ADVERTISE
CONTACT US
SUBMISSIONS
  • News
    First Aid Kit

    HNNY Remix keeps the summer glow alive / Turning Onto You

    Berry Soul

    [VIDEO] Berry Soul: A Soulful Ode to Love / No Words


    Parasto Sazvar

    Parasto Sazvar Revives ’80s R&B Vibes / Don’t Wanna Be Friends

    Anna Emmeluth Quartet

    Anna Emmeluth Quartet premiere with Jazz classic / Bye Bye Blackbird

    Gregory Hutchinson’s Nu-Soul Gem Shines / New Dawn

    Band Of Pockets cover art

    Band Of Pockets elevates the heart and soul with their latest single

    Efia Abu

    Efia Abu & Drömbandet debut with impressive full-length single

    Woman in orange dress

    Adeé unveils her powerful ballad / falling falling

  • Reviews
    • All
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
    • Single / EP Reviews
    Coco O

    Sharing is Caring – Coco O.

    Cover art for Leah

    Zzz – LEAH

    The Soul Of The Viking - Soul Tune Allstars

    The Soul Of The Viking – Soultune Allstars

    Album cover image

    Songs People Together – August Rosenbaum

  • Features
    • All
    • Interviews
    • Scandinavian Soul Sessions
    • Soul Talk

    Scandinavian Soul drinks perfect for a refreshing summer night

    Vira Milton

    Vira Milton: The Emerging Sensation of Jazzy Soul in Stockholm

    Home listening

    Home Listening: 5 Tips for Maximising Your Experience

    Stylish black girl in shades

    [INTERVIEW] Behind the video with RÜ

    Black & white soul singer

    Soul music – the sound of societal change

  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Music Awards
    • Scandinavian Soul Festival 2013
  • Artists / Bands
  • Videos
    • Playlists
  • Shop
    • SOUL SHOP
      • STYLE
      • MERCHANDISE
      • VINYL
      • BOOKS
      • SALE
No Result
View All Result
0

No products in the basket.

  • News
    First Aid Kit

    HNNY Remix keeps the summer glow alive / Turning Onto You

    Berry Soul

    [VIDEO] Berry Soul: A Soulful Ode to Love / No Words


    Parasto Sazvar

    Parasto Sazvar Revives ’80s R&B Vibes / Don’t Wanna Be Friends

    Anna Emmeluth Quartet

    Anna Emmeluth Quartet premiere with Jazz classic / Bye Bye Blackbird

    Gregory Hutchinson’s Nu-Soul Gem Shines / New Dawn

    Band Of Pockets cover art

    Band Of Pockets elevates the heart and soul with their latest single

    Efia Abu

    Efia Abu & Drömbandet debut with impressive full-length single

    Woman in orange dress

    Adeé unveils her powerful ballad / falling falling

  • Reviews
    • All
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
    • Single / EP Reviews
    Coco O

    Sharing is Caring – Coco O.

    Cover art for Leah

    Zzz – LEAH

    The Soul Of The Viking - Soul Tune Allstars

    The Soul Of The Viking – Soultune Allstars

    Album cover image

    Songs People Together – August Rosenbaum

  • Features
    • All
    • Interviews
    • Scandinavian Soul Sessions
    • Soul Talk

    Scandinavian Soul drinks perfect for a refreshing summer night

    Vira Milton

    Vira Milton: The Emerging Sensation of Jazzy Soul in Stockholm

    Home listening

    Home Listening: 5 Tips for Maximising Your Experience

    Stylish black girl in shades

    [INTERVIEW] Behind the video with RÜ

    Black & white soul singer

    Soul music – the sound of societal change

  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Music Awards
    • Scandinavian Soul Festival 2013
  • Artists / Bands
  • Videos
    • Playlists
  • Shop
    • SOUL SHOP
      • STYLE
      • MERCHANDISE
      • VINYL
      • BOOKS
      • SALE
No Result
View All Result
0

No products in the basket.

No Result
View All Result

Gothenberg Festival gets Soulful

Scarlet Pleasure / Under The Palm Trees

A Grade


Andy Collins by Andy Collins
08/06/2014
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Pinterest

“Look, I still have my backpack,” says the smiling, blonde Danish singer who is causing quite a stir in soul music circles. Having just literally returned home to Aarhus after performing in Copenhagen, I was pleased that she had time to meet with me. “Last night at VEGA was amazing!” she continued.

Her name is Ankah, and with her band, they are called Ankah Jua. Jua means Sun – and Ankah is like her real name: Anna Kathrine.

Ankah only recently turned 20, and I first met her at the Scandinavian Soul festival of 2013 in Horsens, where she was enjoying the atmosphere of the debut event. By the end of the festival, she was onstage and very much a part of the late-night jams. A couple of her tracks like ‘Change your mind and Give in’ were already drawing attention with her neo-soul inspired sound. Since then, things have moved swiftly and a number of interviews and concerts quickly followed.



“I’m pretty overwhelmed, says Ankah, it has just gone so fast. This is our 6th concert, and so far, all the festivals have invited me. Spot Off was the first festival and then two days later; I was at the Spot festival. It’s made for new upcoming artists, but they also have some big names. It made my name come out too. We hadn’t played a lot before that, but we had received a good response from everybody.

I’ve written a lot of things but the seven songs I’ve written are the first I’ve finished, and now I’m performing them in front of a live crowd. I believe I’m going to get much better over time, and I’ve learnt a lot about my strengths and weaknesses on stage.”

We’re sitting at the back of Godsbanen, a newly established centre for cultural productions in Aarhus, in an inspiringly creative new development with skateboard areas, soft sand, and converted ship containers. Aarhus is the second-largest city in Denmark and is also home to Nanna B. The city is a vibrant mix of youthful energy, due to the large number of students here all with an energetic pulse. The weather is exceptional, and Ankah smiles warmly and openly as we chat, but explains she’s actually private and reserved, but she gives her all when she sings.

“I’m enjoying it right now and I say to myself, you’re here to sing and you’re here to enjoy what you do, otherwise all the nervousness would ruin the moment. You have to enjoy what you do. It has to be an effective balance.”

ankah

Ankah’s grandfather is a Violinist, however, her love for soul music came from her brother who introduced her to Hip-hop and then to acclaimed US artists like Erykah Badu and D’Angelo.

In the beginning, Ankah was shy about her music but had to learn to draw attention. It doesn’t come naturally to her, and it was difficult for her to even create a Facebook page, but she has learnt that people like the fact that she wants to get out to them and they support her music.

“The music I make isn’t like traditional Motown, and it’s not DJ electronic R&B, and it’s also a bit different from old school. It feels right for me. The studio versions are more hip-hop beats and then live it’s something else, the band they play the samples live.  I like to try different things and evolve through that.”

Lyrically, Ankah writes in English and it would have to be a conscious decision to write in Danish.


“I didn’t listen to a lot of people singing Danish, and I wasn’t inspired by it, I was inspired by English. You have to do what you feel is the right thing for you”

ankah

Right now Ankah is planning her EP and is excited by the image of someone listening to her music while riding in the woods, cooking or even doing the dishes – things in everyday life.

“I’ve been talking about making something with the band to make it more organic and more soulful, but it’s a different way to work with an entire band in the studio. It’s the reason I started differently, that’s the only thing that has been possible because it’s expensive and I don’t currently have a studio. 

But I know great producers with great beats, and I love hip-hop and it was the natural thing to do. Now I have the band together, it would be amazing to do something with them. It’s like D’Angelo and the way he records his music, there’s energy in the music when there’s a real person behind the instruments. I like both ways, but when it’s not something made on the computer, right on time, when there are some vibrations, some life, I’d really like to try that.

Right now I’m currently finishing school, and in the summer I’m looking forward to using all my time with music and not just my spare time in between assignments.”

I offer my congratulations as she tells me she has just been accepted in the Music School (MGK), which is extremely difficult to achieve due to the number of people who compete for a place, and the high level of the entrance exam tests. What makes it extra special for Ankah is that she has never been to a music school before, and having now been tested by professionals, received top grades in the exams.

“Your friends can say you’re good, but coming from them it’s different.

I’m really looking forward to having all these lessons; to learn which muscle does what, and to learn a variety of instruments. I definitely want to improve.”

Ankah explains that she has to leave as she has an exam in the morning, and after a few photos she swings her brightly coloured backpack over her shoulder and leaves me to explore the rest of this creative city alone.

I know for sure though, this isn’t the last time I’ll be seeing or listening to Ankah.

https://soundcloud.com/ankah-jua
https://www.facebook.com/ankahjua
https://twitter.com/ankahjua

Top Photo: Rasmus B. S. Hansen – www.terranaut.dk
Photos: Andy Collins

Tags: Ankahinterview
Jaya May Jaya May Jaya May
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Stylish black girl in shades
Features

[INTERVIEW] Behind the video with RÜ

by Andy Collins
18/04/2023
Johan Nilsson
Features

[INTERVIEW] Behind the groove with Band of Pockets

by Andy Collins
24/08/2022
Aureola
Features

I wanted it to sound like the feeling of running your hand over silk – Aureola

by Hannah Mannheimer
29/06/2022
Naomi Vaughn
Features

‘We just broke out laughing and kept laughing’ – Interview with Naomi Vaughn

by Andy Collins
21/06/2022
Load More

Discover more

Coco O
Album Review

Sharing is Caring – Coco O.

First Aid Kit
Latest News

HNNY Remix keeps the summer glow alive / Turning Onto You

16/09/2023
Berry Soul
Latest News

[VIDEO] Berry Soul: A Soulful Ode to Love / No Words


14/09/2023
Prev Next

Archives

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

  • ❤️There’s a chance this album Zzz by @leah.band will fly under the radar, no thanks to its cover art, which would be a shame as it’s a collection of soulful music as only heard in Scandinavia. Take a listen and follow @leah.band. They won’t put you to sleep! 😁❤️❤️🔥🔥#scandinaviansoul #soul #norwegiansoul #norwegiansoulband #newmusic #listen #music #band #leahband #musicnews #artist #love #instagram #soulmusic #scandinavia #norway #norwegian #musicpromotion
  • Do people still listen to albums from edge to edge? We hope so! The Soul of The Viking, the new album from Swedish band @soultune.se Will remind you of how much music you can miss if you listen to tracks in isolation. 
We took a listen an gave it a full ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Have a read but importantly take a listen and follow @soultune.se. Nothing but sweet soul vibes! ❤️❤️❤️🔥#scandinaviansoul #soultunerecords #newmusic #albumreview #soul #instrumental #swedishsoulmusic
  • So while on summer holiday we decided to celebrate the season with unique drinks with a Scandisoul twist! The recipe to make them all is now on the site and even included a perfect scandinavian soul track to go with it such as the dreamy Summertime by @madisenjanemusic but by all means discover your own. The drinks were delicious and a lot of fun to make - without too much washing up afterwards! 😂 Big love and hugs to @hannah.mannheimer for all your help😍Drink responsibly, have a great summer and always stay soulful!! Cheers!! Skål! 🥂
#scandinaviansoul #drinks #soul #summerdrinks #nordic #summervibes

Little extra details…

  • Our services
  • My account
  • Customer Service
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Behind the scenes

  • ABOUT US
  • EVERYTHING SCANDINAVIAN SOUL IS AND ISN’T
  • JOIN OUR TEAM

stripe

© 2023 scandinaviansoul.com. Design by 68-design.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Single / EP Reviews
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • Soul Talk
  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Festival 2013
  • Videos
  • Playlists
  • Artists / Bands
  • SOUL SHOP
  • Cart
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • About us
Close