Nordlys Global Voices Series: Amanda Pascali

Amanda Pascali draws from multiple traditions and makes them her own.

Born into a multicultural family with roots in Egypt, France, Italy, and Romania, she grew up navigating different languages, histories, and identities. That sense of movement between worlds shapes her songwriting. It is very personal, direct, and informed by a wide musical landscape.

Her work is closely tied to Southern Italian folk traditions, particularly the songs of Sicilian singer Rosa Balistreri. Through her project To Sing and Recount (Canta e Cunta), Pascali has translated and reinterpreted these songs, bringing their themes into a contemporary context. The result connects older forms of storytelling with present-day experiences, without losing the character of the originals.

Her recent album, Roses and Basil, brings together these reimagined folk songs with her own writing. The arrangements move between folk, Mediterranean influences, and contemporary songwriting, with a focus on narrative and voice.

Pascali has performed internationally as a Fulbright Scholar, appeared at the World Expo in Osaka, and been an artist-in-residence at the Library of Congress. Her work has also found a wide audience online, where her interpretations of traditional songs continue to reach new listeners.

SAMPLE SONG

This is a chance to hear how older and traditional songs can shift and take on new meaning, carried forward by a songwriter who approaches them with both care and curiosity.

Made possible by The Nordlys Foundation.

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Folk, Global, Singer Songwriter

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