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Greenlandic music
A music-loving people
Most people know where Greenland is on the map, but did you know that every year in Greenland some 10-15 CDs featuring Greenlandic music are released? And that the best-selling CDs sell 5,000 copies? Perhaps that doesn’t sound like much, but is actually quite impressive in a country that is home to just 56,000 inhabitants.
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Musicians from Greenland originally played on a drum (qilaat) made from an oval wooden frame covered with the bladder of a polar bear. Unlike other drums, the qilaat was played by hitting the frame with a stick, and not the skin itself. This modest instrument was used for a variety of purposes including entertainment, exorcism and witchcraft.
After the missionaries arrived, drum dancing was prohibited and was later replaced by part-singing of psalms and choral works, which today are known for their particular Greenlandic sound. Today drum dance is used as entertainment at cultural events and on festive occasions.
New inspiration from abroad
Greenlandic music is inspired and influenced by music from other cultures. These include Dutch and Scottish polka, American country and rock ’n’ roll and even Hawaiian music.
The introduction of radio and vinyl records in Greenland following the Second World War meant that a wide range of popular music was suddenly generally available, and as such provided inspiration for Greenlanders to imitate these genres in their own bands.
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From popular music to rap and techno
Popular music did not gain a particular Greenlandic identity until the start of the ‘70s with the emergence of the band SUME. Songs of a political and cultural nature sung in Greenlandic stimulated a growing interest in Greenlandic music. Since that time new bands have followed in rapid succession with musical styles including pop, rock, jazz, blues, rap and techno. More recently, internationally performing bands and soloists such as Chilly Friday, Angu and Julie Berthelsen have also emerged.
Listen to modern Greenlandic music
The popular singer Kimmernaq, who made her debut with a CD in 2006, is singing here in her native Greenlandic on a CD called simply “Kimmernaq”. Listen here to a big hit on Greenland’s radio stations and find more information about her here.
Another major new name on the Greenlandic music scene is Nive Nielsen, who, with her band Deer Children, released her debut album "Nive Sings" at the beginning of 2009.
Prior to this release, Nive had no experience as a singer or songwriter, but a ukulele that was given to her and an encounter with the well-known producer John Parish changed everything. See one of the results here in the popular hit "Room".
Singer with international focus
In terms of male singers, Simon Lynge is a new and interesting name backed by an English record label and for whom a promising musical career is predicted. Simon has a Greenlandic/Danish background, like many others in Greenland, and has lived and worked in both Los Angeles and Nashville.
With his melodic songs with English lyrics and his obvious partiality to Simon & Garfunkel and Crosby, Stills & Nash, he attracts a market segment which normally has many fans. See an example here from a video recorded on a glacier near Tasiilaq.
His debut album, The Future (May 2010), has been referred to by the BBC in positive tones and by several of the 'quality' British newspapers, but don’t just take our word for it. Have a look and a listen yourself at http://www.simonlyngemusic.com/ - or even better: Buy the album!
Click here if you’re interested in buying Greenlandic music.
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