Each spring, for five brisk days, Tallinn Music Week turns the Estonian capital into a magnet of international cultural exchange and musical cross-pollination. Amid the shifting line-up of genre-defying performances and industry gatherings, Hanover’s Malikì World Orchestra slot in seamlessly. Their music follows its own internal logic. Built on movement, collaboration and the understanding that cultural dialogue is not a backdrop to creativity but its core, Malikì’s sound speaks many languages, often at once.

Their invitation to perform on the UNESCO Cities of Music stage reflected the festival’s broader aim: to spotlight artists who engage deeply with musical heritage while navigating contemporary, transnational practice. Malikì’s open-ended, multilingual approach—built on collective process and long-term collaboration—mirrored Tallinn’s vision of music as a space for exchange.

On the clear, cold morning of their performance, as delegates shuffled between conference rooms at the Nordic Hotel Forum, we sat down with Markus Korda—accordionist, guitarist, and one of the band’s founding members. Though rooted in Balkan musical traditions, Korda’s perspective has long been shaped by Latin American rhythms and improvisation. Together with Italian jazz vocalist Chiara Raimondi, he forms the creative centre of Malikì World Orchestra.

The origins of Malikì World Orchestra lie not in a scene or label roster, but in a suspended moment of stillness. In 2020, with borders sealed and venues dark, the couple began composing together in their Hanover apartment. What began as an intimate, home-based project soon evolved into the framework for something much broader. Five years later, Malikì World Orchestra is an eight-strong ensemble weaving together musical threads from the Balkans, Latin America, West Africa and beyond.

“The Malikì World Orchestra actually began as a duo – just me and my wife,” Markus tells us. “That was back in 2020, during the Covid lockdowns. We started making music together during that time.”

The chemistry was immediate, but it wasn’t until a journey to South America that the project began to take on its full shape. “A key turning point came when we travelled to Chile for a musical exchange,” Markus explains. “We collaborated with a range of musicians over there, and it was such a powerful experience that when we returned to Germany, we knew we had to start a full band.”

From that moment, the evolution was steady and deliberate. They handpicked each member, composed the music collaboratively, and laid the groundwork for what would become Malikì’s debut album Prima di Tornare a Casa. “We carefully chose each member, wrote the music, booked the studio: it was a step-by-step process to build the band from scratch,” says Markus. “And now here we are, at Tallinn Music Week, presenting our debut album.”

The group’s musical identity is strikingly international, but far from chaotic. It’s a living synthesis of individual backgrounds, each musician bringing a distinct flavour to the mix. Jazz improvisation, Afro-Latin percussion, Balkan folk melodies, and subtle electronic textures all find space to breathe.

“My wife is a jazz singer, and I’m an accordionist and guitarist with a focus on various world music traditions – particularly Balkan styles,” Markus says. “But I’m also very into Latin music. All the musicians we’ve brought in either come from a jazz background or a world music background.”

That blend of experience creates an expansive yet unified sound. “Our percussionist is from Venezuela and has actually won a Latin Grammy, so he brings a lot of expertise,” Markus notes. “The result is a mix: some jazz elements, Balkan and gypsy influences, and Latin rhythms. We let our personal interests and experiences shape the sound.”

The songwriting process reflects the project’s collaborative spirit. While Markus and Chiara steer the musical direction, the band works like a creative relay. “It’s often like a ping-pong match. She might come up with a melody, or I might have something on the accordion or guitar, and then we bounce ideas back and forth. She adds lyrics or harmonies, and it evolves from there.”

At the heart of the project is Hanover, a city often overlooked in Germany’s musical map but crucial to Malikì’s development. “We’re based in or around Hanover,” Markus confirms. “It’s not Berlin, Hamburg, or Cologne, but there’s a solid infrastructure and community here that supports music.”

Hanover’s status as a UNESCO City of Music has opened doors. “We’re performing here at Tallinn on the UNESCO stage thanks to that network. It’s a real asset to the city and to us.”

And the local scene is fertile ground for collaboration. “Mingaco Orchestra, led by our percussionist, is amazing. It’s very salsa-driven,” Markus says. “Also, Evelyn Krüger does a great blend of world fusion, disco, and jazz. And Matakumbe, pure world groove”

But the cultural climate is shifting. Despite the group’s momentum, there’s an undercurrent of concern. “While we’re not a political band, we’re very committed to showing that diversity enriches society,” Markus stresses. “That’s a core belief for us.”

At the same time, economic pressures are beginning to show. “There are growing budget cuts in the creative sector across Europe. We’re only starting to feel the effects now,” he says. “Our band wouldn’t exist without funding – it’s vital for things like touring and recording, especially with a large group.”

Even now, the landscape is changing beneath their feet. “We’re already hearing that some promoters have lost funding, events are being downsized. It’s worrying. The impact on artists might take another year or two to fully manifest, but it’s coming.”

Despite these challenges, Malikì remains focused on what brought them together in the first place: the magic of live performance.

“Our songs are made for the stage,” Markus says. “They’re designed to get people moving, dancing, but also to transport them, to make them dream a little. Sure, the album works at home or in the car, but the true essence of what we do comes across best during a concert.”

While Malikì’s live performances are full of celebratory energy, recording the debut album meant translating that live spark into a studio setting. And according to Markus, the process was remarkably straightforward.

“Not many changes, actually,” he explains. “Some songs were slightly shortened, just to fit the format better, but overall we tried to preserve the spirit. The arrangements are largely the same. We wanted that live atmosphere to shine through.”

That commitment to spontaneity and movement is matched by a forward-looking approach to touring. Though the band only started performing publicly in 2023, they’ve wasted no time in getting their music out into the world.

“Our first concert was in Hanover, then another one in Germany, and right after that we were off to Austria and Italy,” Markus recalls. “From the beginning, we knew we wanted to tour widely, to take this music across Europe.”

The ensemble hasn’t reached the Balkans yet—a region central to Malikì’s musical language—but that’s clearly on the horizon. “Not yet,” Markus says with a smile. “But now we’re here in the Baltics, so who knows what’s next?”

There’s a clear emotional connection to the idea of playing Balkan music in the region that inspired it. “Our bassist is from Macedonia, so there’s already a deep connection,” Markus explains. “I wouldn’t say we’re scared…every audience is different, of course, but we’re offering our own interpretation of the style. I’ve studied Balkan music quite a lot, and while we may not be traditionalists, we bring our own colour to it.”

The result, unsurprisingly, sounds a long way from purist traditions.

“Absolutely,” he agrees. “It’s infused with our own backgrounds: jazz, Latin rhythms, world music influences. That makes it more vibrant and less intense, perhaps, than a purist approach. It’s colourful and eclectic by design.”

Their Tallinn appearance marks not only a showcase, but a strategic stepping stone. Through the UNESCO Cities of Music network, Malikì is already sowing the seeds for a future tour across the Atlantic.

“We’re actually laying the groundwork for a Canadian tour,” Markus reveals. “Yes, through the UNESCO City of Music network. We’re meeting people, attending mentoring sessions. It’s still early days, but that’s the aim, for 2026 or 2027, maybe. We’re definitely planting the seeds here at Tallinn Music Week.”

In the meantime, the focus is local: taking their debut album Prima di Tornare a Casa (self-released in mid-March) to stages across Germany and connecting with audiences face-to-face. “We just released our debut album about a month ago, so our focus now is on touring, mostly in Germany for the time being.”

How does it feel to finally have the record out in the world? “Honestly, it feels amazing,” Markus says. “The feedback we’ve received has been incredibly positive. We had a beautiful release concert in Hanover, and the energy in the room was fantastic. That really reassured us—we feel confident about what we’ve created and we’re excited to share it more widely.”

So while new material is already being explored, there’s no rush to move on too quickly. “Not quite. We’re taking the time to enjoy what we’ve made and focus on performing it live. But yes, new songs are already in the works. It’s a gradual process. We’re aiming to start recording again around 2026.”

When asked to highlight a track that feels especially close to him, Markus pauses for a moment…

“That’s always hard to answer! Each song has its own story,” he says. “But one that stands out is ‘Buongiorno’. It was the first song my wife and I wrote together. It’s inspired by a summer holiday we had in Crete: one of those nostalgic moments at the end of a beautiful trip. It’s mellow but really meaningful for us.”

And for those ready to dance? “I’d say ‘Hop-Hop’ or ‘Ngoni Vibes’. Both tracks have a great rhythm and are perfect for getting people on their feet.”

As we wrap up, there’s one question left: how does Markus explain Malikì World Orchestra to someone hearing them for the first time?

He grins. “We actually have a metaphor for this. In Germany, we have these little sweet shops where you can get a bunte Tüte, a colourful bag filled with different sweets, all sorts of flavours. That’s how we describe our music.”

It’s a fitting image: a joyful, borderless patchwork of rhythm and tone. “It really fits,” he adds. “Our music is like that colourful mix, something for every taste. From Latin to Balkan music, from jazz to folk. All brought together by a diverse group of outstanding musicians, most of whom are part of the vibrant music scene in Hanover.”

That metaphor may have been rehearsed, but the sentiment behind it is genuine. Malikì World Orchestra is not trying to fit a mould. It’s building something of its own…track by track, show by show, city by city.

Discover more about MalikiWorld Orchestra on their official website
and listen to their brand-new album HERE