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This year's Druga Godba, Ljubljana's traditional spring festival that has made it into Songlines '25 of the Best International Festivals', is all about Voices and features vocalists from the widest variety of musical genres and geographical origins.

From the Far North of the planet, from the Nunavut territory of Canada, comes Tanya Tagaq, a brilliant Inuit throat singer with a unique voice who has worked with Björk and garnered enthusiastic reviews in The New York Times. Her most recent album features collaborations with Mike Patton. The festival also features another hero of the North, an artist who has performed with Tagaq in the past. Wimme, who hails from romantic Finnish Lapland, today lives in Karelia, but he still performs the traditional yoik of the Sami. Both Tanya Tagaq and Wimme will be accompanied by bands. Two other vocalists appearing at the festival are the Vienna-based Slovene singer Maja Osojnik, who will present her new album Črne vode, and of course one of the true stars of the festival, the world's most popular fado singer and global singing star Mariza, with her band. Since her memorable appearance in Ljubljana three years ago, Mariza has released a new album Terra and appeared in the world's most prestigious concert venues. Her second performance in Ljubljana features an exclusive guest, the Cape Verdean singer, pianist and composer Tito Paris, who worked with Mariza on her last album and is the writer of several songs performed by Cesária Évora.

Mariza opened this year's Druga Godba. The following day Mahmoud Ahmed, the king of Ethiopian music, will descend from his throne to perform in Križanke. Ahmed was one of the biggest stars of Ethiopian music's golden age. Forty years later, this music is like gold dust and in great demand among concert promoters, booking agents and club DJs on the one hand, and among musicians and artists of all genres on the other. Ahmed will be joined on stage by the "Ethiopian James Brown" as the singer Alemayehu Eshete is known. The two singers will be accompanied by Badume's Band from Brittany.

Other artists taking the stage at Druga Godba include: Russian punk chansonniers La Minor, Marseille-born charmer Nevchehirlian with a blend of electroacoustic slam and contemporary poetry; the energetic Latino bomb of London's Peyoti for President; the musical fruit of the ŠKM Banda from Slovenia's Prekmurje region, sweetened by the Mlada Beltinška Banda – with the premiere performance of their new album; the urban desert rock trio Dirtmusic fronted by Chris Eckman, and Tamikrest, the spiritual sons of Touareg magicians Tinariwen, who will also be joining forces with Dirtmusic.

The accompanying programme will include workshops with Tanya Tagaq, Nevchehirlian and Wimme, a programme of films and the programme for children.

For more info check official website.

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