Last week we filmed the second album music video with PlayArt Productions, and soon we’ll be wrappind also the third video. Three years ago this time we had just finished the first album recording session. To me, this time of the year often offers deep and luminous shifts: endings and beginnings, hightened nature connection and a lot of creativity.
I’ll be sharing some inspiring and educative links at the end of this post.
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In Finland we have many names for this celebratory summer time: Ukon juhla (Ukko’s party, Ukko means the god of the weather), Päivättären juhla (Ms. Day’s party) and many more. I enjoy calling this celebration ‘Summer’s Thanksgiving’ as we have enjoyed the growth season of summer and soon we will be transitioning towards the mystical renewal of winter. Day and night are holding hands in the summer solstice. We are right there in between summer and winter. Right now we are also with the solar eclipse and the new moon.. We are in a powerful time.

Last week we filmed the second album music video with Antti Kokkola and the PlayArt Productions team (director Hedda Halinen and production manager Laura Kangasniemi). We had two days of intense shooting and I believe we were all quite spaced out afterwards; it was very hot, we had quite a few locations and some peculiar surprises along the way.

The second album music video is to a song ‘Dollavárri’ that I composed with music producer Jukka Backlund. Poet, activist, musician and actor Niillas Holmberg wrote the beautiful, powerful North Saami lyrics. I cannot wait to share it all with you a bit later..
During the coming week we’ll be diving into the next music video shooting with PlayArt Productions, and with some other wonderful people, and I’ll share more about a bit later.
We are making a three video series relating to the upcoming album and all the videos (and the album music totally) is inspired by nature connection. I’m thankful that I’ve waited and waited with releasing this music, since all the collaborations have needed their own time to appear and this spring has deepened the original message of the whole album. All this video art will be coming out at the right time, later this year, and soon after that it’s time to release the whole album.
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When I started working with the album – and actually a long time before that even – I had thought a lot about aesthetics and awareness, natural impulses, connection to nature etc. relating to creativity. I did a lot of work going thru my ‘creative insides’, I had a deep calling to find a more true ‘voice’, my real voice. I spent a lot of time by myself; I was puzzled about different forms of cultural conditioning and how it all could affect one’s creativity. I had been through a lot in the ‘creative industry’ and I needed to re-route. I was wondering what was really worth doing, what felt right, what was fair and truly passionate.. And how much creativity was too much creativity and who was the judge of these things if not me? I thought a lot about many things, aimed to clear my insides. There’s a lot I’d like to say about these things.. This debut album project is inspired by all of this. Stay with me, the wait is worth it.

Wishing you a powerful, calm, beautiful summer solstice!
RECOMMENDED RECOURCES:
» ‘THE VOICE PROJECT‘:
“In the fight against oppression and injustice, the first step is having the freedom to speak out, to raise one’s voice. Often it’s artists and activists who sound the alarm and call others to join in action. These early responders to injustice and oppression need to be able to do so free from persecution and prosecution. Movements and issues ranging from the environment to equality and fighting global poverty are dependent on the individual’s ability to advance these causes via this foundational human right; freedom of expression. Our goal is to be on the front lines defending those who use their voice to speak out.”
» ‘Say it in Saami‘ -website:
“Say it in Saami features the first online Saami phrasebook on the Internet containing informal language, and its goal is to help the endangered languages. You can listen to the phrases in North, Inari and Skolt Saami. The website also features five short documentary films, a quick guide to Saami culture and a soundboard in North Saami.”
» ‘The danger of a single story’, TEDTalk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:
“Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.”
» Anti-Rasicm Resource list
» ‘Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World’, by Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey:
“Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey is the first female fellow in the history of the National Geographic Society. Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey wants the world to remember the people who came before us. The actor-turned-anthropologist has made it her mission to find, preserve and share the knowledge and traditions of indigenous populations before they disappear.”
» About equality in music industry, awareness, respect, true creativity #sharethemicnow with India Arie, relating to #showmustbepaused and true allyship:
“This has been very heavy on my heart. This is a #sharethemicnow post in partnership with Angelica Ross and Hilary Swank. Listen with an open mind and heart. Love to all.”