Mari Boine

Mari Boine is a Sámi singer-songwriter hailing from the northern edges of Norway, part of the vast land crossing international boundaries where her people live. She is a veteran musician who has been releasing albums going back to 1984, blending Sámi folk music (joik) with contemporary western pop forms that feels as pastoral and grand as it does mystical. She often creates an expansive soundscape through her electronic instrumentation and chanting, backed by some heavy drumming that provides the backbone. Other than a few exceptions, her songs are in the Sámi language. Although she regularly brings a jazzy finish to her music, she has remained fairly steadfast about not straying from the essence of her folk traditions.