Emil Kárlsen and Northern Sámi artist Elina Ijäs release “Giđa ávašta,” a folk single whose title translates to “one senses spring,” and the timing is exact. Released during the season of giđđadálvi, spring-winter, the song arrives as polar darkness gives way to returning light in the coastal region of Gáivuotna, where both artists have family roots and where the assimilation of the Sámi people once came closest to erasing the language entirely.
The metaphor at the song’s core is both simple and profound. Rays of sunlight reaching further down between tall mountains represent the return of the Sámi language to communities where it was nearly lost. “Giđa ávašta is a very symbolic song with many layers,” Kárlsen says, “telling our story from the past while upliftingly leading us toward the present and onward into the future.” It’s enchanting, grounded, and carries real cultural significance without ever feeling like a lecture. The music video, filmed by Marakatt Media and edited by Sverre Simonsen, matches its beauty.
The single previews Kárlsen’s first solo debut album ‘Nannámii,’ due September 25.