Hildá Länsman


Hildá Birget Länsman is a Finnish Sami singer who frequently performs with her mother Ulla Pirttijärvi, singing yoik-inspired numbers. In 2014, they formed the duo Solju, placed third with "Hold Your Colours" in the pre-Eurovision Finnish contest UMK in 2015. In January 2019, Solju received the Folk Music Creator prize at the Finnish Ethnogala. Solju also won the prize for the Best International Indigenous Release at the Canadian Indigenous Music Awards. The duo's début album Ođđa Áigodat was released in April 2018.

Biography

Born in Ohcejohka in the far north of Finland, Hildá Länsman is the daughter of the singer Ulla Pirttijärvi and Jari Länsman, a reindeer herder. She took to traditional culture at an early age, creating a yoik for the moon when she was just three. She later perfected her interest in music, studying for over two years at Helsinki's Sibelius Academy.
When she was eight, Länsman made her first recording, singing a yoik in the Mattaraki Askai album released by her mother in 2003. In 2011, together with Niillas Holmberg, she performed on Inger-Mari Aikio-Arianaick's IMA hutkosat CD. She and Holmberg went on to sing children's songs on a number of videos. She also sang the yoik song "Gudnejahtatgo" with Ailu Valle on his Dušši dušše duššat album. In 2014, together with her mother, she formed the duo Solju, which means brooch.
Released in April 2018, the album Ođđa Áigodat features Länsman and her mother. The tracks, all in the Sami language, is inspired by both traditional yoiking and contemporary pop. They include "Heargevuoddji", "Irgeávnnas" and the beautifully sad title number "Ođđa Áigodat".
Released in April 2019 the album Vildaluodda - Wildprint. VILDÁ is a blend of indigenous Sámi yoiks, grooving accordion rhythms and improvisation. VILDÁ's
debut album Vildaluodda - Wildprint is a journey to Sámi lands - the vast
landscapes, arctic hills and frosty winds.

Awards

In 2017 Hildá Länsman won the Intersection Prize awarded by the Global Music Centre at Finnish Ethnogala.
In 2018, Ulla Pirttijärvi and Hildá Länsman won the genre-free Vuoden etnotekijä prize awarded by the Finnish Music Publishers Association. In January 2019, Solju received the Folk Music Creator prize at the Finnish Ethnogala. Solju also won the prize for the Best International Indigenous Release at the Canadian Indigenous Music Awards.