Quick Facts
Biography
Ulla Pirttijärvi is a Sami joik singer from the village of Angeli (Sami: Aŋŋel), Finland. She began her career with the music group Angelin Tytöt, but left soon after to pursue a solo career. She performs traditional joik music with Western arrangements of contemporary instruments.
Biography
Ulla Pirttijärvi was raised with joik music and chanting. As a young child, Ulla listened to her mother and uncle sing stories to her, and she chanted along; by age ten she was singing on her own. She then started performing in public with a group of young girls who called themselves Angelin Tytöt.
Ulla is very involved promoting Sami culture and Sami self-rule. At 20, she composed and produced Honkonk Dohkka, an album full of songs aimed at children to teach them the Sami language and the Sami world experience, which won the cultural prize given by the Sami Council. The CD was followed up by an accompanying book, published by the Sámi University College in Norway. Today, Ulla lives with her husband Jari, daughter Hilda, and son Nilla-Ande in Utsjoki.
Discography
- Ruossa Eanan (Russian Land) by Warner Music (1998)
- Mattarahku Askan (To Foremother's Lap) by Warner Music (2002)
- Áibbašeabmi (Longing) by Vuelie Music (2008)
- Ulda (Huldra) by Tuupa Records (2012)