Whether Scandinavia, Canada or Japan – for several days, the Arctic Voices festival transformed the Elbphilharmonie into a musical window to the far north. In six concerts, musicians from regions around the Arctic Circle spanned a spectrum from traditional songs to experimental soundscapes. Sami joik, Inuit throat singing and Mongolian overtone singing were interpreted both traditionally and brought into the present day with jazz, pop and electronic music.
Influential voices such as Mari Boine, Marja Mortensson, Tanya Tagaq and the Inuit duo Piqsiq also made the festival a powerful statement for indigenous identity and decolonisation. They sang about oppressed cultures, ancient rituals and personal memories. With extraordinary, electrifying voices, they brought the colourful diversity of the icy world to Hamburg and thrilled the audience.

