Duo Ruut, from the northern coast of Estonia, will release their new, full-length album “Ilmateade”, or “Weather Forecast” in English, on 12 June, 2025. Almost every song deals with the weather, either directly or metaphorically. In the songs, which are based on traditional Estonian texts, the weather becomes a changing character that has a surprising impact on our everyday lives.
Although Duo Ruut’s roots are deep in Estonian tradition, their music crosses genre boundaries and draws influences both from contemporary songwriting, and other cultures. Because the music is created with a single instrument, the zither, its core is minimalist, but full of inventive melodic solutions. The end result is a sound that is both traditional and modern at the same time.
Ann-Lisett Rebane and Katariina Kivi began working together in 2017. Duo Ruut have toured over 20 countries, and performed at top international festivals. Their music has been featured by KEXP, BBC, Mojo, Songlines, NTS, and The List, among others. This summer Duo Ruut will also perform in Viljandi on 26 July at 19:30. The concert will be a part of Viljandi Folk, Estonia’s preeminent folk music festival.
