The Faroese musician Heiðrik á Heygum, who has been very active in the Faroese art scene in recent years, is now releasing his fourth LP, Heiðrik Sings the Björk Song Book.
With the album, Heiðrik wants to pay tribute to the Icelandic multi-artist Björk, who was his hero when he was growing up in the Faroe Islands. The idea was to work with Bjarkar’s unique compositions and interpret them in his own way. For the work he brought with him great artists who are Heðin Ziska Davidsen (guitar & recording director), Mikael Blak (bass), Magnus Johannesen (piano) Per I. Højgaard Petersen (drums) and Óskar Guðjónsson (saxophone).
Heiðrik says: “Björk was my hero when I was growing up. The Faroe Islands were a rather difficult place to grow up for a gay person in the 1990s. The society was old-fashioned and conservative, so Bjarkar’s music was a great comfort to me, knowing that she came from a similar country to me with a similar culture and language. This album is a kind of thank you letter to Bjarkar for being there in the music for a small queer boy in the Faroe Islands.
For many years I have dreamed of interpreting Bjarkar’s songs in my own way, and now together with these great musicians I have made arrangements that I am very proud of.”
Heiðrik is one of the new generation of artists from the Faroe Islands and is best known for his music, but also his artwork and films. It can also be said that he is the first queer symbol of the Faroe Islands.
Heiðrik graduated from Reykjavík University of the Arts in 2017 and has since made 4 albums that have been praised by critics around the world.
Heiðrik’s soft and expressive singing voice is melancholic, dark and magical. His inspiration comes mainly from classical music, film music, French 60’s pop and the cabaret music of the Weimar Republic. He has often been compared to singers such as Anohni from Antony and the Johnsons, Jeff Buckley and Roy Orbison. Heiðrik won the Faroese music award as “best singer” in 2017.
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