The Faroe Islands Podcast

Faroe Islands news, culture, politics, and music.

EP 375: G! Festival Preview, 2024 07/17/2024

EP 375: G! Festival Preview, 2024 It's festival season in the Faroe Islands, and our favorite three days in the calendar are pretty much here. We talk to the music director of the G! Festival about which bands to look out for at this year's event. And we are, indeed, still in fundraising mode. If you can help us reach our modest goal, you can throw some coins in the tip jar (or open guitar case, whichever metaphor works for you) at page. And thank you for everyone who has already donated. It has really made a difference. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/32173727

EP 374: Brimheim Comes Alive 07/07/2024

EP 374: Brimheim Comes Alive Brimheim is a Faroese/Danish musician who has a deep musical pedegree in the Faroe Islands. Last year, critics singled out her G! Festival performance as a highlight of the event. Following that performance, she sat down and talked to us. She talks to us about her journey to her triumphant G! Fest perfromance, and how she considers herself a Faroese nepo-baby, but also an outsider in the Faroes. Brimheim's latest album is called RATKING and it's getting positive notices on both sides of the Atlantic. Also, we've got a brief update on the resolution of the Faroese labor strike. We're also in fundraising mode. If you can help us fund this odd project we're involved with, head over to and show us some love. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/32038892

EP 373: Definitely Maybe 05/31/2024

EP 373: Definitely Maybe On this episode, we talk to Ragnar Olafson about his new book, Definitely Maybe. It's a book about music in the Faroe Islands and attempts to answer that age-old question: "How can a country so small put out so much music?" This is a subject that has intrigued this podcast for more than 15 years. We'll also hear a little bit from Ragnar's band Árstíðir. We'll also hear some sound recorded high atop a hill overlooking the strait that separates Streymoy and Eysturoy. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/31555447

Bonus: So where Have you Been? 05/31/2024

Bonus: So where Have you Been? On this mini-pod, we explain why there hasn't been a new podcast in the last five months. Unlike other episodes, there isn't much about the Faroe Islands. But never fear, a new podcast that has actual audio from the Faroe Islands has just posted, too. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/31555257

EP 372: Elin Sings... With Orchestra! 12/11/2023

EP 372: Elin Sings... With Orchestra! This week, we offer a very special episode of the podcast. We talk to Elin Brimheim Heinesen about her new album, which is a collaboraion between Elin, musicians, composers, and arrangers in three different countries, and Elin's late father Jens Pauli Heinesen. Elin has set some of her father's poems to music and set them to an orchestral arrangement. Also, she's translated those poems into English and recorded English-language versions of those songs. The album is gorgeous and emotional and we spend more than 30 minutes talking about how the album came to be, about the life and work of Jens Pauli Heinesen, and his impact on Faroese culture. We'll also hear some of the songs. We open with a bit of and and near the end you'll hear a little of . If you'd like to buy a copy of the album on vinyl or CD (and we highly recommend you do) . Also, Atlantic Airways has started selling tickets for its 2024 flights between the Faroe Islands and New York. If you'd like to learn more, head on over to the . /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/29015793

EP 371: The Words Don't Work 12/02/2023

EP 371: The Words Don't Work On this episode, we launch our 16th season of the podcast by tying up some loose ends from our last show, then we head to a church and struggle to describe some absolutely gorgeous music. If you want to see the highlights of the football (soccer, for all you Americans out there) match, you can . /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/28893768

EP 370: History in Flight, Football, and Flowing Water 08/09/2023

EP 370: History in Flight, Football, and Flowing Water On this podcast, we talk about history being made, both big and small. We start with a bried update on the remarkable rise of KI Klaksvik in the Champion's League qualifying rounds. They've already dispatched teams from Hungary and Sweden, and now stand poised to knock out a team from Norway. They've already become the first Faroese football team to qualify for the group stages of a European tournament. History, indeed. Then we talk to the CEO of Atlantic Airways about the historic opening of air service between the Faroe Islands and New York. And finally, we'll visit a long vanished river that has been brought back to life... in the form of a fountain. Also, we're still in fundraising mode and could definitely use your help to nudge us over the finish line. If you're able, please and show us a little love. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/27699861

EP 369: G! Festival 2023 Preview 07/06/2023

EP 369: G! Festival 2023 Preview On this podcast, we talk about the 20th edition of the G! Festival. We'll hear some of the artists who will perform in Gota next week, and hear about the amenities and atmosphere you can expect at the three-day celebration of music. After that, we'll hang out in a hotel lobby like we're Duke Fame (that's a deep cut). We're also still in fundraising mode. You can help us pay for another season of podcasts by and showing us a little love. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/27385554

EP 368: Salt 06/22/2023

EP 368: Salt On this episode, we visit an old salt silo on Suduroy that has been converted to a performing arts center. We'll hear our impressions of the place back in 2010, when it was abandoned and in pretty rough shape. Then we'll see how it's been transformed into what it is today. There will be music. There will be food. There will be a bit of vertigo as we ascend a small spiral staircase. What more could you want? Also, we're still in fundraising mode. If you can help us head back to the Faroes to record more episodes of this show, . /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/27237531

EP 367: FMX 06/08/2023

EP 367: FMX On this episode, we talk to Glenn Larson who heads up Faroe Music Export (FMX). We talk about the music scene in the Faroe Islands, the challenges of promoting music from a remote country, and how this Norwegian ended up living in the Faroe Islands. Also, we stand in a big parking lot where we can see both the future and the past of the Faroe Islands at the same time. At the top of the show, we announce our fundraising campaign for the year. We're heading back to the Faroes to record more episodes of the podcast, and we could use a little help. If you can help, . /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/27086664

Home and Away 28: Iuliia from Russia 05/25/2023

Home and Away 28: Iuliia from Russia On this episode of Home and Away, Stella talks to Iuliia from Russia. She's a professional volleyball player, an coach, and a... lawyer? That's right, she can spike whatever you set, then help you sue the other team because they were cheating. (Not absolutely sure that's the type of law she practices, but we can dream.) We'll talk sport, law, and what it takes to learn a language while also trying to play a team sport. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/26945850

EP 366: Faroese Film's Future 05/12/2023

EP 366: Faroese Film's Future On this episode, we finish up our conversation with Gudmund Helmsdal. He's the Faroese filmmaker whose short film "Brother Troll" has racked up awards at festivals around the world. He's also worked on "Peter Pan and Wendy" and the last James Bond film, both of which were partially shot in the Faroe Islands. We'll talk abotu the future of filmmaking in the Faroe Islands, and about plans for his first feature film. Then we go to a church and listen to music from our good friend Stanley Samuelsen, /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/26823783

EP 365: Brother Troll and Film in the Faroes 04/27/2023

EP 365: Brother Troll and Film in the Faroes On this episode, we talk to filmmaker Gudmund Helmsdal about his short film, Brother Troll, which has been hoovering up awards at film festivals around the world for more than a year. We'll talk about his journey to becoming a filmmaker, which started in the Faroe Islands and took him to Denmark and Austrailia before returning him to his home. Then we'll sit on a bench in Torshavn and think about change. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/26673801

Home and Away 27: Nordic Comedy with David and Eggert 04/09/2023

Home and Away 27: Nordic Comedy with David and Eggert On this special episode of Home and Away, Stella talks to an Icelandic and a Faroese comedian about an upcoming (now in the past) comedy show in Torshavn, and the gowth of comedy in both the Faroe Islands and Iceland. As always, if you'd like to hear the full episode with including the musical breaks, you can /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/26485434

EP 364: The State of Tourism 2022-2023 03/28/2023

EP 364: The State of Tourism 2022-2023 On this episode, we talk with the head of Visit Faroe Islands about the tourism industry in the Faroe Islands and how its holding up during the weird few years we've all lived through. We also talk about fun things to do when you're visiting in the winter. We also talk about the (almost) announcement of a new Atlantic Airways flight to New York, and we (almost) stand in the snow in one of the most touristed spots in the Faroes. Note: The story about the Atlantic Airways story could change at any moment. If there are updates, we will post them in the show notes here, and we'll also do a special podcast when the official announcement comes out. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/26369334

Home and Away 26: Nelia and Jan Erik 03/06/2023

Home and Away 26: Nelia and Jan Erik This week, Stella starts a new series of episodes where the talks to mixed couples about how they met, why they married, and why they chose to make their lives in the Faroe Islands. The first couple is Nelia and Jan Erik Niclasen. Jan Erik is from the Faroe Islands and Nelia is from the island of Saint Vincent in the Caribbean. They talk to Stella about how they met, why they decided to live in the Faroes, their time living in Denmark, and why they came back. If you'd like to hear the full, unedited version of this show, and hear more from the Home and Away archives, you can . /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/26137389

EP 363: Elections, The Aftermath 02/12/2023

EP 363: Elections, The Aftermath On this episode, we talk to Sveinur Trondurson about the results of the recent Faroese election. We'll get super-nerdy on the new coalition, the challlenges ahead for the new government, and we pour one out for Self Rule Party, which was one of the original political parties in the Faroe Islands, but was shut out in this most recent election. Then we'll visit a candidate forum at a university and think about small-scale politics. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25900974

EP 362: Election Night in the Faroe Islands 02/03/2023

EP 362: Election Night in the Faroe Islands On this episode, we cover the national election for the Faroese Law Thing. 160-ish candidates are running for 33-ish seats in the parliament. (There are 33 seats in the Law Thing, but ministerial jobs can push that number up a bit.) We'll visit a polling place, talk to a journalist and a candidate, then head over to the Nordic House and wait for the results to come in. It's a unique opportunity to view the Faroese electoral process as it happens. But this is a long episode so... pack a lunch. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25825803

Home and Away 25: Rosappin from Sri Lanka 12/31/2022

Home and Away 25: Rosappin from Sri Lanka This week, Stella talks to Rosappin Croos from Sri Lanka. Rosappin (who would likely be called Sister Rosappin in Sri Lanka) joined a convent in her home country years ago and was sent to the Faroe Islands last summer. She talks about her time growing up in Sri Lanka, getting used to the cold of the Faroes, and even speaks a little bit of Tamil with Stella. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25469202

EP 361: Christmas in the Dark 12/23/2022

EP 361: Christmas in the Dark On our special Christmas episode of the podcast, we capture some of the sounds of the Faroe Islands during Christmastime. We'll visit a museum in Surudoy, and we'll listen to lots and lots of music. This episode features a lot of music from a concert in Runavik that was being taped for KVF. You can . Watch the . Merry Christmas to all of you. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25421577

Home and Away 24: Christian from Argentina 12/19/2022

Home and Away 24: Christian from Argentina On this episode, Stella talks to Christian Imhoff about coaching volleyball in the Faroe Islands, growing up in Argentina, and the usefullness of Vitamin D. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25377033

EP 360: Election Preview Spectacular! 12/07/2022

EP 360: Election Preview Spectacular! Faroese voters head to the polls this week to chose who will represent them in the Law Thing. On this episode, we'll get an overview of the upcoming election with Sveinur Trondarson, he's the editor of Faroese newspaper . We'll also visit a candidate forum in Torshavn and trail our own Heri Simonsen as he casts an early vote at city hall. The Election is on Thursday, December 8th. No matter where you are in the world, you can watch live coverage of election returns on the . /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25248273

Home and Away 23: Melanie from South Africa 11/21/2022

Home and Away 23: Melanie from South Africa This week, Stella talks to Melanie Mellemgaard who was born in South Africa to a South African mom of Indian descent and a Faroese dad. Her family moved to the faroe Islands when she was in school. Stella talks to Melanie about the differences between the two countries and why cooking with butter just isn't the same as with ghee. Note: When this program aired on FM1, it had songs that we had to remove due to copyright restrictions. If you want to hear the episode with the music, you can listen to the original version streamed from the FM1 website . Also, we're close to reaching our fundraising goal for this year's reporting trip to the Faroe Islands. If you can nudge us over the finish line, visit our gofundme page and toss a few dollars in the tip jar. Thank you. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/25086321

Home and Away 22: Michael from Denmark 11/11/2022

Home and Away 22: Michael from Denmark On this edition of Home and Away, Stella talks to Michael Feldballe about growing up in Denmark, his life in the Faroe Islands, and the benefits of archery. For copyright reasons, we have to remove the music that plays during the breaks, which is a shame because it's quite good. But if you want to listen to a version of this show with the songs included, you can . Also, the Faroe Islands Podcast is returning to the Faroe Islands in about two weeks. This trip is rescheduled from it's original July dates. When we paused the original trip, we also paused out fundraising campaign. Now that it's back on, we're restarting that campaign. If you can help us out, please . Thank you. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/24984969

Various Updates, All Good 11/10/2022

Various Updates, All Good It has been a year of ups and downs for everyone here at Podcast HQ. So many swings that we had to suspend production of the podcast for a large portion of this year. On this short podcast, we answer the question many of you have been asking, "Are you okay?" We'll also answer questions like, "when are you going to put out podcasts on a more regular basis," "are you ever going back to the Faroes," and, "seriously, are you okay?" Not to give anything away, but the answers are all good. Want to make things more good? and kick in a few bucks and help us make our next reporting trip to the Faroes a success. (Okay, that was also kind of a spoiler.) /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/24963261

EP 359: Faroes Beats Turkey! 11/03/2022

EP 359: Faroes Beats Turkey! This week we talk to Heri Simonsen about the Faroe Islands Men's National Team's stunning 2-1 victory over Turkey in the Nations League and ask a previously unthinkable question: is the National Team actually good? /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/24891072

EP 358: On The Road With Eivor 09/01/2022

EP 358: On The Road With Eivor Eivor spent part of July and August on her first headlining tour of North America. On this episode, we hop in Eivor's tour van and travel from Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia. On the way, we'll stop in Seattle, spend WAY too much time at the Canadian border, and finally make it to the venue with not a moment to spare. It's a rare glimpse into the everyday life of a working band. Eivor will be touring Europe in September and October. You can Note: At the end of this episode, we day that this is episode 538. (Apparently we're subconsciously big fans of .) It's actually episode 358. These things happen. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/24234135

EP 357: The Olavsoka Cloth 07/28/2022

EP 357: The Olavsoka Cloth We're taking a brief hiatus from our hiatus to bring you this Olavsoka-themed episode. This time out, our good friend Andrias Høgenni takes us to the Torshavn Cathedral to show us a special altarpiece made just for Olavsoka. We'll hear a little music from the historic 2012 Pride rally (which takes place one day before Olavsoka) and feel all warm and fuzzy about the national holiday. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/23883915

The Long, Hot Bummer 07/05/2022

The Long, Hot Bummer This episode is short, but after you listen, you may consider that a blessing. On this show, we make a bunch of unhappy announcements about this year's reporting trip, and the near-term future of the podcast. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/23638484

EP 356: Dánjal Poulsen and the WW2 Museum 06/17/2022

EP 356: Dánjal Poulsen and the WW2 Museum On this episode, take a tour of the World War Two museum with Dánjal Poulsen. We'll learn about the history of the war that many outsiders may not have even realized touched the Faroe Islands. Heri Simonsen is also on hand to take us to the village that once housed the British officer's quarters. /episode/index/show/faroepodcast/id/23460170

The Faroe Islands Podcast

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