Sara Marielle Gaup is a renowned Northern Sámi musician and joiker who blends tradition with contemporary expression, and also works with duodji (traditional Sámi crafts). She is an activist with a clear decolonizing agenda in all her pursuits.
In addition to being an exceptional joiker, Gaup has been a pioneer in exploratory Sámi music through projects such as Adjágas, Arvvas, and OZAS, as well as working as a composer for film and documentary. In 2020, she opened the exhibition Nils-Aslak Valkeapää / Áillohaš at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, featuring new arrangements of Áillohaš’s songs and luohti in collaboration with pianist and composer Andreas Gundersen from Tana. She continues to build on the experiences gained from this work in her exploratory musical projects.
Gaup’s compositional process involves time spent in nature, the development of new melodies/luohti, and the exploration of various traditions for long-form Sámi experimental music rooted in the work of Nils-Aslak Valkeapää / Áillohaš.