Tallinn Music Week: Yours to Discover
Originally pubilshed in Eesti Elu /Estonian Life Nr. 16 2024
Once a year, during one week of early spring week, hundreds of artists, venue and festival bookers, artist managers, music supervisors, media, and thousands of music fans flock to Tallinn with two goals: to discover and to be discovered. Whether you seek new talent, inspiration, knowledge, performance opportunities, or the chance to break into new markets, you will find it here. Over the past 16 years, Tallinn Music Week (TMW) has become one of Europe’s music industry hotspots.
Tanika Charles performing at Made in Canada showcase at Tallinn music Week. Photo: Tanel Tero/ Tallinn Music Week
For the second year in a row Estonian Music Week teamed up with Women in Music Canada and Mundial Montréal for the Made in Canada showcase. This year marks 10 years of Canadians appearing at TMW, but we travelled all over to catch the most exciting new music.
With 8-11 showcases on each of the festival’s three nights, there is spectacular talent ranging from Estonia to Africa and Canada to the Balkans. Let’s dive right in as we bring you the highlights and who to add to your playlists.
The ones who got the most buzz
Night Tapes is one part Estonia, two parts UK. What started as housemates jamming at night in London has grown into a dream pop collective that blends genres and creates atmospheric soundscapes.
With lines outside of both Must Saal entrances, only about the first 100 lucky people in line got to experience their live show first hand. Many of the festivalgoers had to stand in line with the hopes of catching just a minute at the end of the set.
Track to listen: Night Tapes – Humans
Night Tapes on Intsikurmu Festival Stage at TMW. Photo: Elena Mkrtchian/ Tallinn Music Week
The one to watch out for
maria kallastu is a cool breeze of fresh Estonian art-pop, drifting over a delightfully smooth sea of R&B. Think peak noughties Maria Carey, if somehow Herbie Hancock was hanging out in the back of the studio. kallastu carries her catchy melodies with ease but also shines as a producer, channeling the familiar with just enough “weirdness” (as she terms it) to excite the ears. This elevator is only going up.
The one you need to hear live in Canada
This year’s festival presented an all-time-record number of Canadian artists – Aysanabee among eight others. While many Canadians have already taken note of Aysanabee’s incredible voice and storytelling, he has now made his first splash in this part of Europe. He is the first ever Indigenous Artist to win the JUNO Awards for Alternative Album of the Year and the coveted Songwriter of the Year award, for his latest EP Here and Now.
Catch him in Toronto on May 23rd, 2024 at Massey Hall, as part of a tribute to the late, great Gordon Lightfoot.
A treat for your ears: Aysanabee – Nomads
Aysanabee in Tallinn, the furthest place from home he has ever performed. Photo: Tanel Tero/ Tallinn Music Week
The one who melted our hearts
There’s no getting around the fact that Norwegian indie-soul artist Beharie is a charmer. The room of well over 500 TMW attendees stood captivated by the singer, who was only accompanied by his guitarist. There is something magical about Beharie’s reserved falsetto tones (invoking comparisons to Prince or D’Angelo). You can tell he’s holding back, but it is not until he finally belts the chorus of “Oh My God” towards the end of the set that you realize how much. Add in polished songwriting, a super likeable onstage persona and incredible musicality, and you’ve got a recipe for getting hooked.
Listen to this: Beharie - Oh My God
The ones with a success story from Estonian Music Week
It was a full circle moment when Erik Laar took to the stage in Tallinn with vinyls from VEMU Estonian Museum Canada’s archive in hand. VEMU is where the re-birth of Laar happened in 2021, with a one-off live-stream concert for Estonian Music Week (EMW). From those dusty vinyls grew a deeper connection to his Estonian roots and we’ve gotten to enjoy the interpretations of regilaul at the last two EMW festivals. Making connections with Estonian delegates at EMW 2023 culminated with a multimedia show at Erinevate Tubade Klubi for Tallinn Music Week. Next up for him is Jazzkaar on April 26th and 27th.
His latest release: Erik Laar – I begin
Erik Laar performing his multimedia set at Erinevate Tubade klubi during TMW. Photo: Tanel Tero/ Tallinn Music Week
Tanika Charles packing two venues at consecutive TMW nights is the result of a partnership between Estonians and Canadians that dates back to 2022. When EMW brought Lexsoul Dancemachine to Canada, we added Maya Kiltron as a guest. Behind the scenes, the groups’ respective management, Henrik Ehte of Funk Embassy and Michael Warren of Unique Applause (UA), hit it off. The two took the collaboration to new heights bringing both UA artists Kiltron and Charles to Tallinn.
TMW continues to prove why it’s the number one discovery festival in the Baltics, demonstrating its power to connect people to music. We are already excited for next year.