ZOE HOOP on tour with Carola

Carola Häggkvist* is celebrating 40 years as an artist this year. She is a much-loved Christian artist with a big heart for people in vulnerability and often shares her faith. Carola has worn our jewelry on many different occasions since its launch in 2020.

We are thrilled that we had the great honor of joining her on her Gospel tour at Frihamnskyrkan in Gothenburg, Pingstkyrkan in Jönköping, and Filadelfiakyrkan in Stockholm, Sweden, this fall. She presented a solid song repertoire of gospel, hymns, and worship, accompanied by fantastic musicians and a gospel choir led by Anki- and Magnus Spångberg.

Carola's poster with Shepherd's cross earrings

My friend Johanna Magnusson came up with the idea to join Carola's Gospel tour when I told her that Carola chose to wear Shepherd’s Cross Earrings on the main poster for her 40th-anniversary celebration. Said and done, the first contact was made in April. We got signals that she was positively inclined towards our initiative, which felt hopeful.

Caroline and Johanna

In mid-October, when I was in Dallas, I contacted Carola, who was very eager for us to join. Both she and Zoe (her daughter) think the jewelry is so beautiful. So exciting!

A few days later, everything would have been set if it hadn't turned out that there was an agreement between the churches and the organizer that no external sales could take place during the concerts. I then contacted the organizer who agreed to check with all the churches.

Amazingly, they agreed to let us exhibit and sell jewelry in connection with the concerts. By 2:00 PM the day before the first concert, it was settled! ZOE HOOP could join Carola's Gospel tour. What a relief and joy!

Carola repost

Carola talked about us on her social media. Here she shared a post with me on Instagram from Frihamnskyrkan in Gothenburg.

We were on site well in advance and set up the booth before each concert. It was so nice to tell and show the jewelry to those who came. Some I had met before, others we met for the first time and told that we want to remind of God's word in each piece of jewelry and help people in developing countries based on the UN's sustainability goals.

We took turns listening to the wonderful concerts since we couldn't leave the booth unattended.

Carola concert, singing gospel

In addition to Johanna helping me, I also got a lot of support from my husband Niklas and my son Theo. I am so grateful for that!

      

Theo and me in Filadelfiakyrkan Stockholm. Niklas and me in Pingstkyrkan Jönköping.

In Filadelfiakyrkan in Stockholm, the government awarded Carola the gold reward medal of the eighth size with the inscription Illis quorum meruere labores for her long-standing and successful contributions as an artist. Illis quorum meruere labores means "To those whose deeds make them deserving of it". The medal was instituted by Gustaf III in 1785. Culture Minister Parisa Lijestrand gave a very nice speech about what she has meant over her many years as an artist for our country and I believe more than I was moved to tears.

Carola and Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand

It was so much fun to join Carola's Gospel tour, exhibit the jewelry, and tell the meaning behind them to everyone who visited our booth. I think many discovered ZOE HOOP through it. So a big thank you to Carola for wanting to highlight ZOE HOOP in this way, you are amazing!

With lots of love!

/Caroline

*Carola Häggkvist (b. 1966) is a Swedish singer who this year celebrates 40 years as an artist. She had her breakthrough in 1983 at just 16 years old in the Melodifestivalen, which she won, with the song "Främling" ("Stranger"). Since then, she has recorded 26 studio albums, participated in Melodifestivalen several times, and, for example, performed at the Crown Princess's wedding in 2010. Several of her songs have gained popularity beyond Sweden's borders, thereby putting the Swedish music industry on the international map.