Singer-songwriter Jelena Ciric’s music lights bright as a match and burns slow as a candle. Her expressive voice and piano playing evoke the likes of Laura Marling and Joni Mitchell, but it’s her storytelling that grabs the spotlight and cuts straight to the heart.

Born in Serbia and raised in Canada, Jelena’s songs are nourished by the rich folk melodies of the Balkans as well as the songwriting tradition of North America. She studied and made music in Toronto, Spain, and Mexico before settling in Iceland, where she found a supportive musical community more focused on creating than labelling itself.

Jelena’s debut EP ‘Shelters one’ was awarded Folk Album of the Year at the 2021 Icelandic Music Awards, where she has received 5 nominations in total, including for Best Single and Best Vocalist.

Jelena’s sophomore EP ‘Shelters two,’ released in October 2023, was nominated for the Icelandic Kraumur Award for independent music as well as for Best Song (Inside Weather) at the Icelandic Music Awards.