Varna Marianne Nielsen

Varna Marianne Nielsen is an outstanding figure on the Greenlandic and Nordic music scene. She comes from a background deeply rooted in the East Greenlandic tradition of drum dancing and drum singing, and she works tirelessly to preserve and raise awareness of this heritage. However, it is her electronic crossover works from 2023 onwards in particular – beginning with Pilarnga – that distinguish her artistic voice. 

Varna wrote, performed, recorded, and produced the EP Sila herself. In her compositions, she blends drum singing, contemporary songwriting, field recordings, and electronic music into a deeply original expression unlike any other. Her music reflects the meeting of tradition and modernity, the human and the digital, nature and the urban. 

Alongside her music, Varna works with dance, costume design, and video art, all of which are interwoven in her concerts to create powerful interdisciplinary experiences.

During the recent period of political tension surrounding the United States’ interest in Greenland, Varna has also made her mark through a series of strong and defiant singles asserting Greenland’s right to self-determination.