Greenland band Nanook draws attention after President Trump's threats

Nanook, often called Greenland’s biggest rock band, has seen a surge of international attention after President Trump’s threats to seize the territory, the band members said in a video call from Nuuk.

The five-piece, led by brothers Christian and Frederik Elsner, performs entirely in Greenlandic and has built an online following with poppy, melancholic songs and cinematic videos shot across remote ice-filled landscapes. The group is in the middle of recording an acoustic album that reinterprets older songs alongside new material; the brothers said the political dispute has been seeping into their songwriting but that the new lyrics are “not angry songs” and aim to calm people.

The band described the logistical challenges of touring in Greenland — traveling by boat, plane, helicopter, snowmobile and dog sled — and noted the costs and dangers of filming on location, including an incident when Frederik fell through the ice and was pulled to safety. They also said many people in Greenland are scared by the annexation threats and that the band does not want Greenland to become part of the United States.

Nanook hopes to release the acoustic LP by March; beyond that timetable, the band and the community said uncertainty remains about the political situation and the wider attention their music has attracted. “It’s been pretty crazy, actually. We’re not used to this attention,” Christian said.

Key Topics

Culture, Nanook, Greenland, Nuuk, Donald Trump, Christian Elsner