For over a decade, Finnish singer-songwriter and kantele artist Ida Elina has reshaped Finland’s national instrument through rhythm-driven pop covers and original crossover work. Her percussive “slap style” technique — inspired by contemporary guitar approaches — pushed the kantele into new sonic territory, challenging long-standing national-romantic stereotypes. As Finland’s leading daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat wrote, “Ida Elina’s pop covers revolutionised kantele music.” With Under the Northern Skies, she enters a new artistic chapter.

The 37-minute album, consisting of 13 original compositions (the majority written by the artist), forms the musical backbone of the internationally awarded short film of the same name. Created in honour of the 190th anniversary of the Finnish national epic Kalevala, the album marks Ida Elina’s first full-length exploration into the world music field — and her first project drawing directly from the Kalevala as a central artistic source.

Rather than nostalgia, the work represents a conscious artistic expansion Drawing on Kalevalainspired texts and incantation-like melodic structures, the music blends ancient Finnish tonal language with the clarity shaped by her pop background. The result is a contemporary world music album where tradition remains alive and evolving.

Under the Northern Skies has also evolved into a concert work, performed both as a solo programme and in symphonic form. The album received its full orchestral premiere with the Tampere Philharmonic, marking the beginning of ongoing orchestral collaboration. In its concert review, Finnish daily Aamulehti praised the work’s “incantatory melodies and alliterative texts,” portraying Ida Elina as “a modern-day shaman updated for the 21st century,” while noting the orchestral depth of the kantele itself.