Sūn Byrd

Many are familiar with the political power of soul music: how it became the soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement, gave voice to Black Americans’ struggle for freedom and dignity, and showed that love, community and solidarity can be just as political as a defiant battle cry.

Now, we can finally reveal that we’ll be welcoming a band that, in our opinion, brings soul music roaring back to life, with an energy that transports us straight to a sweaty club on the other side of the Atlantic. Back to the music’s birthplace, where today’s political climate once again reminds us just how relevant soul’s message remains.

Sūn Byrd is made up of six musicians united by a shared love for soul’s golden era. Firmly rooted in American and British soul from the 1960s and 70s, they draw inspiration from legends such as Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Donny Hathaway. But this isn’t about recreating the past. Instead, they make the genre feel more alive than ever through a playful blend of modern soul, funk, tenderness and musical twists and turns. Think Leon Bridges and Thee Sacred Souls, with a horn section that refuses to stand still.

Because the power of soul undoubtedly lies in what it sets in motion. There is anger and vulnerability here, hope, desire and a sheer joy for life. Soul is not simply music about oppression and suffering, but also about self-determination and liberation. It reminds us that music’s political power doesn’t always lie in the loudest voices, but also in its ability to move us, bring us together and make us feel that we belong.

Even the name Sūn Byrd is a love letter to this musical history. In an interview with Music Arena GH, the band explained that the name came about during a drive home from a recording session in Italy, as a tribute to jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd and the band The Blackbyrds.

“Passionate and energetic. We love to play together, and love to bring people into our world,” the band said in the same interview. And it is precisely through this sense of togetherness that soul’s legacy lives on, not least through hip-hop, which has spent decades sampling, referencing and building on the genre’s musical universe. The past is never entirely gone. It is cut up, rearranged and given a new voice.

With two nominations for Norway’s Spellemann Awards and more than 350 concerts behind them, the band has already begun making its mark beyond Norway’s borders. They have toured Europe and the United States, including performances at the industry showcase festivals SXSW in Austin and New Colossus in New York. They are now preparing to release their third album, Laying It Down Since Forever, on Jansen Records on February 26, 2027.

On the new record, soul traditions meet a generous helping of funk. Johan Helland’s distinctive vocals are carried by keys, guitar, bass and horns, creating a tightly knit sound that moves between irresistible grooves and beautiful ballads.

This is music for big stages, intimate clubs and the hours after the rest of the city has gone home. We hope you’ll join us at Cosmopolite to experience this energy together; everything it holds, and everything it can make us feel.