Sanyu // Partnerkonsert

Foto: Heidi Henriksen

In recent years, Sanyu has played at festivals such as Øya, Trondheim Calling, and regularly at jazz festivals in both Oslo and Copenhagen. Her debut EP, Now You Hear It, was described as "a testament to true artistry and dedication to the craft" by Beehype and chosen as the Norwegian pick for their collection of "Best Albums of 2024." Additionally, her music video for "You Don't Hear It (Do You?)" was selected for their collection of the best music videos from 2024. Nevertheless, the EP only offers a taste of what you can expect to experience live. It was released in October 2024 and followed by a tour with concerts in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the winter of 2025.

With a background in old school R&B and improvisation, her live performances are characterized by a soulful expression with warm harmonies, but also play with rap and groove-based riffs in a soundscape where the acoustic and electronic are tightly woven together. Her determined and exploratory soul, mixed with tactile spoken word and pounding jazz, charges the audience with an energy where the lyrics are the core of what drives her performances. In March 2025, she was awarded the Lyspunkt Prize by the Lyricist Fund for her lyrical work.

On stage, she is accompanied by some of the most distinctive musicians in the young Norwegian jazz and electronic music scene. Rino Sivathas on drums, multi-instrumentalist Kristina Fransson, and Joachim Mørch Meyer on double bass, exhibit both calmness and explosiveness in their music-making with each other.

“Definitely the biggest experience during the festival.” – Ellisiv Sunde Myrva, Bergens Tidene

“What a voice, with lots of dark glow, variation, and something heartfelt, and what an alluring and soulful expression, clearly drawing energy from all sorts of musical tension fields.” – Mads Kornum, All That DK

“She is impossible to categorize, but everything she does exudes musicality.” – Engelsholm Events