LONDON, UK (Kudos
Music UK/ www.luciediamond.com) - Male country vocalist of the year, Arly Karlsen, has teamed up with hot British talent Lucie Diamond to record a duet.
Norwegian Arly, nominated in five categories in the 2005 ECMA awards – winning the coveted Male Artist category - flew to the UK this month to co-write with Lucie.
The pairing was such a success, Arly is due back to the UK in June, to cut two tracks with Lucie - one to be released as a single in September, the second for a future compilation CD .
UK concert dates are on the cards, with a joint headline slot backed by Lucie's star-studded band. Shows in Norway and Denmark may follow, the pair again sharing billing, backed by Arly's own band.
Promotional activity/radio and press interviews, for the duet single - the title of which is being kept under wraps – will start as soon as it is completed.
Arly's latest album, 'Sweet Honky Tonk' is released in Europe in May. His present single, 'Walking The Floor Over Me' is doing well across Europe. Arly scored a No 1 hit with the Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner duet, 'Please Don't Stop Loving Me' (with Pat Roden) - six weeks at No 1 in the ECMA charts. He also hit the top spot with the self-penned tribute to Johnny Cash, 'Here's To You (The Man In Black)' and Bobby Bare's classic '500 Miles From Home'.
Lucie Diamond's first single, 'What I Like About You', featuring legendary guitarist Albert Lee, stayed at No 1 in the Hotdisc British country chart for a record 10 weeks. Her latest single release, 'Kilimanjaro (that's what you do for me)', went straight in at No 1 in that chart after an Easter release, and has stayed there for a second week. She is No 20 in the European CMA chart and No 1 in Germany.
Both tracks are taken from her debut 14-track solo album, 'Sweet Medicine', due to be released later this year under licence. She also hit the Worldwide Most Played charts at 38, and still climbing. She has 2 tracks on the forthcoming compilation CD, 'Strictly Country,' via Universal Records, which features Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson and many country legends - Lucie being the sole Brit - and the cover photograph.
"Britain's Lucie Diamond is a future star and will win many awards herself. She is a great talent and sure to become a major label artist," said Arly this week.
"Our duet will be recorded in the UK. I usually record in Nashville, but when I heard Lucie's CD, I was amazed it was made in England, and not in Nashville, as it is so good. I am excited to work with her. Our voices work so well together."
Lucie Diamond added: "Arly has an incredible wide vocal range and such presence, in his trademark Stetson, with a great big voice and a great sense of humour too. I am really looking forward to working with him in the studio."
