When Sturle Dagsland describes conducting a two-hundred-dog choir in Greenland, he’s not joking. The Norwegian artist, who makes up half of the sibling duo behind the project, actually positioned himself in the middle of a small village, set up microphones, and got the sled dogs to respond to his howls like an orchestra following a conductor’s baton. That recording session tells you everything about how this project works: experimental, adventurous, and rooted in a genuine connection to the natural world.

Sturle and Sjur Dagsland released their second album, Dreams and Conjurations, on October 10, 2025. The brothers, based in Stavanger, Norway, have built their sound around an unusual combination: Sámi folk traditions from their northern Norwegian heritage mixed with instruments from around the world. On any given track, you might hear Swedish nyckelharpa, Norwegian goat horn, Chinese guzheng, West African kora, Hungarian cimbalom, and waterphone, all woven together with modern recording techniques and electronic elements.

Their 2021 self-titled debut earned them an Edvard Award for best Norwegian album of the year. The new record pushes even further, mixing avant-garde pop, folk music, metal intensity, and electronic soundscapes. It’s not the kind of album that fits comfortably into one genre, and that’s exactly the point.

The brothers see limiting themselves to one feeling or genre as dishonest. They’re not interested in playing just one style. They’d rather move through different emotions and let the music breathe in whatever direction feels right.

Their approach to Norwegian traditions comes through in songs like “Hallingen,” named after a folk dance that Sturle compares to Norwegian breakdancing. Dancers spin, flip, and jump to kick a hat off a stick. A few years ago, they performed at a museum opening with a halling dancer, creating music that captured the rhythm and energy of the tradition without being a strict replica. They also incorporated elements from their Sámi heritage, blending vocal styles and rhythms from their family background into something new.

The recording locations are worth noting. The brothers don’t stick to traditional studios. They’ve captured sounds in abandoned ships, remote villages, stormy clocktowers, and a water tower in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. Sjur points out that the Berlin space has a long reverb that inspires them to play differently. The acoustics actually change how they approach their instruments.

One of the album’s songs, “Whispering Forest, Echoing Mountains,” came from a chance encounter in Beijing. While touring China, they met a half-blind elderly man playing guzheng near the Forbidden City. He invited them to his home, told them he’d dreamed of Norwegian mountains despite never leaving China, and they jammed with him all night while his family brought dinner. The experience inspired one of the most-used instruments on the album.

Their collection of international instruments raises questions about cultural appropriation, but Sturle’s perspective is straightforward. Instrument makers are usually happy to see their creations being played and want their traditions to live on. He uses the guzheng in ways that don’t sound traditional at all. It’s about exploration and spreading the joy of music rather than claiming mastery or authenticity.

Working as siblings has its challenges. They used to share a tiny studio that doubled as Sjur’s bedroom, sleeping and creating music in the same cramped space. These days they live separately, though they’re still neighbors on the same street. The brothers perform mostly as a duo, though they’ll occasionally bring in dancers, visual artists, or multi-instrumentalist friends for special shows.

Looking ahead, they’re planning tours across Europe, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Brazil. Sturle has bigger dreams too. He wants to create a musical with a fantastic director, where he’d perform all the character voices in different styles. It would be surreal and fairytale-like, something imaginative and playful. Sjur has already decided his role: he’d be on a flying carpet.

For now, Dreams and Conjurations offers plenty: ambient whispers on “Windharp,” ceremonial chaos on “The Ritual,” and ghostly minimalism on “Kwaidan.” It’s music that doesn’t ask for passive listening. It demands you lean in and pay attention.

You can stream the album and follow Sturle Dagsland on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The actress steps into CBS’s iconic daytime drama, appearing opposite one of soap opera’s most recognizable leads.

By Emily Brown

In stepping into the world of CBS’s venerable daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful, Tullia Ferraro takes her place among television’s most enduring ensemble casts. Her scenes opposite Thorsten Kaye—who portrays Ridge Forrester, a character synonymous with soap-opera gravitas—demonstrate her ability to adapt seamlessly to a fast-paced production alongside one of the genre’s most recognizable leads.

Since its 1987 debut, The Bold and the Beautiful has become one of the world’s most watched daytime dramas, broadcasting in more than 100 countries. Its smooth production schedule, global syndication, and daily viewership make it a unique platform for actors to reach a wide, loyal audience. The show is known for glamorous fashion storylines, complicated love triangles, and the cliffhangers that keep viewers returning day after day.

Thorsten Kaye has portrayed Ridge Forrester since 2013, inheriting one of the show’s most iconic roles from Ronn Moss, and has earned critical attention in the genre, including Daytime Emmy recognition. His presence brings both dramatic weight and credibility to every scene—placing Ferraro in dialogue with not only a lead but a touchstone in daytime drama.

In her appearance on The Bold and the Beautiful, Ferraro shared a brief but memorable scene opposite Thorsten Kaye. Even in a short exchange, timing and presence are crucial in the fast-paced world of daytime drama, where production moves quickly and scenes are often filmed in a single take. Ferraro delivered her lines with clarity and ease, supporting the emotional tone of the moment and fitting seamlessly into the show’s established rhythm. Her ability to adapt quickly to the production environment and interact naturally with a lead actor underscores a professional ease that can make even a brief appearance stand out.

While many daytime actors rotate in and out, The Bold and the Beautiful is currently embracing location shoots and renewed narrative ambition. In 2025, the show filmed in Naples and Capri, Italy, injecting fresh visual spectacle into longstanding storylines and demonstrating its commitment to ambitious production. Those episodes are already generating buzz among fans, both for the romantic settings and the tensions that unfold overseas.

For an actress like Ferraro, being part of a soap in such a moment offers both challenge and opportunity: to perform amid location variation, outdoor dynamics, and in scenes that may find resonance well beyond a studio set. It is precisely during these high-visibility stretches that supporting actors can stand out—when lighting, setting, and narrative pressure combine to focus attention.

Ferraro’s role on The Bold and the Beautiful may have been brief, but it reflects her ability to step into an established world, work alongside respected leads, and bring professionalism to a tightly run production. In the high-volume, high-visibility world of daytime drama, even a short appearance can become part of the show’s ongoing narrative fabric.

When Vitaly Bulavin, creator of the entrepreneurial training program “Space for Development”, traveled with his team to Tanzania, he met musician Tryphon Evarist at the Sauti za Busara festival — one of the key components of the training program. Tryphon’s performance deeply impressed Vitaly and the entire team, inspiring them to share this remarkable musician’s talent with the world, beginning with the release of his debut album. Vitaly and his group of participants raised the necessary funds, and in May 2025, Tryphon’s debut album AMKA was released.

Since 1991, Vitaly Bulavin has been leading programs aimed at developing entrepreneurial capacity in individuals and organizations. He is the author of the training program “Openness to the New”, launched in 2003 at the request of a major company and later conducted in Moscow, Kenya, Tanzania, and several European cities. He also founded the initiative “ART for Management” — exploring what entrepreneurs can learn from artists.

Vitaly graduated from the Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology, later studied entrepreneurship at the Moscow School of Management, and completed internships in the USA, Japan, and Germany. In 1991, he founded the business school “Arsenal Managers’ School”, which he successfully sold in 2010 — completing the full cycle from business creation to sale.

What follows is our conversation with Tryphon Evarist about his journey, inspirations, and the meaning of AMKA.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your background and your professional path in music?

A: “I grew up in Kizimbani, a village in Zanzibar, surrounded by music and traditional arts. In 2013 I joined the Dhow Countries Music Academy, where I studied accordion, qanun, drums, dance, and theory. After graduating with a diploma and ABRSM Grade 5 in Music Theory, I stayed on as a teacher. Today I’m the Artistic Director at DCMA — which means I spend my days performing, composing, and guiding young musicians.”

Q: How did you first come to songwriting and performing?

A: “Honestly, it all started with learning from my teachers — masters of instruments like the accordion and qanun. Soon after, I began playing at festivals such as Zanzibar International Film Festival and Sauti za Busara. From there, the journey just kept growing — I was lucky to perform in Kenya, Switzerland, Uganda, the UAE, and even the Comoros.”

Q: What inspires you the most in your creative process?

A: “For me, inspiration comes from the tradition itself. Taarab is part of who I am, and I feel responsible to keep it alive while also letting it grow. I love mixing Swahili heritage with modern sounds, finding new ways to express it. And I always remind myself — commitment, hard work, teamwork, and believing in yourself can take you anywhere.”

Q: Can you tell us about your team — who is beside you on this journey, and what role do they play?

A: “My team is really the community at DCMA and the ensembles I work with. On stage, it can be up to 14 people — singers, guitar, violin, saxophone, keyboards, accordion, qanun, drums. Each person adds their own voice and energy. It feels like a family that carries Swahili music forward together.”

Q: What are your current projects, concerts, or events you’re preparing for?

A: “The biggest news is my debut album AMKA, which came out in May 2025. Before that, I had released a few singles — Pambana, Sofia, Maneno Ya Kuambiwa, Nitakuoa, and Mbalamiago. And just recently I was back at Sauti za Busara, which is always special — it’s like performing at home, but with the whole world watching.”

Q: Your debut album AMKA has just been released. What does this album mean to you personally?

A: “The Amka album means a lot to me, because firstly it is my first music album in my life, but it is also an album that I have launched after 12 years since I joined the Zanzibar College of Music DCMA. Secondly it is an album that has given me great respect, in showing my musical greatness and my greatness in organizing such events. Thirdly it has marked me as the first musician from Zanzibar to hold a big and prestigious launch.”

Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the title AMKA?

A: “Amka means wake up, this is an album that has launched with a mission to awaken listeners. Named after one of its standout tracks, AMKA — the album challenges the dominance of mainstream music promoted by TV and radios. It encourages audiences to open their ears and minds to the richness, uniqueness and depth of alternative musical styles. The album invites listeners to recognize and appreciate music beyond the commercial sphere, offering a fresh, powerful blend rooted in cultural authenticity and creative fusion.”

Q: Which track on the album feels the most personal or powerful for you, and why?

A: “All the songs that are on the Amka album have a realistic feel to them. But on my side, there is a song that when I sing it, I sing with a lot of emotion. The song is called Nivushe. Means Pass me. Because it is a song that I pray to my God to guide me safely through my life journey, so that I can fight and overcome all the obstacles that I face.”

Q: You’ve been praised for blending traditional Taarab with new elements. How does AMKA reflect that fusion?

A: “I am a musician who is currently responsible for flying the flag of traditional Taarab and Afro fusion music. So in any case, in some of my Fusion songs you will be able to hear the taste of Taarab even if it is a little bit, for example in the song Nivushe. I was able to use an instrument that is used in Traditional Taarab. But also even in the album itself, I did not stop showing the traditional music of where I come from, because the album was only for Afro fusion, but I also included my Traditional Taarab song. Not only that but even in my writing/lyrics I always look at all times. That is, the past, the present and the future.”

For Bulavin and his team, supporting Tryphon’s creativity became a natural extension of their philosophy: to foster growth, creativity, and the realization of meaningful projects.

Official links of Tryphon Evarist:

YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Official website of Vitaly Bulavin