The Latvian Garland of Music in the World Scene

How Latvian folk songs met world musicians and transformed into an intercultural story

In Latvia, we have long loved singer Arta Jēkabsone and followed her journey with pride. She is one of those artists who carries Latvia’s name far across the ocean — to America, where she lives and creates, while always remaining in close contact with her roots. The last time we spoke with Arta was when she was nominated for the Grand Music Award, and even then, it felt like her path was only beginning to expand.

Now Arta returns with a special project — the album «Dziesmu kamoliņš» (Garland of Songs), which weaves Latvian folk songs with the sound of global musicians, contemporary rhythms, and an intercultural dialogue. This time, we talked about this unusual journey, the creation of the album, and how a Latvian can feel at home even on the other side of the world.

Well then, shall we talk about your album? «Dziesmu kamoliņš» — a delicate weaving of tradition and innovation, where folk melodies and stories meet a modern artistic vision!

The core idea of the album was to take the essence of Latvian folk songs and then dress them up in a different, more personal sound. This time, I looked for inspiration in various genres that have always been close to me throughout my life — something I like and that resonates with me: film music, jazz, some pop in that singer-songwriter style, even electronic and classical music. I tried to understand how to give each folk song what felt appropriate to me at the moment of creation, and how I personally hear it.

Sometimes the arrangements that emerged were quite a big experiment, even unexpected for me. The result wouldn’t be so diverse. Maybe «innovation» isn’t the most precise description, but the beautiful part was the opportunity to record this music with the most varied musicians from Japan, America, Thailand, Italy…

I think that essentially that is the innovative element, so to speak — this calling out to each other, the intercultural mixing, and the creation of fresher, slightly different tonal colors throughout the album.

Yes, your «party» is quite… large! Morocco, Japan, Italy, Latvia…

America, Thailand. I forgot something else… Argentina, yes! Well, basically, the musicians come from almost every continent in the world.

That must be pretty interesting for them too — to interpret such foreign music, as I assume Latvian music isn’t that common in America.

Yes, that process in general was very interesting. The idea was mostly in my head. The project started here in New York about ten years ago. As soon as I moved, I was offered opportunities to sing in many Latvian communities and organize concerts. I tried to make those programs more personal by playing music I liked. Also, I wanted to introduce listeners to jazz because I knew many Latvian communities here know classical and choral music very well. I thought — yes, maybe I could, in my own way, introduce listeners to jazz in a Latvian manner.

And then, somehow, those folk song arrangements were born at that moment — like an impulse: it could be very cool and interesting to do this. I also really like to arrange music myself. And then, over these ten years, I accumulated about 40–45 folk songs that I had arranged. From time to time, listeners would ask: «Well, when will there be an album? When will there be an album with Latvian folk song arrangements?» I hadn’t really thought I would record something like that. Until finally, at some point — it was during Covid — I realized: well, maybe it really is worth thinking about and recording an album. The initial idea, though, was that I would play all the instruments myself…

At first, it turned out like this — I had piano, violin, voice, some small percussion, a small ukulele (guitalele)… I played all of that myself. But then, listening to these recordings, I realized I was missing the human component. I need my friends by my side. Analyzing these already recorded songs, I visualized and heard who could join which composition, and who to ask. They were both close friends in music and simply in life, people who I knew would resonate with this. Then I sent the project and the audio tracks to each of them. The project was recorded separately — I recorded my tracks, and then everyone else slowly added their own instruments: bass, synthesizers, drums, etc.

It was basically a COVID project then.

Mostly, yes — it all happened remotely. That was interesting too! The Covid era taught us many things: using Zoom, video editing in Final Cut, and using Logic Pro in these situations. It felt like a good way to close one chapter and reflect on how we’ve been doing in recent years. Of course, it was a big experiment. I only roughly knew what the result might be, but there was a lot I didn’t know at all. And that’s probably where the beauty lies — the fascinating and unpredictable part for me: I send a piece without giving the musicians any strict direction on how to play. I said, «Go by feeling. What is it that you feel in this music?» They were sent the text, translated into English, so that they could understand the meaning. And then, based on that, they recorded their own parts, sent them to me, and then my production work began — deciding what to put where and when, what to highlight, and also what to take out… It was exciting and educational for me. I had a couple of songs where, listening back, I just cried — out of happiness. That feeling of gratitude that a musician caught it so precisely… and I’m sitting there completely overjoyed.

I remember very vividly the moment when Keita Ogawa — a Japanese percussionist and drummer — sent his percussion layers. The only thing I had told him was that this song could later turn into a kind of dance piece. It has a 7/8 time signature, all sorts of off-beat accents, and I imagined a massive dance ensemble dancing to it. He told me, «Say no more» — you don’t have to say anything else, I understand. Then he sent me a fragment closer to the end of the composition — that ocean drum part… I’m listening, and I get goosebumps, and I want to cry. I immediately wrote to him, knowing he was still working on the song: «You understood so well! You captured this music so vividly. Thank you for being part of this project.»

He was also very moved himself. He said it made him think about his own roots and about how important it is not to lose where we come from and how we can try to put that into our music.

That sounds like an adventure overall.

Oh yes, it really was. Initially, the thought was just to do something calm, but it turned into a truly challenging and spirited adventure together. And in its own way, a very emotional adventure. I genuinely don’t regret it for a moment. It was a good way to celebrate our Latvian folk songs and my home. It’s essential to maintain that connection and, perhaps in the future, give young people a source of inspiration — to continue developing, creating, and listening to music made in this way, so that our traditions continue to live.

Yes, I see that you were helped by the Latvian Foundation and the World Federation of Free Latvians’ (PBLA) Culture Fund and Council. What kind of organizations are those?

Yes, both of those organizations are related to Latvians abroad. The Culture Council of the World Federation of Free Latvians — it’s based in Canada, America, and also Latvia. It is essentially a fund that supports Latvians’ cultural projects and other initiatives. It seems to me that they are currently responsible for cultural events, are involved in various forums and educational processes, and are protecting Latvia’s independence. Basically, they help maintain this connection with Latvians worldwide. The Latvian Foundation supports cultural events, art projects, films, music, the promotion of Latvian education, and various other projects. They very often provide funding for, say, Latvian youth camps here in America and in Latvia. Then there is ALA — the American Latvian Association — which is another large organization. And there is also the cultural organization «Tilts» (Bridge), which is responsible for musical concerts in the US. So there are various structures. They are interested in seeing Latvian art continue. In my case, it was financial support that made this album happen at all. They are very lovely organizations.

Are those the same ones who organize the Song Festivals in Canada?

They help, yes — sponsoring, funding, advertising. It’s a genuinely fantastic initiative.

I don’t think too many other countries have such initiatives to help maintain national identity in the diaspora.

Yes, I think so too. In many places, from what I’ve heard and from talking to people, it’s more common for embassies to be involved, or for smaller organizations with specific support goals. But Latvians actively seek out opportunities to help their own. It’s beautiful. And what I really like about working with these organizations is that the feeling is very personal. You can meet those people, correspond with them—the emails are very warm, the atmosphere is like a family. That also isn’t typical for many organizations — to communicate so personally. Of course, one must also keep in mind that these Latvian organizations don’t have hundreds or thousands of people working there, but instead people who are genuinely interested in keeping that national identity alive.

And tell us about the songs themselves, please. How did you make the selection? Because I see both very well-known songs on the list — well, «Aijā žūžū» is like a lullaby anthem, I think. Of course, «Tumša nakte, zaļa zāle» — that’s also a very well-known piece. But there are also ones I’m seeing for the first time. How did you choose? What was the research?

Basically, by feeling. These songs have played a significant role in my life in various ways — both growing up and later, while researching. For example, «Aijā žūžū» was the first song I learned. My mom, godmother, and grandmothers sang it to me in the evenings when it was time to go to sleep. I basically grew up with this song, hearing it almost every night. And they had to sing it often, because I didn’t fall asleep the first time — it had to be repeated. It was also the first song I learned to play on the piano and later on the violin.

«Caur sidraba birzi gāju» — also one of the most sung songs in my childhood. I think we sang it in kindergarten and at home as well. The lyrics spoke to me very personally.

Then there is also «Sēju, rūtu, sēju mētru». This song is very special to me, and I actually discovered it here in America before the Covid era, when Rūta Muktupāvela and Valdis Muktupāvels were in New York, in Yonkers, and gave a concert and a lecture about folk songs. They had a lovely arrangement with the kokle. A few months later, I chose this song myself and started arranging it. I really like the theme of flowers — I often compare people to flowers: each one blooms, breathes, moves, and lives in its own moment.

«Dieviņu, tavu gaišumiņu» — that’s an original composition based on daina (folk verse) texts. There, Sintija Grigorjeva played some wonderful bass lines, Edo Gur played the flugelhorn in a Roy Hargrove manner, and of course, Keita Ogawa played imaginative percussion. A groovy piece. This song tells about all the bright celestial bodies — I like that theme in general very much.

We remember that from the album «Light»!

I think that theme always follows me — sometimes maybe more deeply within myself, but somewhere there it always appears outwardly too.

«Man dziesmiņu nepietrūka» is perhaps a less well-known folk song, but its message really speaks about how many songs every Latvian has, and the time comes when they must be wound up in one’s own spool of life and experience. This piece is also performed solemnly and lovingly with me by Sintija Grigorjeva and Italian percussionist Federico Nelson Fiervanti.

«Dziesmu kamoliņš» is also an original work. «Skaisti dziedi, lakstīgala» is based on a folk song, but I still call it more of an original work. This has also always been a beloved song from childhood. And, as I also write in the album description, in Latvia, the nightingale is the singing bird, and maybe there is also some connection to why I want to sing…

So there are original works there too! I got scared — I thought, oh boy, Arta, you compose, why not here?

No, no, there are. There are original works. It was interesting for me to put this folk song project together. It was around 2020 when I started to feel ready actually to create the album. Looking through the folk songs I had arranged up to that point, it felt to me — no, not yet. I don’t have that feeling that this is what should be recorded. I think that by 2021, I had already written a few demo versions to understand how it might sound. It’s interesting now to listen to the demos — how much everything has changed. Many of the songs have come out differently than they were initially conceived.

The song «Dziesmu kamoliņš» was actually the last song that concluded this adventure. In 2023, I participated in Becca Stevens’ songwriting courses — she led masterclasses specifically on songwriting. At that time, I had to plan a tour with the cultural organization «Tilts» — «Latviju Dziesmu kamoliņš.» When going on tours, I always have a task—to write a new composition or a new folk song arrangement. And «Dziesmu kamoliņš» was born thanks to Becca Stevens’ course and her task — to compose a song in a key in which I had never formed before. For me, that was B major. She asked us to either compose on an instrument we had never used, simply playing around, or to choose a key we hadn’t written in yet.

I was scheduled to write on my ukulele, but literally two strings snapped, and there was no time to buy new ones. A new piece had to be turned in every week; it was very intensive. Then I realized I would write in B major. And that’s how «Dziesmu kamoliņš» was born. The moment I started writing, I already knew I wanted to show it to our class — everyone in the course heard it and said, «This is a hit.» And the main thing was that most of them were Americans who didn’t speak Latvian, but it still worked emotionally. Then I realized — this song is the one that will pull the whole album together. It talks about the significance of folk songs in my life, about song in general, and about the very idea of a «spool of songs» — I really like the phrase «all songs are sung, now I wind them in Garland.»

Symbolically, songs are so numerous, and with each song, we grow or gain experience in some way. Everything we sing passes through us in some manner. We speak through our knowledge — that’s why we also understand the text more deeply, letting it through our feelings.

That winding of the spool — each song is like a memory, like an experience, like a moment in my life that was important, and at this moment, this song was by my side. Now it is all wound up in that «spool.»

I see you have three Latvians here — Jānis Rubiks, Sintija Grigorjeva, and Krišs Veismanis, who did the mixing. How was it to work with your compatriots again?

Jānis and I collaborate quite regularly when I go back to Latvia. Here, I specifically felt that «Aijā žūžū» could be a piece where he could carry the bass playing very personally and emotionally, as Jānis does.

As a new dad too!

Yes, exactly. That was beautiful. Sintija, on the other hand, is one of my closest friends both musically and personally. We have much in common, dating back to the days of the Riga Cathedral Choir School. Finally, it just so happened that a piece was created that simply had to be given to Sintija to play — and she did it perfectly, with her own style, with her own little «extra.» Recently, we also played together in a trio concert with Rihards Kolmanis and Sintija — the «Midnight Songsters Trio,» and the special guest was Ilona Kudiņa.

And, of course, Krišs Veismanis. He mixed and mastered my first album, «Light,» as well, and I wanted this collaboration to continue. I really like working with him — Krišs understands my music and sounds very well. I can trust him and rely on him to find a way to highlight what I hear in my head. This time, we ended up mixing most of the songs for the «Light» album. I managed to do part with him, but the rest he did while I was already back here in New York. He feels so well that he knows what I will like and what I won’t. He himself says at times, «Yes, yes, I thought this might not be your thing,» and he’s right. We have an excellent connection in music, that sense of trust, and we really work as a team. That is always important to me — that I can trust people and let them do their thing, rather than «stifling» ideas. It’s also important to me that this appears in the album — it’s a joint effort, not just my one head.

Do you plan to print CDs as well?

The CDs won’t be in the classic CD format this time. Dārta Galiņa and I are currently working on a booklet that will be like a small work of art, with a QR code, a link, and a code you can buy and use to download the album online. I see that many people no longer have players at home. The era of CDs has unfortunately passed a bit. Therefore, I’m thinking more about it as a physical, tangible thing — like a small work of art. Yes, people listen to the music on Bandcamp, Spotify, and other digital platforms anyway…

So, mostly, it will be a booklet with access to the album. And in the future, there is definitely a plan to release my first vinyl record too — I am seriously thinking about that. It was just a matter of looking at the finances to decide which direction to invest in right now. I hope the vinyl will be released together with a concert performance that I am very, very slowly working on.

Yes, that was my next question too — are you going to perform this live as well?

Well, that’s a big challenge because there are many vocal tracks and, in general, layers of musical instruments. It might even require a hefty ensemble.

Well, gathering a choir isn’t exactly the hardest thing to do!

Yes, a choir can be gathered. The idea is definitely to make a concert performance — this time, truly a performance, with lights and dancers — a larger project like that. Growing up, I was also around performances — dance groups, lights, a story — and I want to return to that. I think this project could be the one that helps «trigger» it — allowing me to work in an interdisciplinary way again.

We are planning, we are planning. Of course, a great deal depends on the financial side — how to put this multimedia experience together, because it’s not a cheap pleasure. But I hope that in a year, a year and a half… well, okay, maybe in two… it could happen as a celebratory concert — for the songs, for the album, and for everyone who comes to listen.