Born in Zürich to Swedish parents, Nashville-based songwriter Helena Hallberg brings a sharp, transatlantic perspective to modern Folk and Americana

Combining multi-instrumental depth with an undeniable pop sensibility, 2026 Kerrville New Folk Winner Helena Hallberg crafts a unique sound at the intersection of folk, indie, and Americana.

Described as "Joni Mitchell meets ABBA", she’s often accompanied by her Appalachian dulcimer, with which she masterfully weaves traditional roots textures into modern, synthy folk-rock frameworks.

Born to Swedish parents in Zürich, Switzerland, the Nashville-based songwriter has spent most of her life navigating the quiet friction of being a cultural outsider— providing the emotional backdrop for her writing and allowing her to dissect her adopted home with rare clarity. Her momentum follows a pivotal year where her Nashville-inspired, Swiss-German cover of "Ewigi Liäbi" (and its first ever English counterpart, "Our Love Forever") reached #1 on the Daily iTunes Singer-Songwriter charts—a collaboration backed by Swiss rock icon Padi Bernhard.

Releasing around her ten-year anniversary in the US, her sophomore album, Great Fiction, marks a bold evolution into modern alt-folk. Delivering a gripping millennial reckoning, Hallberg tackles digital-age burnout and generational anxiety with distinct satirical wit, stinging cynicism, and sobering clarity.

Performance highlights include sharing the stage with the American Pops Orchestra at the Library of Congress, performing at the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Leadership Awards in a tribute honoring folk icon Judy Collins and making her Nashville debut at The Bluebird Café. Before moving to Nashville, she honed her signature live sound across iconic New York City venues including Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, and Bowery Electric.

Originally trained in jazz and theatre vocal performance at the Zurich University of the Arts and Manhattan School of Music, Hallberg also holds a Master’s in Creative Technology from BerkleeNYC’s inaugural class at Power Station.

Beyond her solo career, Hallberg is an active producer in the Folk and Americana spaces, serving on panels for Folk Alliance International and Americanafest, and participating as a voting member of the Recording Academy (Nashville Chapter). A polyglot who regularly tours across the US and Europe, she also collaborates as a producer to help artists translate their creative visions into finished records.