Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.07.2017, Qupperneq 58

58 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 12 — 2017
Milk From Another
Planet—Strange
But Familiar
My Bubba on their interpretation of folk
music and life on tour
Words: Johanna Eriksson Photos: Terri Loewenthal
Icelander Guðbjörg "Bubba" Tó-
masdóttir and Swede My Larsdot-
ter grew up close to each other in
the southern part of Sweden, but
never met until Bubba responded
to My’s “roommate wanted” ad in
Copenhagen ten years ago. Bubba
moved in right away, and started
eavesdropping on My as she sang
while doing the dishes. Neither
one of them had a music career
in mind, but they
s t a r t e d p l ay i n g
and singing every
night after that.
It was the begin-
ning of a mean-
ingful friendship
and their journey
as the established
Scandinavian folk
duo My Bubba.
“ It w a s a l l a
coi ncidence a nd
feels a bit like it
was meant to be,
c on sider i n g ev-
erything that have
happened since,”
My s ay s . “Pl ay-
i n g f o l k m u s i c
w a s not h i ng we
actively choose to
do either. Bubba
sang a lot of Swedish folk music
when we first met, and I was lis-
tening a lot to American country
and bluegrass. It came naturally
that we started singing and writ-
ing songs based on those two
worlds.”
My Bubba have been called
this generation's Simon & Gar-
funkel, and others describe their
music as lullabies from the coun-
tryside. Asked how they them-
selves would put their work into
words, they refer to a friend’s de-
scription of their music as milk
from another planet—strange,
but familiar. “I think that’s a very
beautiful way to put it, and that’s
how it feels for us as well. Some-
thing very safe and sound, but yet
a bit mysterious,”
Bubba says.
Like a warm
hug
Fo l k mu s i c h a s
traditional roots,
but My Bubba like
to ex press these
t i m ele s s v a lu e s
i n a n i n t i m a t e
w ay. “We’re not
trained in tradi-
tional folk music
in that sense, but
have adapted the
American folk mu-
sic perspective and
its homeyness. It’s
a b o u t e v e r y d a y
p e o p l e a n d t h e
music that exists
in their homes with families and
friends. The expression is very
simple, direct and down to earth,
and we find our rendering still
relevant because it’s so personal
and based on our connection,”
My explains.
Thei r soon-to-be-released
self-produced album ‘My Bubba &
Elsa Sing Swedish Folk’, started
as a hobby project with Bubba’s
childhood friend Elsa Håkans-
son. “It ’s been something we
wanted to do for a long time—for
our future grandchildren,” says
Bubba. “But when we started re-
cording we felt the power of the
songs and wanted to share this
love project with everyone.” With
acoustic melodies blended with
harmonic and soft voices, the
songs feel like a warm hug.
Touring life and
unexpected meetings
My Bubba is already at work on
their next record, but they’re
currently on tour in the USA.
For them, life on tour differs
from the stereotypical picture.
Since they’re only two travelling
it goes quite smoothly getting
from one place to another, and
allows them to be spontaneous.
They’ve replaced hard liquor with
coconut water, and prefer find-
ing a yoga retreat, swimming or
hiking to partying into the early
hours. The duo seem to be value
a balanced and relaxed life for
body and soul. “It’s mostly about
finding something healthy to
eat, that’s still tasty. And we take
turns on kneading each other's
shoulders during long waiting
hours at airports,” My says while
Bubba adds: “Sometimes it can
of course be hectic, but we’ve a
pretty good time.”
That’s not to say that My Bub-
ba don’t get their share of crazi-
ness when out and about. “Most
of the time we meet exciting
people, and unexpected things
tend to happen almost every day,”
Bubba avers. We end up talking
about when they were touring in
the English countryside, and got
a text message asking if Bryan
Adams could call them.
“We thought it couldn’t be
that Bryan Adams. But it was,”
My recalls. The Canadian adult-
contemporary godhead wanted
to play a song with My Bubba at
a surprise party. My continues
the story: “There were no se-
cret areas at the location, so we
ART
The Scandinavian folk duo My Bubba
“Asked how
they them-
selves would
put their work
into words,
they refer to
a friend’s de-
scription of
their music as
milk from an-
other planet—
strange, but
familiar.”
THE HOUSE AT EYRARBAKKI

Árnessýsla folk museum is located in Húsið, the House, historical home
of the Danish merchants built in 1765.
Húsið is one of the oldest houses in Iceland and a beautiful monument
of Eyrarbakki´s time as the biggest trading place on the south coast.
Today one can enjoy
exhibitions about the story
and culture of the region,
famous piano, shawl made
out of human hair and the
kings pot, are among items.
Húsið prides itself with warm
and homelike atmosphere.
The Maritime museum is
close by where the beautiful
twelve-rower Farsæll is the
largest item.
A glimpse of the past lives of
Eyrarbakki´s villagers is what
meets the eye of the guests.
Opening hours: May 1st - September 30th daily 11.00-18.00 or by an agreement
Tel: +354 483 1504 & +354 483 1082 | husid@husid.com | www.husid.com
The House at Eyrarbakki
List of licenced Tour
Operators and Travel
Agencies on:
visiticeland.com
Licensing and
registration of travel-
related services
The Icelandic Tourist Board issues licences to tour operators and travel agents,
as well as issuing registration to booking services and information centres.
Tour operators and travel agents are required to use a special logo approved
by the Icelandic Tourist Board on all their advertisements and on their Internet
website.
Booking services and information centres are entitled to use a Tourist
Board logo on all their material. The logos below are recognised by the
Icelandic Tourist Board.
SUPER JEEP
DAY TOURS FROM REYKJAVÍK
ICELANDROVERS.IS • INFO@ICELANDROVERS.IS • TEL: +354 587 9999
VIÐURKENND
FERÐAÞJÓNUSTA
CERTIFIED
TRAVEL SERVICE
SILVER-CLASS
ENVIRONMENTAL
UMHVERFISFLOKKUN
Hað Bláa
The Blue Sea
restaurant with a view
483-1000 • hafidblaa.is
5 minutes from Eyrarbakki
at the Ölfusá bridge
483-3330 • raudahusid.is
10 minutes from Selfoss
and Highway 1 in Eyrarbakki
open daily 11:30-22:00
Traveling the south coast or Golden Circle?
Reykjavík
Eyrarbakki
Keavík
International
Airport
Vík