About Erika & Cecilia

“Two virtuoso-driven musicians who transcend local dialects to create a formal language entirely their own, a unique sound built on the foundations of tradition… This is magnificent music!” (Upsala Nya Tidning)

Uppland-based musicians Erika Lindgren Liljenstolpe and Cecilia Österholm deliver powerful, emotive folk music with immense intensity and energy. Their music is built around two acoustic instruments (fiddle and nyckelharpa) and their voices, which complement and enrich one another in a tight, intricate interplay—both in traditional tunes and their own original compositions. 

Formed in 2002, the duo has toured extensively both in Sweden and internationally. Their performances have spanned everything from concert halls, churches, and dance floors to a 2023 appearance on the iconic TV show Allsång på Skansen. They have also graced the stages of some of Europe’s premier folk and world music festivals, including Kaustinen and Rudolstadt. The duo has received prestigious awards and grants from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee and STIM, and they have been honored as cultural scholarship recipients by both the Municipality and Region of Uppsala. Their accolades include the Musikens hus vänners Great Grant and numerous individual distinctions, such as the title of National Folk Musician (Riksspelman), the Päkkos Gustaf Honorary Award, and the Manifest Prize. Erika and Cecilia have also collaborated with Benny Andersson (ABBA), notably as members of the group Systerpolskan. They occasionally perform as a trio with Mats Bergström, one of Sweden’s most renowned guitarists, who features on their latest album, Någonstans i rymden (2023). This record centers on the duo’s original musical settings of the poetry of Edith Södergran.