January in Seattle is a mood. The light is thin all day, and by midafternoon it starts to collapse into night. It’s the time of year when any plan that involves leaving the house has to earn its keep.

This is where Nordic Pop comes in.

On Sunday afternoon, January 18, Seattle musician and producer Erin Jorgensen brings a one-off (for now at least) concert to the National Nordic Museum built around music by Nordic artists including Robyn, Lykke Li, Aurora, Björk, Jónsi, and Laufey. The lineup pairs five Seattle singers with a full string quartet and a three-person percussion ensemble, with arrangements created specifically for the project.

Jorgensen has been producing concerts in Seattle for about a decade, and Nordic Pop marks the first time she’s pulled this particular idea together. “This is definitely one of the biggest ones I’ve ever done,” she says.

The seed for the show goes back several years, starting as a casual, half-baked idea among percussionists she regularly works with. “We were joking about something like ‘marimba prom,’” she says. “Just taking pop music people love and reimagining it with this big group of musicians.” From there, Jorgensen focused on the music. An initial Aurora cover night—sparked by the artist she discovered through her nieces—expanded as she began grouping together other musicians whose songs shared a similar tone and feel. Nordic pop gave the project a framework.

“We’re calling it a dance party for a reason,” Jorgensen says. “Most of it is upbeat and pop-forward. There are a few songs that are more atmospheric, but it’s meant to feel uplifting, especially in January.”

The afternoon also features set design by Seattle artist Tania Kupczak, who created a large-scale Himmeli installation for the performance. Traditionally a Finnish ornament associated with good luck, the Himmeli also appears in other cultures, including Kupczak’s own Ukrainian heritage. “The version I have created for this performance is a modern pattern made of cardboard tubes and rope,” Kupczak says, “inspired by the colors of North Sea landscapes: a stark palette of greys and blues, bound together by the neon green moss that grows wherever it can thrive.”

The National Nordic Museum in Ballard is a natural fit for the show. “It’s such a beautiful building,” Jorgensen says. “You walk in and it feels like you’re in Europe. The space is perfect for this kind of concert.”

Though Jorgensen is a marimba player who grew up in Eastern Washington, started in marching band, and studied classical percussion at Western Washington University, she’ll mostly stay offstage for this one, stepping in only briefly.

“I’ve found a real niche in producing and promotion,” she says. Years spent working backstage, learning lighting and sound, and watching how performances come together made it easier to imagine projects like this. “At some point you realize these ideas can actually happen.”

That openness to new experiences and collaboration, she says, is part of what makes Seattle special. The music scene here may not be as competitive as larger cities, but that has its advantages. “People really want to work together,” she says. “There’s a community feeling, but the quality is still really high.”

Erin Jorgensen (second from left) performs with percussionists Rebekah Ko and Storm Benjamin during Good Vibes Only at Washington Hall in 2019.

Photo by James Holt

Good Vibes Only concert at Washington Hall in 2019.

Photo by James Holt

The concert features an all-local lineup, including singers Ali Griggs (Terra Nobody), Iris Kymm (Tiny Monsters), Jeanie Marinella (Heavy Bloom), Sarah Rudinoff—a longtime Seattle theater artist—and Nik Singleton (Midnight High). The music is arranged by Storm Benjamin, who leads Seattle Percussion Works, and cellist Rose Bellini. The ensemble includes members of Splinter Percussion (Mitchell Beck, Storm Benjamin, Rebekah Ko) alongside a string quartet featuring Quinn Price and Alina To on violin, Erin Wight on viola, and Bellini on cello.

Additional collaborators include costumer Siobhan Teahan of New Affection, stylist Oran Miller, and makeup and hair by Luce Cousineau.

Nordic Pop is recommended for ages five and up, with ear protection available for younger audience members. Jorgensen hopes people come ready to move. “It’s dreamy and pretty but also super danceable,” she says. “It’s exactly what you want before the sun goes down at four.”

Jorgensen has more projects in the works, with upcoming performances listed on her website. She also hosts Marimba Church, a weekly podcast released on Sundays that offers calm, lo-fi marimba music.

Nordic Pop is on Sunday, January 18, 2 p.m. at Nordic Museum, Ballard. Find tickets here.