Sylfide

“Ten years ago, I stepped into a room filled with young people dancing. They weren’t dancing like in trendy clubs. No, they were performing traditional dances to the sounds of fiddle melodies. They moved in large circles, in rows, and in pairs, holding hands. I sat there for hours, watching, eager to decipher the intricate steps and patterns. I was captivated by the unfamiliar movements and melodies. It surprised me and filled me with awe to realize that this was also part of my cultural heritage. That evening marked the beginning of my journey to uncover whose shoulders I stand on. In the case of folk traditions, these aren’t giants but ordinary people from small communities.”

With these words, the young Danish musician Sylfide (Helene Dorthea Tungelund) describes her path into the rich folk dance traditions of her country. Her debut album, Blåt Lys (translated: Blue Light), is a collection of songs inspired by old Scandinavian dance melodies. In her music, Sylfide explores contemporary issues such as mental health, femininity, climate anxiety, and intergenerational differences. At the same time, tradition serves as the anchor that keeps her grounded. With Blåt Lys, Sylfide aspires to show how even the most fragile individuals can carve out a place in a sprawling, globalized world. There is solace in connecting with something greater—in Sylfide’s case, cultural heritage and a sense of belonging through folk dance traditions.

“I’ve discovered that cherishing my local heritage and the community I’ve found along the way makes it easier to coexist with everything else. It’s made me a better global citizen. Above all, it has helped me feel less alone in the world. Perhaps the album will even inspire listeners to explore their own roots or reach out to a stranger for a dance,” Sylfide shares with her audience.

The sound of Blåt Lys merges the raw textures of traditional instruments like the fiddle and Celtic harp with contemporary music production and ethereal ambient soundscapes. Recordings of dancing feet are transformed into minimalist beats, serving as a rhythmic reminder of the album’s folk-inspired roots. Sylfide fearlessly manipulates acoustic instruments, at times distorting them beyond recognition. The debut album is also staged as a musical performance, combining folk dance with portable electronic elements. The cover features two folk dancers in LED costumes, drawn from the performance that premieres alongside the album’s release.

Sylfide is the project of Danish singer, harpist, songwriter, and composer Helene Dorthea Tungelund. Through her fusion of traditional folk music and modern pop elements, she expresses her deep love for history and traditions in innovative ways. Sylfide is a former member of the Danish-German vocal group Nevesta’s Voice, which reinterpreted European folk songs and explored traditional polyphony. Today, Tungelund dedicates herself to her solo project, Sylfide, and was named New Danish Roots Artist in 2022. Tungelund holds a bachelor’s degree in contemporary music from the Royal Danish Academy of Music and a master’s degree in folk music from the Danish National Academy of Music. She is also part of the live ensemble of Danish electronic music pioneer Rumpistol and interprets Danish hymns in the cross-cultural ensemble ÆT, alongside Turkish-Danish saz virtuoso Orhan Turan and Israeli-Danish bandleader Yossi Karutchi.