I got a completely different style. I dyed my hair red once again and started to wear embroidered dresses. Johanna suggested I started wearing high heels, but I cracked up and told her: "How tall can I get?".
Our tour went on in January 2024 in a few other parts of Europe. We had decided with the band not to overdo it with our old songs, but mainly focus on our new material. I wasn't that worried about the fact that people could comment that my voice wasn't similar to Dina's -of course, it wasn't-, but more about the fact that my heart couldn't keep track of the content of those songs. Even The Sky Moves Backwards felt too odd to sing and, at times, really hard. It goes without saying, that memories were still there, even though all this pain and turmoil belonged to the past. I couldn't help but still remember everything I'd been through. At least, its finale, which was composed for Dina's sake, could give me such a great relief. During that time, I was sent an article, in which a fan was trying to analyse The Sky Moves Backwards. It was a rather interesting article because the song was compared to Dante's Divine Comedy. That the song is segmented into three parts. It starts with Inferno (the heroine's suffering), it moves on with Purgatorio (where the heroine kills herself so that she can be propitiated or redeemed) and ends with Paradiso (where the heroine wakes up in the grass). I can say that this analysis had a point and was rather interesting, however, I had never read The Divine Comedy at that time, so I can't say I was inspired by this book.
During the tour, we had a very good time with each other. We were playing poker and UNO, discussing with each other and reading books. At that time, I was a fanatic reader of Horace's Odes. I'd started reading them in Latin, as I had had a Latin course at the University and I thought I could practice a little bit. However, I liked these Poems so much, that after some point I turned to English so that I wouldn't waste so much time reading them. My favourite ode was the eleventh one from the first book and it was called Ode to Leuconoe. Of course, I'm talking about everyone's favourite Carpe Diem, a motto which had a huge impact on me for very obvious reasons at that time. During the whole tour, I was bugging everybody with Carpe Diem and they just thought I'd watched this film, starring Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society. The fact was that...I'd never watched that film, at least until then. Some night, though, we sat down all together and watched it and I felt so happy. The reason why I did was that it was referring to Walt Whitman and I remembered my school years when I used to read Whitman and I was thinking that life is precious. I realised that I didn't want to go back to my teenage years anymore -- this wasn't what I was longing for in my life anymore. You just can't go back to the past, but you can instead make up your own future. And the key to that is to start accepting yourself, while if you don't like something on you, you can change it, rather than start cursing yourself about what you have become. Each one of us is unique in the universe and this is a present. And this is the issue which self-esteem is based on: that you have the ability to accept yourself with all your flaws and learn how to appreciate yourself.
So, I thought that our following album could have many influences by Carpe Diem. However, the next album was going to be millions of light centuries away. We had just completed our tour and I was feeling that my mind was completely empty. During the previous years, there was always something new, because I was conquered by feelings, which were burning in my body and I had to get these out. And now, of course, I did have feelings --indeed, much stronger than before--, but I wasn't alone anymore. I could talk to Ingmar about everything and he was always close to me.
In March 2024, I returned home. I stayed there for a month, as Easter vacations were coming. During that month, I used to go out with Anna and Ingmar, either visiting my parents or meeting up with friends I had previously lost. I was feeling that all these years I was working so hard, that I had no time for my personal life. Especially, since 2016, I had had many friend losses from my life, as I had completely neglected everyone. But, then I had also lost my own self and I was in great pain to know that everybody had started to gradually abandon me. So, when I returned to Norway, this time for good, I visited those people and deeply apologised to them. I explained to them about my past terrible mental state and told them that their old friend is back. Some of them understood and they accepted me back to their fellowship in a warm embrace. Others, though, were still mad at me and sent me away, saying that I was dead for them. Even though I was deeply hurt, I can say they were absolutely right and if I were in their shoes, I would have probably done the same.
But the most important thing for me was that I now had my own family. Alright, Ingmar and I weren't married yet, but I was raising Anna as if she were my own biological child. And it's wonderful that Anna, Ingmar and I could share our lives. I remember that during that time, Anna was coming close to me, asking for help with Maths. So, every afternoon we used to do Maths together.
In April 2024, I got a phone call from Tracy, Vivian's daughter, who said to me this: "I think there's no point in calling, but I anyway want to inform you about the Celtic festival".
"Awesome!", I replied. "When is it?".
"On the 14th of April. Are you.....coming?", she asked in wonder.
"Of course, I am!", I exclaimed. "I'm coming along with Anna and Ingmar".
When I told the other two about the festival, Anna was jumping with joy. She has always liked Ireland and quite often she used to spend her vacations with her dad there. Before we left, I had already spoken to Jesikka about organising storytelling activities with Orchidea's Tales, along with the festival. So, we both dressed in a theatrical way and made our entrance to the festival. When people saw me, they were left with their jaws open, as nobody expected me to appear in Ireland after two long years. Anyway, I hadn't informed anyone about my plans and, of course, I had changed a lot. Also, when I was asked about Anna, I replied that she was my daughter and then I noticed that Ingmar was smiling widely.
After the festival, I was approached by Andrew, an old friend, who was a film director and he said to me: "I have to propose something. Would you like to star in a film I am going to shoot?".
I replied exclaiming: "A film? Not a play?".
"A film!", he repeated.
"When?", I asked in a laugh.
"Errr....about this time. The script is already written and I've also found the actors. And you're the only person that I can think of as a heroine".
I laughed. "Well, you know, even though I am an actress, I've never performed outside of theatre".
"Better late than never, youngster", he said. "Anyway, you have a huge talent and I have never in my life seen any actor or any actress who is able to show their feelings in such a precise way".
I almost cracked up by what he said, but he corrected his words: "....I mean when acting".
He stood up and wrote something on a paper: "Here is my phone number and when you think about it, just give me a call. Shooting start in September".
That night, Ingmar and I were having a drink and we were discussing together this proposition.
"Do you want to do this?", he asked me.
"Are you joking?", I exclaimed. "It is one of the biggest dreams of my life!".
Ingmar shook his head. "Hey, remember what we have said? Start making your dreams come true. Alright?".
I didn't reply and then he held my hand and asked louder: "Alright?".
I nodded and smiling at me, he said: "Awesome, darling". Then, I felt that our lips met, but at that time I jumped, as I heard a voice behind me: "Am I disturbing in a very personal moment?".
I turned my head back and saw Jesikka: "Jesikka!", I exclaimed. "Come have a seat with us".
As soon as Anna saw Jesikka, her eyes lit and she rushed towards her. "Would you like more jigsaw puzzles?", Jesikka asked.
Anna looked at Ingmar first and then me, but we didn't say anything. She finally shook her head negatively.
After a while, Jesikka was also having a drink with us. We were discussing Orchidea's Tales future. "I think we should settle our promises for the next year", she said.
I looked at her puzzled. "What kind of promises?".
"Come on now, Ingrid", she said laughing. "You already know how I am organising all I want to do about Orchidea's Tales. I write several things on paper, things that I want to do with you and promise myself that these will have been done by the following year".
This sounded really nice!
Ingmar had probably the same opinion, as he said: "I keep on telling her that she has to make her dreams come true. But I think it seems that something frightens her about it".
"And you are absolutely right! Anyway, don't forget that Orchidea's Tales itself was the result of your promise", she said.
I looked at her.
"Oh come on, don't tell me you forgot", she added. "That night, we all had to write our own promises for the next year. And what was yours?".
She was right! Orchidea's Tales was my own promise for the next year.
"Let's see, then", Jesikka said and pulled out a paper. At its top, she had written on big letters: LUPAUKSIA (Promises, in Finnish).
"Hmmm", I said. "We could write short stories about Orchidea's Tales".
"That's a good idea", she replied. "Though we should probably set off to someplace, where we could find our own peace. Indeed, we will get more inspiration".
"Yeah, we should set off to some deserted island", I said laughing. "Eating coconuts and living like native people".
Jesikka's eyes were lit, as she came up with an idea. "Island!", she exclaimed. "You owned two acres of land in an island, close to this place. You had also built a cabin, I remember! It's really quiet there. What do you think about going there....."
"Jesikka, forget about Arranmore", I said sadly.
"But...but why?".
"Painful story. I'll explain it all to you at some point, but for the time being just consider this island to be part of the past for me. I'll demolish the cabin at some point, but I just don't have the heart to do it right now".
"Fine", she replied. "Do you have anything else in mind, then?".
"Yes, of course! What about setting off to Greece, just the two of us? I own a cottage house in Cefalonia and we could write our stories there. We have also composed our second album with Alexandria in this place".
"Good idea", Jesikka replied. "However, we'd better go in the summer, so that we can also swim at the beach".
So, in June 2024, we set off to Cefalonia. I had a rather spacious house, which was two-storey and close to nature, so it was very cosy. Jesikka and I were writing short horror and sci-fi stories together. These weren't real stories, but mainly fictional. Fifteen days later, though, things turned out really bad. A storm hit the island and as a result, there was no way for us to leave. It is evident that Greece has never been prepared to deal properly with natural disasters. So, we were stranded, as the destruction was so huge that neither a plane nor a ship could set off. In the beginning, I started to feel really down and, as our writing was completed, I didn't know what to do. However, during the previous years, I'd learnt to accept misfortunes and always find easy solutions to problems. So, Jesikka and I found any book that was there and we started reading. In Cefalonia, we usually had horror and sci-fi books, just like the short stories that we wrote and indeed this was one of the reasons why I chose this place to work with Jesikka. My dad used to read Isaac Asimov books, whereas I used to bring a lot of Stephen King books.
As days were going by, Jesikka finally told me about her own idea: "Ingrid, what about writing a whole book together?".
"What do you mean?", I asked.
"Instead of writing two or three stories for Orchidea's Tales, we could publish a whole book consisting of about twenty-five horror and sci-fi stories. What do you think?".
"Sounds awesome!", I said.
So, we got into work. I wasn't used to writing such stories. All these years I used to write more or less about myself, thus writing something completely fictional didn't sound persuasive to me at all. However, Jesikka told me that I should have in mind these persuasive techniques, used by Stephen King or Isaac Asimov. Truth be told, I'd read so many books by Asimov at the time, that the influences were quite obvious.
By mid-August, we had completed our stories. However, we were still stranded on the island, but we couldn't do anything about it anyway. I decided that I couldn't bear idleness, so I kept on working....with music. As I said before, I was reading many Asimov books, thus science fiction had inspired me a lot. I switched on my Moogling and I started composing electronic music, not like Storms in the Darkness, that is, psychedelic ones, but songs that sounded more like 80's sci-fi film soundtracks. In the end, Jesikka and I decided on naming our book Tales from the Crypt, just like the comics. So, I had also saved my own songs on my laptop, naming the files Tales from the Crypt. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to complete them, as in mid-September flights were again open. However, I promised myself that this was something that should happen at some point. Jesikka said to me jokingly: "Who knows? In ten years we might be met with something earthshaking and we are again stranded".
So we made it back to Norway safe and sound and we decided that our book was going to be published in 2025. Going back home with Ingmar and Anna, I had thought of several things and taken my own decisions. So, I picked up the phone.
"Good evening. This is Ingrid Sorensen. I decided that I am going to take part in that film".
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