Flowers of the Forest is a musical journey created and composed by Sigmund Vatvedt and Rutt Treima. The group combines various musical expressions, cultures and languages. It bridges the ancient and modern, inspired by folklore and traditions spanning the north, south, east and west. The songs express the beauty of nature and the creative Life Force. The lyrics speak of the hearts longing to be free. At its core, the music embodies a deep spiritual calling which comes to life through the melodies, harmonies and sounds. It is a powerful creative expression, a prayer for the souls yearning to awaken and live life fully.
Sigmund was born in Norway and began his musical exploration as a child. By the age of 12 he was playing classical guitar, which lead to a deeper exploration of his musical studies in college. At 21, he moved to India to study sitar and dilruba where he spent 1,5 years transforming all his belief systems and former education of music. In 2006 he was diagnosed with MS, lost his ability to play guitar, and was condemned to a life in a wheelchair, which initiated a deep journey of healing and self exploration. He heard the calling and decided to go to the Amazon rainforest in search of healing. There he received the gift of total restored health and was completely healed. This great transformative miracle deeply affected all aspects of his life and shines through his music and compositions.
Rutt was born in Estonia to neohippie parents that used to sing freedom songs and were part of a local independence movement. Expelled from the former Soviet Union led to a life in various countries in the world and a love for different cultures and traditions. Music has always been a big part of her life, growing up with three musical sisters, playing piano and singing in choirs. She is a devoted student of the mysteries of Life, travelling the different dimensions of the inner and outer landscapes. The spirit of freedom and compassion is clearly present in her voice and her music. She is also a doula and a visual artist, channelling messages through paintings, poetry and sound.
Sigmund and Rutt were brought together in 2011 by a synchronistic orchestration of events and have ever since journeyed side by side, co-creating the expression through sound and music as Flowers of the Forest. Their music has been described as medicine, contributing to the ceremonial healing atmosphere of sound.
Their upcoming debut album “The Calling” is the result of many years of searching for the Great Spirit. It is an invitation to the listener to undergo the journey of self exploration, transcendence, inner peace and connection to nature.The album is a multilingual meeting of ethnic traditions, medicine music and the singer songwriter genre. Flowers of the Forest creates a sound that is genuine to the source and weaves a unique story between indigenous and western cultures.
The first track to be released is “The Calling”. The song’s genesis was born at the River of Jordao, in the Brazilian Amazon where Sigmund has spent long periods studying with the native people and was completed in Norway. The song merges various indigenous shamanic cultures of the north, south and west and is a call for the spirit to awaken from the deep slumber of modern life. To begin the journey of attaining freedom and the meeting point between polarities. To awaken the indwelling divinity that lies in the heart and soul of all Life.
More about Flowers of the Forest: