NORDIC NIGHT

Dive deep into atmospheric soundscapes and savour the mysticism and magic of the far North in its most beautiful musical form. With Faroese singer-songwriter sisters Eivør and Elinborg Pálsdóttir, joined by their Icelandic colleague Ásgeir Trausti, three of the most exciting acts from the Nordic island worlds are coming to Pratteln.

Eivør Pálsdóttir is an artist perfectly attuned to the wild shifts of nature. Born and raised in Syðrugøta, a tiny village of around 500 inhabitants on one of the northernmost Faroe Islands, she grew up amid the harsh, wind-swept landscapes of the North Atlantic—an environment that has deeply shaped her music. With eleven studio albums and numerous collaborations with artists such as Ásgeir Trausti, John Grant, Einar Selvik (Wardruna) and Dan Heath (Lana Del Rey), Eivør ranks among the North’s most versatile artists and one of the most captivating live vocalists of her generation.
“In every situation you find yourself in, there is music,” she says when asked about her sources of inspiration. Blessed with a beautiful and powerful voice rarely heard, she has devoted her life to music since the tender age of 15. Born in the Faroe Islands in 1983, she immersed herself early on in the islands’ musical traditions, releasing the fruits of these formative experiences at just 16 with her self-titled debut album. While her enduring love for Faroese culture remains at the heart of her work, its expression has expanded through profound interplay with other traditions. Eivør’s musical palette has broadened far beyond her folk beginnings, drawing on elements of jazz, country folk, trip-hop-tinged rock and classical music. By uniting these influences, she has developed her own folktronica style, pairing honest lyrics with life’s revelations.
This musical journey—awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize in 2021—continues to captivate, taking her to stages around the world: from Europe’s biggest festivals to soundtracks for the Netflix hit series The Last Kingdom and the video game God of War: Ragnarök. Her current album Enn (2024) reconnects with her Nordic roots and delivers goosebump moments on stage as well. Eivør is a gripping live performer with a vibrant, warm stage presence. A fan summed up her Berlin show in autumn 2024 perfectly: “Eivør’s aura and presence are simply phenomenal—an exceptional artist, live as perfect as in the studio. Superb arrangements, powerful sound and a voice that goes straight under your skin and touches the soul.”

Ásgeir: With his debut album Dýrð í dauðaþögn (2012), Ásgeir Trausti achieved quadruple platinum status in his native Iceland and swept four categories at the Icelandic Music Awards. Two years later, the English version Silence climbed to No. 40 in the UK charts. Today, he is among the most successful exporters of Icelandic sound art. Since that record-breaking debut, Ásgeir has continuously expanded the boundaries of his carefully crafted, introspective folk-pop. His most recent release Time On My Hands finds him in a phase of reflection and experimentation, following a long period spent writing, recording and producing at home and in the studio. On this album, he ventures into new compositional territory, delicately layering acoustic elements with electronics and brass.
As on earlier works—especially Afterglow (2017) and Bury The Moon (2020)—Ásgeir plays with euphoric, choral elements of electronic pop without neglecting the introspective, voice-led acoustic style that made him famous. The album invites us to allow ourselves to glide beyond boundaries—both physical and self-imposed—and to cross the line between reality and fantasy. It’s about freedom, wanderlust and flight as a means of escaping isolation, while also appreciating the natural wonders that surround us every day.

Elinborg:
Opening this unique Nordic night at Z7 is Elinborg Pálsdóttir. The singer-songwriter is Eivør’s younger sister and is considered one of the greatest talents in the flourishing Scandinavian music scene. Her stylistic range spans folk, world music and country through to electronica. Since her first release in 2015, Elinborg has also been in high demand as a live act, winning Best Live Act of the Year at the Faroese Music Awards as early as 2016. International attention followed in 2018 with the single Brimið, featured in the soundtrack of the Norwegian Netflix series Ragnarok. Elinborg is currently working intensively on a new album set for release in 2025—a pivotal step as she embarks on a major international career. We’re excited to witness her continued rise live at Z7 and to hear her brand-new musical gems.