Photo: CJ Utsi
Nils-Ove Kuorak
- 1994
- Juoigi
- Jiellevárri
Nils-Ove Kuorak is a sámi joiker and a duojár (sámi handicrafter), born and raised in Jiellevárri (Gällivare, Sweden). On his father's side he has both northern and southern sámi roots, and through his mother he belongs to Guovdageaidnu. He also has Julev sámi roots through his grandfather, so he has grown up with many regional Sámi customs and traditions.
Joik has always been very dear to him, and he has been joiking since childhood. Having grown up in areas where luohti has disappeared, he thinks it is important to strengthen this part of Sámi culture for the future.
«Now that our Sámi culture, life and lands are endangered, I think it is very important to show that we are here, and that we do not intend to let everything that is dear to us disappear.»
His uncle's wife Máret Ristiinna has been a great inspiration and guide. It was she who asked him to joik publicly for the first time at the Easter festival in Guovdageidnu in 2013. Nils-Ove has not been heard publicly again until 2024. He participated and won the Sámi Grand Prix in the traditional joik section with the joik "Njeallječalmmát". After the victory he has traveled quite a bit both in Sápmi and the rest of Scandinavia, giving concerts and small performances. He has also held workshops for children and young people where he talks a lot about how she started joiking and what he thinks about "luohti" (joik).
Nils-Ove's EP "Ealláš" was released May 1, 2026. It is produced and recorded together with producer Axel Andersson Utsi. Together they want to create live concerts where lights, images and other tools offer guests a concert with a greater experience than the music itself.
«What I think is important in my music, and perhaps a little special, is that all musicians are sámi. The aim is to show and highlight that sámi music can receive worldwide attention as well as other music, and that both Sámi and others should be able to listen to it and feel that it touches the hearts.»
When Jon Henrik Fjällgren was invited to host the Sámi Grand Prix broadcast in 2025, he invited Nils-Ove and Mikkel Mathis Hætta to participate in "Faamoen Vulie". This has been played on Spotify nearly 300,000 times since its release.