Discovering Denmark: Six Women Defining Copenhagen’s Music Scene
Design by Evan Tom
By Evan Tom
In the landscape of left-field indie music, few cities are sparking as much intrigue as Copenhagen, Denmark. A recent surge of talented artists has put the Danish capital on the map, pioneering a distinct sound that fuses ethereal, dream-pop qualities with electronic experimentation. The rise in global recognition is no coincidence—it’s the result of a rich, collaborative network fueled by a DIY philosophy.
With growing acclaim from outlets including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian, Copenhagen’s scene is hard to miss. Digital streaming platforms are also taking notice, with Spotify debuting a playlist called “CPH+” that spotlights the emerging Danish talent. While ranging in genre, each artist’s music possesses an immersive, three-dimensional quality that constructs an atmosphere you can inhabit. At the heart of this world are six women who’ve quickly become fixtures of its forward-thinking sound. Here are the voices that should be on your radar:
ML BUCH
Photo by: Edwina Hay
Genre: Electronic | Alt-Pop
ML Buch – “Can’t Get Over You With You”
Marie Louise Buch, better known as ML Buch, is a Danish composer, producer and vocalist who synthesizes lush pop arrangements with overt electronic sensibilities. With the longest footing in the game, Buch has become a figurehead of Copenhagen’s freshly-pioneered spirit. Buch’s work is both sonically and environmentally driven, constructing shimmery worlds anchored by emotionally resonant lyrics. She released her debut album, Skinned, in 2020, followed by her sophomore album, Suntub, in 2023, both of which received critical acclaim. Everything about Buch’s work is beautifully textured, combining instrumentals that glint like sunlight on water with her voice that projects with weightless clarity.
Buch’s approach to work is slow and intentional. Suntub was methodically crafted over five years, three of which were spent by the ocean in Denmark’s countryside, where she drew inspiration for the album’s sound and themes. While her debut Skinned used futuristic pop to dissect online life and technological desire, Suntub explored the physical world, exploring raw elements through abstract themes. These themes are captured in the imagery of her song “Fleshless Hand,” where she sings, “I wanna stretch myself out / Stretch out on heads and wavy spines / A sea of hazy facial lines / That take on a copper shine”— lyrics that visualize the organic, topographic landscapes her music carves.
Her most recent single, “getting to know each other,” was released as part of piano1, a collection of solo piano music featuring other prominent artists like Ichiko Aoba and Mark William Lewis. Buch described the piece as “a dialogue between different piano elements and deals with both the euphoric and confusing awkwardness of getting to know someone new.” Existing in both sharp electronic production, stripped down instrumentation and everything in between, Buch continues to push boundaries with her distinct vision with live performances at renowned venues and festivals across the globe.
ERIKA DE CASIER
Photo by: Colin Solal Cardo
Genre: R&B | Trip-Hop
Erika de Casier is nothing short of a world builder. The Portuguese-born, Copenhagen-based singer, songwriter, and producer established her credibility as an artist with her acclaimed 2019 debut album Essentials, a record completed during her time at Copenhagen’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory. The record pays homage to the shimmering instrumentals of Y2K R&B, paired with witty lyrics about modern romance.
After her debut, de Casier meticulously expanded her sonic world with two subsequent albums, Sensational and Still, honing a style characterized by sticky melodic hooks and atmospheric production. Her expertise in crafting catchy melodic phrases led her to co-write several songs on K-pop act NewJeans’ EP Get Up with peers Fine and Smerz, earning them a Danish Music Award for Danish Songwriter of the Year in 2023.
This steady rise to the forefront set the stage for her most confident work yet, Lifetime. Before its release in May 2025, de Casier sold the album through a series of unlabeled cassette tapes on Bandcamp, teasing the surprise release of the project. The album synthesizes moody trip-hop rhythms, deep basslines and her signature lyricism, earning praise for its confessional depth and flawless production.
De Casier recently wrapped a run of live performances, opening on select dates for Lorde’s Ultrasound World Tour and headlining sold-out shows across North America. Her tour concluded at New York City’s Outline Festival, where she performed alongside Smerz, Fine, Clara La San and Urika’s Bedroom at Knockdown Center. With this successful tour behind her, de Casier is preparing to perform at Pitchfork Festival London in November, amplifying her identity as an artist in command of her evocative universe.
FINE
Photo by: Ursula Marcussen
Genre: Dream Pop | Folk
Fine is the solo moniker of Copenhagen-based songwriter and producer Fine Glindvad Jensen, whose work blends ethereal vocals with folk-tinted instrumentals and subdued electronic textures. Her dreamy, gauzy production feels timeless, creating an immersive sound where delicate melodies merge with atmospheric moods—a sound Stereogum simply calls “absolutely fucking gorgeous.”
Her 2024 solo debut, Rocky Top Ballads, introduced a distinct folk flourish to the city’s music scene. The album, praised by outlets like Pitchfork and The Face, embeds childhood memories of her bluegrass musician father into a foundation of ’90s rock-inspired production. Her music drifts with dreamy nostalgia, channeling the same energy as acts like Mazzy Star to create something that feels personal and timeless. On top of solo work, Fine lends her talent as the soft, guiding voice behind the mysterious project The Crying Nudes, a collaboration with elusive artist Dean Blunt.
Following Rocky Top Ballads and her series of work with Dean Blunt, Elias Rønnenfelt, and Astrid Sonne, Fine continues to hone in on her sound with three recent singles, “Run,” “I Could,” and “Portal,” teasing a new upcoming project. Fine’s cult following and sold-out shows are a testament to her influence as an artist.
ASTRID SONNE
Photo by: Conrad Pack
Genre: Ambient | Electronic
Denmark-born, London-based violist and composer Astrid Sonne draws on her classical training to reimagine minimalist synth-pop, transforming it into expansive compositions. With an ear for intricate layers, Sonne deftly fuses electronic elements with her instrumental roots, crafting atmospheres that navigate emotional states of being. A key collaborator and influence on her evolving sound is ML Buch—a university friend whose experimental approach has shaped several of Sonne’s projects. Additionally, she and Fine share a joint project, Coined, which debuted in April 2025 at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts with the single, “Your House,” for a Scenic Route label compilation album.
Sonne released her first album in 2018, Human Lines, and has released two more since then; the most acclaimed being her 2024 album Great Doubt, where The Guardian says she “manipulates stray elements of 20th-century modernism and beyond to illuminate her curious, elliptical songs.” In previous work, Sonne masterfully cut through ambient electronic textures with the stark sound of her viola acting as the voice of the work. However, Great Doubt marks a significant shift toward direct, intimate lyricism, resulting in a deeply human conversation.
Following the Great Doubt, Sonne released an edited version of the album featuring remixes from an impressive roster of contemporaries, including Blood Orange, Lolina, Smerz, and ML Buch. Sonne is a native when it comes to playing on stage—creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere where compositions envelop each listener. There’s no doubt that Sonne is one of the most compelling live performers on the map, translating her honest, yearning work into a shared experience.
SMERZ
Photo by: Benjamin Barron and Bror Augus
Genre: Art Pop | Electronic
Smerz – You got time and I got money
Emerging with their pulsing single “Because” on SoundCloud, Norwegian duo Smerz—comprised of Henriette Motzfeldt and Catharina Stoltenberg—have since come to the forefront as Copenhagen’s resident avant-garde creatives. Their angular sound, which draws from the worlds of classical, R&B and hard electronic music, defies easy categorization. With warped, distorted vocals and deconstructed pop schemes, Smerz crafts a sound that is both abstract and hypnotically evocative.
Across two EPs, four albums, and a string of singles, the duo has demonstrated remarkable conceptual range. In 2024 alone, they wrote and produced a choral album for the Norwegian vocal ensemble GAEA and released an EP chronicling the career of a fictional pop star named Allina. This ambition crystallized on their latest album, Big City Life, which was crowned “Best New Album” by Pitchfork. The album, which features the viral single “You Got Time and I Got Money,” fabricates an operatic, art-pop world based on experiences in New York City and their hometown of Oslo, distilling the hazy bustle of urban life into an intoxicating and romantic listen. Smerz’s rise is arguably the quickest on this list, with celebrated features in Vogue, Stereogum, and Paste praising their production, styling and spellbinding performances. They have taken to prestigious stages worldwide, from the Tate Modern and Berghain to the Pitchfork Festival. On their sold-out North American tour, which ran concurrently with peers Erika de Casier and Fine, the duo gained attention across social media at their show in LA by bringing American alt-pop icon Sky Ferreira on stage—a display of their growing influence on both artists and audiences in Copenhagen and beyond.