Santiano

Formed in Flensburg in northern Germany, Santiano brings together five musicians from the German-speaking rock, folk and pop scenes and has, since 2011, developed a project focused on sea shanties, maritime ballads and the folk repertoires of Northern Europe. Santiano blends traditional shanties, influences from Irish folk, schlager and rock arrangements, with lyrics mostly in German that evoke navigation, travel and seaside tales. Signed to Universal Music, Santiano released their debut album in 2012, “Bis ans Ende der Welt”, followed by “Mit den Gezeiten” (2013), “Von Liebe, Tod und Freiheit” (2015) and “Im Auge des Sturms” (2017), which established this mix of original songs and adapted covers. In 2014 Santiano took part in the German national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with “The Fiddler on the Deck”, and the band performs both at folk festivals and on large outdoor stages. The group’s set is marked by strong choral singing, communal choruses and an amplified acoustic sound, highlighted on the recording “MTV Unplugged – Santiano” (2019) and on the album “Wenn die Kälte kommt” (2021), which continue the maritime aesthetic.