About the band

Floating Sofa Quartet (FSQ) is a musical cooperation between four young folk musicians from Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

For a decade FSQ has been working across borders with their own take on Nordic folk music – shedding light on the shared cultural heritage of the Nordic countries and creating music that is both preserving and renewing their tradition(s).

The band was formed in the spring of 2013 when the members met at the annual Nordtrad conference in Vilnius, Lithuania. One sunny afternoon by the banks of the river Vilnia marked the birth of the band; while playing, jamming, chatting and enjoying the sun, a huge dead hog (to everyone’s surprise not a sofa) passed by floating in the river. The idea of the Floating Sofa Quartet was born right there and then!

Ever since the release of their debut album The Moon We Watch is the Same in 2016, FSQ has been exploring different creative paths for each of their releases; e.g. the award-winning Neighbourhood (2019), devoted entirely to traditional tunes; the collaborative Sofa Songs (2023), featuring some of the finest Nordic singers and songwriters; and Kystnært (2024); another deep dive into the traditional repertoire of the Nordic countries alongside Norwegian fiddler Guro Kvifte Nesheim.
FSQ’s latest album, Tides (2025), celebrates the band’s 10th anniversary and once again highlights their own original compositions.

As a renowned live act FSQ has captivated audiences with their pan-Nordic folk music, gaining recognition for their distinctive sound and contagious stage presence. The band has toured extensively in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands and performed at renowned festivals such as Kaustinen Folk Music Festival [FI], Førdefestivalen [NO], Tønder Festival [DK], Korrö Folkmusikfestival [SE] and folkBALTICA [DE].

FSQpress3 - photo: Ivan Boll

Clara Tesch [DK] – fiddle

Leija Lautamaja [FI] – diatonic accordion & reed organ

Malte Zeberg [SE] – double bass

Mads Kjøller Henningsen [DK] – flute & Nordic bagpipes