There’s a mountain cave on the island of Hestoy where they have concerts – it’s one of my favourite places to hear music. You get to the cave by boat, and then you sit in this little boat, deep inside the mountain in complete darkness, and just listen to the music, which resonates against the rocky walls. It’s a unique experience.
At last year’s G! Festival they had to move the stage back because the waves were getting too close. G! takes place every summer in my little hometown of Gøta, right on the beach. There’s a wide variety of music and just a fantastic vibe. Another wonderful festival is Hoymar, which takes place in winter. The word means “home”, and during the event, villagers open up their homes and local musicians perform inside their houses.
The Faroese music scene is flourishing. There are many great musicians, like Marius Ziska, a fantastic singer and songwriter. I love his beautiful songs – the sound of his voice and guitar gives me the chills. 200 are a Faroese punk band – I love the way they combine their political lyrics with dark humour. Guðri Hansdottir is another local singer and songwriter who produces beautiful solo music.
Closeness, warmth and generosity are what set the Faroes apart. There are 18 islands in total, and all but one is inhabited. About 50,000 people live there. We have a strong sense of our culture and value it greatly.
The bird life is fantastic on Mykines, the westernmost island. There are many beautiful spots on the Faroes but if I had to recommend just one, it would be Mykines. The village where I grew up, Gøta, on Eysturoy island, it’s very green, soft and gentle in the summer, and very rough and wild in the winter.
If you like spectacular food, try the Koks restaurant in Tórshavn. It specialises in Faroese cuisine with a modern touch, such as horse mussels with celeriac, lamb with kohlrabi, cod with herbs. Then there is the Barbara Fish House, which has a cosy, homely feel and does dishes such as fish balls with mustard, octopus, and halibut in oranges; and the sushi restaurant Etika. Both are in Tórshavn. Faroese food is delicious. People here eat a lot of fish, but my favourite dish is ræst kjøt, which is dried lamb.
After their traditional knitted jumper was worn by Sarah Lund in The Killing, designers Guðrun & Guðrun became incredibly popular. The brand’s all about beautiful clothing inspired by old Faroese patterns. There are some other great shops on the islands. One is TUTL, a wonderful little record shop with a warm atmosphere.
I love the National Gallery of the Faroe Islands in Tórshavn, which has some fantastic Faroese art. The Nordic House, also in Tórshavn, is one of my favourite music venues. It also hosts art exhibitions and theatrical performances so it’s a brilliant place to visit if you want to learn about the islands. And there’s a brand-new venue in the city called Reinsaríðið. It’s got more of a rock’n’roll vibe. I’m playing there in a few weeks.
With its Hawaii-inspired decor, Sirkus Föroyar in Tórshavn is one of my favourite places. It’s a colourful part-restaurant, part-bar, part-live music venue. I go to watch the DJs and fantastic local bands who perform there. It’s run by a close friend of mine and she has done a great job. You’re made to feel welcome, no matter who you are or where you’re from.
• Find out more about Eivør’s music at eivor.com
