From the deep woods now emerges Birna, Wardruna’s sixth studio album. Through his restless dialogue with nature, main composer Einar Selvik has been searching for the voice of the bear, resulting in this upcoming release, scheduled for January 2025.
Birna – the she-bear in Old Norse – is a work of art dedicated to the guardian of the forest, nature’s caretaker, and her battles here on earth. Slowly driven out of her habitat by modern day societies, she has entered a stage of permanent hibernation. As a result, the forest is gradually dying, longing for its pulse and heart – its shepherd. Birna calls for her return.
“Where the previous album Kvitravn was a step conceptually from the past to the present, Birna even more so seeks to address the here and now and the way forward,” states composer Einar Selvik.
Alongside the album announcement is a new single and music video for “Himinndotter,” the song constitutes a search and a calling for our lost sister of the woods. Composer Einar Selvik states “Himinndotter (Sky-daughter) is part of a six-song exploration of the bear on Wardruna’s upcoming album Birna (She-bear). The title plays on the globally common notion of the bears mythical origin as a celestial being. Himinndotter features a guest appearance of the Norwegian choir Koret Artemis.”
The video for “Himinndotter” is filmed in Rondane National Park in Norway and is once again directed by Wardruna’s longtime collaborator Tuukka Koski, and produced by Breakfast Helsinki and Ragnarok Film.
“For a long time, I knew the main theme and framework of this album but finding its voice and words was in many ways my main challenge. The more I thought, read, and researched, the more I realised that this album should mainly have contemporary focus. Unraveling the long and entangled history of the relationship between man and Bear and contemplating the present state of how we humans relate to the wild in general.” – Einar Selvik
TRACKLIST
1. Hertan [video]
2. Birna
3. Ljos til Jord
4. Dvaledraumar
5. Jord til Ljos
6. Himinndotter [video]
7. Hibjørnen
8. Skuggehesten
9. Tretale
10. Lyfjaberg [video]
PRE-ORDERS FOR BOTH ARE NOW AVAILABLE
Wardruna live in 2024/2025
USA & Latin America 2024:
03 Oct – Morrison (CO), USA – Red Rocks Amphitheatre with special guest: Chelsea Wolfe
06 Oct – Mexico City, Mexico – Auditorio BB – SOLD OUT
09 Oct – Santiago de Chile, Chile – Teatro Caupolican
12 Oct – São Paulo, Brazil – Terra SP
Europe 2024:
07 Nov – Milano, Italy – Teatro Degli Arcimboldi
08 Nov – Zurich, Switzerland – The Hall
09 Nov – Paris, France – Salle Pleyel with special guest: Jo Quail – SOLD OUT
11 Nov – Hamburg, Germany – Laeiszhalle – SOLD OUT
12 Nov – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom
14 Nov – Lyon, France – Amphithéâtre 3000
15 Nov – Frankfurt am Main, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle
16 Nov – Nürnberg, Germany – Meistersingerhalle – SOLD OUT
17 Nov – Wien, Austria – Konzerthaus
19 Nov – Brussels, Belgium – Cirque Royal – SOLD OUT
20 Nov – Halle, Germany – Händelhalle
21 Nov – Prague, Czech Republic – Forum Karlin
23 Nov – Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli Vredenburg – SOLD OUT
24 Nov – Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli Vredenburg – SOLD OUT
26 Nov – Düsseldorf, Germany – Tonhalle – SOLD OUT
Australia & New Zealand 2025:
23 Jan – Melbourne – Palais Theatre
25 Jan – Sydney – Enmore Theatre
27 Jan – Brisbane – Fortitude Music Hall
30 Jan – Auckland – Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre
UK & Ireland 2025 (with special guest Jo Quail):
17 Mar – Liverpool –Philharmonic
18 Mar – Birmingham – Symphony Hall
19 Mar – London – Royal Albert Hall
21 Mar – Bristol – Beacon
22 Mar – York – Barbican
23 Mar – Dublin – Olympia Theatre
25 Mar – Glasgow – SEC Armadillo
Norway 2025:
26 Apr – Oslo – Operaen – SOLD OUT
27 Apr – Oslo – Operaen – SOLD OUT
29 Apr – Trondheim – Olavshallen
02 May – Kristiansand – Kilden
03 May – Stavanger – Konserthuset
04 May – Bergen – Grieghallen
Europe 2025:
07 June – Reyjavik – Harpa
30 Jul – 03 Aug – Rasnov – Rockstadt Extreme Fest