A mythical Nordic world is made flesh and blood in VÍÍK's captivating folk music
With her project VÍÍK, Norwegian powerhouse Elisabeth Vik has established herself as one of the most compelling and captivating names on the contemporary Nordic folk music scene. Accompanied by a powerhouse team of Nordic musicians, VÍÍK's pan-Scandinavian sound and commanding stage presence has taken numerous festivals by storm and brought the ancient roots of Nordic to new audiences.
Misty landscapes and volcanic power
The love of her musical roots is combined with an infectious love of new perspectives and fairy tales, allowing VÍÍK to bridge the gap between past and present, but also between the different Nordic traditions that flow together in vibrant and organic synergy with the tremendous musicians that VÍÍÍK gathers around her. The dust of history is blown off the music, and the beautiful, raw and compelling stories of folk music are brought to modern audiences' eye level when VÍÍÍK take the stage. Backed by traditional folk instruments such as violin and cittern, VÍÍK paints evocative and mysterious landscapes which seem to emerge from the fog, but she also takes her music to playful and almost jazzy passages and screams out the bloody medieval legends of Nordic folk music with a volcanic power that can feel like being at a heavy metal concert in the Middle Ages.
An orchestra that combines beauty, ferocity and primal dramatics
Mythical figures emerge in flesh and blood, and you can practically smell the primeval Norse landscapes when you are swept away by VÍÍÍK's music. Many have already been, and VÍÍK has triumphed as an unrivaled live act that has played on some of the most important stages in the Nordic region. Her music has thrilled audiences at both traditional folk music festivals and at iconic festivals such as Roskilde Festival, where she unleashed a huge party in both 2021 and 2022 to great acclaim from critics.
VÍÍÍK's live performances have generally thrilled critics, who have highlighted her ability to unite the beauty and wildness of folk music. As the Danish music magazine GAFFA wrote, among other things:
"Singer and conductor Elisabeth Vik, who primarily sings in Norwegian, is a strong and natural center for the music. Her bright soprano always hits the nail on the head, and it is not only bright and beautiful, but also risk-taking and wild. You can clearly sense that Elisabeth Vik also dares the ugly and gruesome, and you can feel a primordial witch lurking just beneath the surface of her skin.”
Both seasoned folk music listeners and fans of rock, jazz and world music will find elements that excite in VÍÍÍK's rich musical universe, which invites you to connect and celebrate with an unadulterated joy of playing music. This is true folk music authenticity with a nerve and an uncanny ability to breathe life into rich Nordic traditions with a devil-may-care charisma. However, with a magical twinkle in her eye, VÍÍK is also happy to wear her own personal tall tales on her sleeve - which is entirely in the spirit of folk music! In short, the audience can expect a musical experience of another world when VÍÍK takes the stage.
"She lets out a wild roar reminiscent of Ronja the robbers daughters' scream and an orgasm. This forthright eruption is both overwhelming and captivating, and the audience are drawn deeper in to her story" - GAFFA
"...but on stage, the Danish-Norwegian band were like another group, explosive, intricate and exciting, seamlessly blending Scandi roots with fiery Near Eastern influences, sometimes echoing the global music of Loreena McKennitt. The Norwegian vocalist and frontperson Elisabeth Vik was utterly hilarious with her banter, and her voice – oh dear god, the range and the way she’d use every human sound imaginable in total control. Brilliant" - Folk Notes - review at Celtic Connections
"VÍÍK’s explosive and narrative expressivity was awe-inspiring and deeply fascinating - GAFFA
"The music is insanely well played and can go from sweet zither to blaring violins and heavy, menacing bass in the same track. Meanwhile, neat, presentable Elisabeth Vik growls animalistic and wordless sounds, It evokes memories of Mike Patton from Faith No More, when he is most Balstyrian, so that the hairs rise on sunburned necks from the primal force.- Peter T. Aagaard - GAFFA 5 out of 6 stars
"VIIK’s concert is inherently Human, with no holds barred. VIIK lets it all loose, even the ugly, aggressive and exuberantly childish, and in that sense VIIK feels like a remdemptive release. For the duration of the show, i am free to take up space, shout, scream and laugh loudly. VIIK is an explosion and this is not the last time I hear them live.- Josefine R. Skaaning - Resonator