About

Leana.Island is a singer-songwriter from Saaremaa, an island on the west coast of Estonia, in the heart of the Baltic Sea. In recent years, Leana has turned more deeply toward composing her own songs, delving into the art of vocal expression and exploring the voice as an instrument for conveying the depth of the soul. She continues to discover new ways of singing, giving her music a rich, evolving character. These days she is mainly playing in duo with Estonian chromatic accordion player Kulno Malva, but her musical journey began in the enchanting world of traditional and folk music, performing with various ensembles. With her main past projects — Estonian-Belgian indie-folk band Estbel and the duo Leana & Hartwin, featuring Belgian diatonic accordionist Hartwin Dhoore — Leana has graced the stages of numerous prestigious festivals, including Viljandi Folk Music Festival (EST), Viru Folk (EST), Hiiufolk (EST), Setofolk (EST), Dranouter Festival (BE), Folkfestival Ham (BE), Underneath the Stars Festival (UK), and Music on the Marr (UK). She has also embarked on several club tours across Europe, expanding her musical reach.

Throughout her life, Leana has been fascinated by two profound aspects of existence: the nature surrounding us and the nature within us. Both are beautiful, wild, dangerous, and soothing in equal measure. On her home island, the four seasons offer a striking contrast when observed closely, a reminder of the deep synchronization possible between people and the natural world, following the same waves and cycles. At the same time, human nature—with all its complexity—is a phenomenon unto itself, full of emotion and unpredictability.

Leana has been influenced by a diverse range of artists over the years. One of her earliest inspirations was Sigur Rós, followed by musicians such as Kate Rusby, Gabriel Yacoub, Didier Laloy, Soig Siberil, Glen Hansard, Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Ólafur Arnalds, Ben Howard, and Leif Vollebekk. These artists have inspired not only her appreciation of music but also the creation of her own. Leana has long been an admirer of beauty in minimalism, a quality that is often reflected in her songs—soft, easy, and accompanied by simple lyrics. Yet behind the apparent simplicity of her words, entire worlds of meaning are waiting to unfold.

Another constant inspiration for Leana, since her childhood, has been the harmony of voices—not just in music, but in nature and in the world at large. Her search for harmony in melodies and vocal arrangements has been a central focus of her work, seeking to create harmonies that resonate deeply and make the heart sing along.

With her thoughtful lyrics, gentle melodies, and warm, ethereal voice, Leana brings the essence of her Nordic roots to life, allowing her profound connection to nature and human emotion to radiate through every song she creates.