Unmistakably Nordic in flavor, Sofia Talvik somehow still conforms to American interpretations of her own original music, a North Sea siren blending sparkle and melancholy. A veteran performer with 9 full length albums as well as numerous EPs, singles and tours behind her.
Growing up in Sweden her music has always had a special tint of her Scandinavian heritage, making her a favorite among music lovers.
Primarily a live artist, Talvik has taken her music across Europe and through 48 U.S. states, riding in her 1989 Winnebago Warrior with her husband at the wheel, digging deep into the American sound and channeling it through her Nordic roots to create a singular brand of Americana. Talvik releases all of her music on Makaki Music, a record label she started early in her career to maintain full control over her own recordings. While her Swedish roots serve as the basis for her songwriting, she often calls upon her many journeys and experiences for inspiration, especially the uniquely American archetype of roaming the endless highway.
Living like a musical nomad, moving from place to place, slowly but steadily building her audience through her heartfelt and personal performances she got to experience the USA in a way few people do. The people she met opened their homes and hearts to her and some of them even made it into her songs.
Talvik has released 9 full length albums and countless singles and eps. She has performed at festivals ranging from Lollapalooza to SXSW. She has opened for Maria McKee and David Duchovny, and has collaborated with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, as well as Tobias Fröberg (Peter Bjorn and John), who produced her 2008 LP Jonestown. She has also released 2 albums in Swedish as part of the New Acoustic duo Hansan with German cellist David Floer.
Some highlights:
April 2015 Sofia’s 6th studio album “Big Sky Country” was released. The album was appointed 4th best Americana album of the year by U.K newspaper The Telepgraph.
After having continued her tradition of releasing an original Christmas song, every year for over 10 years, Sofia released her Christmas album “When Winter Comes” in 2017. The album reached no 5 on Folk Radio Charts in the USA, and Sofia was the 3rd most played folk artist of the month of December.
The 2019 album “Paws of a Bear” gained a lot of critical acclaim in both the U.S and Europe, charting on the top lists of U.S Folk Radio, Roots Music Report and Euro Americana Charts. The first single “Take Me Home” stayed in the top 10 of U.S Folk Radio Charts for several months.
The free standing single “Too Many Churches” that was released in the Fall of 2022 reached no 3 on Folk Radio Charts. It is now included in the album “Center of the Universe” released 2023. The album was considered for a Grammy nomination in the category Best Folk Album, and reached top 20 on Folk Radio Charts in the USA.
Voices about Sofia’s music:
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”Swedish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sofia Talvik has been making fine albums for many years now, but this self-produced latest entry may be her best to date. Her angelic vocals, which sound redolent of early Marianne Faithfull, remain a major asset, as are her original songs, which combine lilting melodies with frequently profound lyrics. Too few artists today offer protest material, but Talvik seems to have picked up the mantle from singer/songwriters like Joan Baez, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Pete Seeger with antiwar numbers like “Circle of Destruction” and “Boy Soldier.” -Americana Highways
“A keen songwriter, the indie folk artist crafts beautiful soundscapes of subtle, rootsy timbres that place the pristine storyteller’s voice at their center. In this case of developing savvy arrangements that highlight her haunting vocals, the roots music that Talvik develops is of a similar tapestry to Joni Mitchell, tapping into that same knack for soul-stirring clarity and resonance. Between, however, is something of a different nature. Open-air production sets the scene for an evocative and atmospheric release from the Swedish folk artist.” – PopMatters
“Sofia Talvik’s anti-war stance, “Circle of Destruction,” is an exception. Here is a gorgeously performed song about the inevitable annihilation of a war-torn world, and yet, few artists feel inspired to write their own. While we should be ashamed of having so few protest singers, we should be glad of Talvik’s efforts.” – Alt77
“With somewhere in the neighborhood of a dozen albums under her belt, she has become a model of how someone from a different country can come to America and support themselves while cultivating an international fan base.” – American Songwriter Magazine
“Paws of a Bear, finds Talvik taking a more Americana-flavored approach — influenced by Jason Isbell, Valerie June and others” – Billboard.com
This album is a calming, timeless, ageless, innocent and beautiful masterpiece. – Robs Raw Music
DISCOGRAPHY
Center of the Universe (2023)
Paws Of A Bear Unplugged (2020)
Paws Of A Bear (2019)
When Winter Comes (2017)
Acoustic (2016)
Big Sky Country (2015)
FOLK (EP) 2014
Drivin’ & Dreaming LIVE (2013)
The Owls Are Not What They Seem (2012)
L.O.V.E (EP suite 2011)
H.A.T.E (EP suite 2011)
Florida (2010)
Florida Acoustic (2010)
Jonestown (2008)
Street of Dreams (2007)
Blue Moon (2005)
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