There is something distinctively Finnish about how Maija Kauhanen performs: she knows her instrument, the traditional kantele inside-out, but speaking the musical lore as her mother tongue doesn’t bog her down. She layers polyrhythms and her own soaring voice boldly over the clarity of Finnish roots. She plays the kantele according to Saarijärvi heritage, couples it with free musical expression and deep lyrics. Kauhanen’s captivating singing tells tales of women and love, with an empowered presence and feminist attitude. Her message comes across even without deciphering the lyrics: subtlety, passion and female strength from a one-woman band.