Niko Valkeapää

Niko Valkeapää
Valkeapää performing in Márkomeannu, Norway on 28 July 2008.
Background information
Born	(1968-12-30) 30 December 1968 Enontekiö, Finland
Genres	Yoik, Traditional, Folk music
Occupation(s)	Teacher, musician, writer and artist.
Instrument	Vocals
Labels	Duippidit
Website	www.nikovalkeapaa.no

Niko-Mihkal Valkeapää (born 30 December 1968 in Enontekiö, Finland) is a Sami musician and joiker (Sami folk singer).

Biography

Niko Valkeapää at Riddu Riđđu in 2009.

He has been described as "one of Sami music's foremost performers." Valkeapää has been living in Kautokeino, Norway since 1990. He is godson of Sami artist and joiker Nils-Aslak Valkeapää.

He won the Sámi Grand Prix (1994, 1995), received the Spellemann award in 2003 (open class) with his debut album, and the Liet Ynternasjonaal award, the international music prize for minority music. He has toured across Norway, including the Nattjazz festival in Bergen, and the Northern Norway music festival Riddu Riđđu in Manndalen, Norway. His work has been considered part of the "third wave" of modern Sami music culture, which he has done much work on, among others Georg Buljo.

Discography

• Niko Valkeapää, Duippidit, 2003
• Sierra, Duippidit, 2004
• Birrat birra, Duippidit, 2008
• Gusto, Duippidit, 2012
• ÄÄ, Duippidit, 2012
• Ráfi - Tranquility, Duippidit, 2015
• Gáldu - Source, Duippidit, 2019

Also appears on

• Beginner's Guide to Scandinavia, 3CD-set, Nascente 2011

External links

• A study of Riddu Riddu Festivála and its role as a cultural tool for ethnic revialization Riddu Riddu, Joik or rock-n-roll?
• Music Information Centre Norway; Niko Valkeapää: Niko Valkeapää, Listen to Norway continues with Niko Valkeapää: Niko Valkeapää
• Niko Valkeapää Folkelarm 2008