Csjlla Csilla presented the Hungarian folk song “Erdő Erdő de Magos a Teteje” at Sofar Sounds Ankara, performing it live with only her voice and computer.. The narrative centres on a bird left behind after the others have migrated, circling the forest in search of its first love. As she explained to the audience, Hungarian folk repertoire often turns around love or its consequences, and this piece follows that tradition while opening it into new form.

The performance hinged on loops of voice, repeated until they became structural. Cyclical lines echoed the bird’s persistence, while elongated tones carried inflections of rural style, suspended in silence and filtered through electronic processing. Fragments of melody and lyrics were reduced to pulse and timbre, with no instrumental accompaniment beyond the computer.

Csjlla’s practice extends into songwriting, production, directing, filmmaking, photography, writing, and academic research. That breadth shapes her performances, where music becomes one element in a wider artistic process.

Her move into experimental folk began during studies in London, where she rejected the commercial focus of the music industry and embraced folk as a space for freedom and ritual. Influenced by Hungarian band VHK, she came to view songs as shared knowledge and performance as a near-ceremonial act.

You can follow her and get update on her music HERE