Abundo is redefining what it means to experience culture by bringing people back to the thrill of live performances. Originating in Stockholm and now making waves across Germany, Abundo is a subscription-based platform that opens the doors to theatres, concerts, dance, and countless cultural events with just a few taps. Their innovative model combines cutting-edge technology with a deep respect for tradition, partnering with eight out of ten state-owned theaters and numerous global promoters to fill seats and revive live arts attendance.
Jacob Hvid, the CEO and Co-founder of Abundo, states, “Live experiences are one of the few things that can’t be digitalised and that’s what makes them priceless.” And with an eye on international expansion and the future of workplace wellbeing, Abundo’s goal is to keep culture vibrant and alive in our cities and lives.
Schön! chats with Hvid to discuss the work Abundo is doing to shape live experiences for every concert, theatre, and production attendee.
photography. Sabri Patzelt
You’ve been passionate about both technology and culture from an early age. Can you share a moment when you realized you could combine the two professionally?
Well, I think going back to where we started, I’ve always been at the intersection of working with a media company and building products and technology. But then I was at this musical, which I rarely go to, and it was half empty. I felt like, “This is something strange.” In this industry, it’s always like you’re defined by whether it’s a success, and success is if it’s fully booked. Which is strange compared to other industries like hotels or airplanes or even a store. You don’t go into a store and say, “Oh, it’s not sold out.”
I felt inspired by some of the most successful startups, like how Uber facilitates cars that aren’t used, and Airbnb with apartments. I felt like there should be a product to make this better balanced. I did some research and saw that the attendance rate is somewhere between 50% and 70% across different industries we work with, like performing arts, concerts, and movie theatres, which we define as an experience. I found a small website in Sweden that worked as a discount site, and that’s how I first came into this industry, combining my love for technology and product with the culture industry.
But I then found that, like everyone else, this industry in particular hates working with discounts. I met my co-founder, Oskar, who had an event discovery app he launched, and we sat together and said, “If you really want to change the behavior, then you need to do something fundamentally different. If you really want people to go out more frequently, and go out to things they wouldn’t have gone to, then you need to do something different.”
Virtually every culture of consumption has moved into the subscription model. So our idea — or our experiment — was to see if we could apply the subscription model to something as physical as live events. By doing that, we’d work with some of the success factors that changed how we consume other forms of culture, like personalization, which no one has really been able to do before. Normally, you buy a ticket and go. But with a subscription model, you get a quality data set, so we can really work on personalization.
Yeah, because maybe you see a poster somewhere and think, “Oh, there’s a great exhibition or theater or whatever,” and then you buy a ticket. But you don’t think, “Where do I go next?” Because it’s expensive to plan.
That’s what we always wanted to do — break down the barriers to actually go out by removing the traditional economic model, removing the price. Make it as easy as it is to watch the next episode of ‘White Lotus’ or whatever everyone’s talking about, and to book and go to an event. So, personalisation, remove the price, and just book in one tap. You can cancel if you can’t go, which we’re quite alone with in the industry. That also makes it easier for you to book and go out if you don’t want to fully commit yet. What we really want to do is challenge Netflix and the streaming services.
So that people go to social events again.
Yes, because what’s happened over the past decades is that screen-based culture consumption has exploded and the time we spend in front of screens is so much. We want to challenge that. Make it as easy to watch something live.
In June, I’m going to try it out. I already said to my friends, “You’re going with me to the theater, you’re going with me everywhere.” You were saying they don’t want to work with discounts because it makes them look cheap. How is it that theatres or cultural houses don’t treat you like a second-class guest, when some seats are still left?
First of all, there are very few events that sell out. If Taylor Swift does a tour and it’s one date in Berlin, she sells out half a year before. But most musicians, artists, or theatres don’t. The average attendance rate is somewhere around 70%. If you go to a movie theatre in the middle of the day, you’re probably alone. Why are they using us? Well, we’re bringing new target groups because we make it so easy. We get people to go who wouldn’t otherwise go. The rest of the industry works with fans of an artist or a theatre production. We bring new people. Then, we create economic value; money they wouldn’t otherwise have. We increase profit per production and increase concession spend.
Also, return visits because if they like it, they’ll come back and maybe to places they’ve never been before.
You feel that wave of people coming in, and when the venue is full, it actually enhances the experience for the audience and especially for the artist. Sitting alone is a different vibe entirely.
photography. Gianmarco Bresadola
From Stockholm to Berlin and Hamburg, what were the biggest challenges and wins in expanding into new markets? How did you get the venues to be part of your business?
I’ll start with what surprised me. In Sweden and now in Germany too, I used to view the performing arts industry as very conservative; these are institutions that have been around for hundreds of years. And here we are, coming in with something fundamentally different. So I was surprised, in a good way, by the willingness to try new technology and innovation.
Now, we work with 8 out of 10 state-owned theatres, for example, and with global concert promoters. So the openness from the production side has been a big win.
Yeah, the venues you’re working with are phenomenal.
On the other hand, one challenge has been on the member side. It’s hard to explain and introduce something new to the market.
How did you decide which cities or cultural scenes were ready for a Abundo subscription?
When we decided to launch in Germany, we looked at all the macro data. But honestly, it often comes down to gut feeling. We believed the problem we solve is universal, so why not start with the biggest economy and biggest city in Europe: Berlin? Of course, we also look at things like cultural participation, venue density, and events per capita.
So Paris and London next?
Absolutely.
The platform adds new events constantly. How do you maintain quality and curation while scaling?
Quality is important. Every event gets approved. But we also want to be inclusive, open to all kinds of events. That’s part of our value proposition: the long tail, the weird stuff, the corners you might not otherwise find. We don’t discriminate. We embrace it all. The algorithm may push some events more, but we aim to give space to everything.
But does the app suggest events I might like? Could some events get lost if I don’t know I like them and the app doesn’t suggest them?
That’s a great question. Yes, it’s a challenge. It’s similar to Spotify’s problem. We aim to personalize, but also expose users to new things. On any given night, our members have access to 30 events. It’s a lot, but it’s not like Netflix where you can scroll endlessly. There’s less overload.
How quickly can I book? Say we meet at 6 p.m. and I want to book something for 8?
Totally. There’s a booking cutoff, usually about two hours before showtime.
Makes sense. Abundo is also being used as an employee benefit. How do you see culture playing a role in workplace wellbeing?
Talent retention is critical for companies. They need to keep their people happy, and experiences can help with that. Just like gym memberships, we can offer something for those who want more social and cultural engagement. We can be part of the mix.
With AI and immersive digital entertainment on the rise, what’s your vision for the future of live, in-person cultural experiences?
Live experiences are one of the few things that can’t truly be digitalised. The pandemic made this even clearer. Everyone thought livestreaming would take off, and we even tried it, but the value of real-life, in-person interaction proved irreplaceable.
Yeah, like hearing people scream and shout together. That collective energy.
Exactly. That won’t change. Tech can help in other ways, like discovery, access, and personalization, but the core of our product, the live experience, remains essential.
Are you seeing differences in how people engage with culture through your platform?
Definitely. We have people who attend 20 events a month, and others who go once every few months. Different age groups, interests, habits; it’s a wide spectrum.
Can people connect in the app? Can I book together with someone?
Yes. That’s already possible. But we’re putting more effort into building out the social and community features, like booking seats together or discovering a friend is going too.
photography. Christoph Brech
What kind of company culture are you trying to build at Abundo? How do you keep innovation alive?
We really believe that innovation can come from anyone. It’s about fostering a culture where every idea counts. We want to be the kind of place where someone can casually share an idea and then actually go build it. That’s the startup advantage.
How do you personally stay creatively inspired with everything going on?
Honestly, a lot comes from the work itself: solving problems every day forces you to be creative. I also read a lot, listen to podcasts, and just try to stay curious. Curiosity is key.
Looking ahead, what’s one big goal that still excites you, and one challenge you’re eager to tackle?
Right now, Abundo is a city-based subscription. I’d love to see it become international. So when you land in a new city, you open your phone and check Abundo to see what’s going on, just like you’d open Uber for a ride. Imagine: you land, open Uber, then open Abundo to book an event.
And what’s the big challenge you’d love to solve?
I want Abundo to be part of reversing the decline in performing arts attendance. Music is doing okay, especially at big concerts, but a lot of other cultural sectors have stagnated. If we can help bring younger generations back to the theatre and to smaller, more experimental shows, that would be amazing.
For Lovie Simone, acting has never been just a career choice. From the moment she stepped in front of the camera, the young actress carried with her an unshakable sense of purpose. “I’ve always known this is what was for me,” she says. “This craft is something that I have chosen for me in every version of myself in this lifetime.” That kind of self-possession isn’t learned, it’s lived. Simone, raised in a creative, affirming household, has been living it from the start.
It’s this clarity of vision and deep emotional intelligence that makes her portrayal of Keisha in ‘Forever’, the bold, fresh reimagining of Judy Blume’s coming-of-age story. Whether navigating the complexities of young love, strained family dynamics, or the political pulse of 2018 Los Angeles, Simone approaches each scene with striking honesty and depth. “I’ve always been attracted to characters who display human complexity,” she explains. “They make the unpopular choices at times.”
In ‘Forever’, Simone not only steps into a lead role — she steps into a moment. Working under powerhouses like Mara Brock Akil and Regina King, she anchors a series that reframes Black teenage girlhood with grace, grit, and cultural authenticity. And for Simone, this role is not just a personal milestone — it’s a reflection of the very stories she’s always believed deserve the spotlight.
Schön! chats with Lovie Simone about working on ‘Forever,’ the acting idols she’s dying to work with, and more.
You began acting at a young age — what was the moment or experience that made you realize this was your calling?
I’ve always known this is what was for me! This craft is something that I have chosen for myself in every version of myself in this lifetime.
Growing up in a creative family, how did your environment shape your artistic ambitions and confidence as a young performer?
I grew up with a lot of reassurance about where I was headed with my dreams. My entire family is so uplifting, and therefore I am with myself. Everything is a chance to learn and grow.
Were there any particular performances, films, or actors that deeply inspired you as a child and still influence you today?
Your breakout role in Greenleaf introduced you to many audiences — how did that experience prepare you for the emotional depth required in a role like Keisha in ‘Forever’.
I’ve always been attracted to characters who display human complexity. They make the unpopular choices at times. Zora Greenleaf and Keisha are definitely those young women.
Keisha is portrayed as a confident and ambitious young woman. How did you approach embodying her strength while also conveying her vulnerabilities, especially during pivotal moments like the prom night decision?
I tried to remain honest to playing someone who has deep desires with external happenings bringing up these internal and external conflicts. So I would say staying aware of the desires that Keisha has.
The series is set in 2018 Los Angeles, amidst significant social movements. How did this backdrop influence your portrayal of Keisha, and what nuances did you incorporate to reflect the era’s challenges?
This time period was when everything felt like it was coming to a head politically and socially! But there was a freedom in how Keisha moved through the world pre-pandemic! We, the audience, get to experience this life with her and have that nostalgic feeling with us.
Keisha’s relationship with her family, particularly her mother Shelly, is complex. Can you delve into how these familial dynamics shaped Keisha’s decisions and your interpretation of her character?
The closeness as well as the craving for her mother’s respect as an adult weighed on Keisha heavily. There was always something proving to be done in her eyes, which makes decision making look a little different as an individual.
The series explores the intricacies of first love. How did you and Michael Cooper Jr. cultivate the on-screen chemistry between Keisha and Justin, and what discussions did you have to ensure authenticity in their relationship?
Michael and I have had so many conversations leading up to filming about comfort levels as well as excitement about the project! That excitement definitely translated into our interactions on set. BUT! We didn’t talk much when first filming to keep a sense of mystery and anxiety [laughs]. We were familiar with one another while wanting to connect and I believe Justin and Keisha delivered!
Keisha and Justin’s decision to part ways is both heartfelt and heartbreaking. What insights did you gain about young love and personal growth through this narrative arc?
I was reassured that although young love may not be the wisest, there’s a special kind of wisdom one gains from it.
Given the show’s modern take on Judy Blume’s novel, how do you think ‘Forever’ addresses contemporary issues of teenage sexuality and autonomy compared to the original work?
It highlights the spaces in which teenagers take up space in today’s world. In the outside world, in schools and on social media. It addresses consent in a natural way that would come up for an awkward teen. I appreciate how tasteful it is!
Working under the direction of Mara Brock Akil and Regina King must have been impactful. Can you share specific moments or guidance from them that influenced your performance?
I was influenced by these two amazing women every day. I like to say that I’m observant, and just by watching, one can learn so much! They move through the industry with such grace and happiness as well as a deep appreciation for the story! It gets no better than this, honestly.
top. Barabara Bui @ CLOAK WARDROBE
skirt. Bach Mai
shoes. Marc Fisher
earrings, necklace, bangles + cuff. Alexis Bittar
rings. GRISÉ NYC
opposite
full Look. PROCODE DRESS
earrings. MISHO
bangles. Dinosaur Designs
rings + ear cuffs. Elena Matallana
Music plays a significant role in setting the show’s tone. Were there particular songs or musical themes that resonated with you and helped you connect deeper with Keisha’s journey?
I made a Keisha playlist while prepping for ‘Forever’! One song that played a lot was “While We’re Young” by Jhene Aiko!
The series has been praised for its authentic portrayal of Black teenage experiences. How did the production team ensure cultural authenticity, and what role did you play in that process?
Production stayed true to the black LA life by hiring people who live or love LA, which doesn’t get any better for storytelling. Those that can really lend a true perspective. And for those who are not from LA, the majority of the cast and crew were black! It was like being with family, working on our story! Our collective as well as separate upbringings.
As someone who has transitioned from supporting roles to leading a series, how has this experience shaped your perspective on storytelling and representation in the industry?
It’s confirmed everything I’ve always believed. There is a universal truth as well as an appreciation for stories that involve people who move through the world that look like me.
Reflecting on your journey with ‘Forever’, what message or feeling do you hope viewers take away from Keisha’s story?
I hope they take away understanding. Keisha is complex and lovable, making her like all of us!
Swept through time on the current of music, Zoë Bleu finds reflections of herself in the characters she embodies — gathering fragments of identity, drifting from dreams into a life steeped in enchantment. We find her strutting the streets while wearing Valentino when we speak to her for her digital cover story for Schön! 48, where she opens up about her character, Elisabeta, her 15th-century role in the upcoming film ‘Dracula: A Love Tale’. “She knows what she wants. She gets what she wants when she wants it,” Sidel says. She’s a princess, but she acts like a queen. She’s got a regal, kind of bitchy presence,” she jests. “The clothes really bring the role to life. I have a beautiful velvet dress encrusted with pearls, and it makes the bosom look amazing. Everything is covered, but it’s done in such a way that you can see that she’s sensual.”
Inspired in part by Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 interpretation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, French director Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale reimagines the legend through the lens of eternal love and reincarnation. “The very classical, historical way of thinking about ‘Dracula’ is ‘I’m going to suck your blood,’ and ‘You are mine,’ but that’s not this Dracula. It’s really something else; it’s a love story, not a horror film. It’s like ‘Romeo and Juliet’,” Sidel explains.
In Besson’s telling, both Elisabeta and Mina—the dual characters portrayed by Sidel—share an everlasting connection with Dracula, played by Caleb Landry Jones. This bond transcends time and identity. Sidel calls it “soul love.” To cultivate this depth of emotion on screen, Sidel and Landry Jones engaged in Butoh, a distinct form of avant-garde dance theatre marked by deliberate, expressive motion and inward emotional focus. “It was interesting to try and create a friendship through dance and music,” Sidel says. This nonverbal approach offered a profound avenue for connection, grounded in emotion and presence.
Another technique they used to sync emotionally was simultaneous music listening. This shared experience became particularly important for anchoring pivotal scenes. A recurring lullaby, for example, acts as a sonic thread linking Elisabeta with Mina — bridging centuries through melody. “My music project L’ESPIRAL was heavily impacted,” she continues. “I’ve made four of those [poems] into songs that I’m going to record this summer.”
Sidel sees a rhythmic logic in existence itself: “Everything is music, isn’t it? All of existence has a vibrational frequency; that’s music. Love is a frequency; it’s music. Like star-crossed lovers, a world begins between these two souls, these two people fall in love. And there is a music to it.”
jacket. CHANEL
top + skirt. Yohji Yamamoto
earrings. Swarovski
opposite
dress. Rokh
shirt. Les Fleurs Studio
shoes. Roberto Cavalli
coat. Mossi
dress + bra. Dolce & Gabbana
shoes. Dior
opposite
jacket. Emporio Armani
dress. Louis Vuitton
boots. Christian Louboutin
jacket. CHANEL
top + skirt. Yohji Yamamoto
shoes. Christian Louboutin
earrings. Swarovski
A Northern Star on the rise, ‘North of North’ actress Anna Lambe shines bright. When we think of the Arctic North, we think of vast, sweeping landscapes, bitter temperatures, nothingness for miles, mounds of snow, and dancing aurora borealis in the night sky. There are so few television shows that explore the Inuit communities that live there. Especially with a comedic spin and on a global scale, such as ‘North of North’, Anna Lambe is thrust right into the mainstream.
Lambe stars as Siaja, an Inuk woman who finds herself wanting more. Her story is a relatable one to many women; parentified from a young age, married to her high school sweetheart, and had a kid along the way. But Siaja is fed up, on a mission to become a modern Inuk woman, to stand on her own two feet and figure life out. Speaking with us about the character, Lambe’s eyes light up. She adores that Siaja is messy and embraces that messiness; it’s all part of her charm. She isn’t afraid to make mistakes and learns to adapt from the ones she does make.
While the show does deal with heavy topics, touching on the still very present aftereffects of residential schools in Canada, and the mistreatment of the Indigenous/Inuit community, ‘North of North’ doesn’t center on the dark; instead, it finds the light. Bringing indigenous humor to the masses, ‘North of North’ is gaining traction and notoriety, with Lambe being nominated for a Gotham TV Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy Series, to being renewed for a season 2, there’s so much to be proud of, and Lambe is just taking it all in. But beyond the accolades, the thing she prides herself on is bringing awareness to communities that have been overlooked and highlighting their vibrancy, their humour, their versatility, and their fashion.
In conversation with Schön! Magazine, Anna Lambe discusses ‘North of North’, what she loves about the character of Siaja, the show’s production taking over her hometown of Iqaluit, Nunavut, and what she hopes audiences take away from the series.
jacket. Falguni Shane Peacock
shirt. No Maintenance
ear cuff. Gabriella Artigas
opposite
blouse. Kaos
jacket + trousers. As by DF
hat. Stetson
earrings. Erkoos
necklace. Gabriella Artigas
So Anna, with full discretion, my mom and I started watching the show a few days ago. It’s been on my list for a while, and we fell in love with it. It is such a beautiful show. You and all involved should be so proud. Congratulations on season two being announced.
Thank you. Season two was such a surprise. I mean, it was always the hope and the dream. When I got the call, I burst into tears because I was anxiously pacing about like, “I don’t know if it’s going to happen. Are we going to beat the Netflix curse?”
We’re Canadian. So, does the Netflix curse really exist for us?
[laughs] I don’t think so. We’ve got to keep it going.
Definitely! In an interview you did with Cherry Picks a bit ago, you spoke about it taking some time to realize how empowering storytelling can be for advocacy with the film Grizzlies. Can you touch upon what storytelling means to you now and how it’s altered your worldview?
I think there’s been a lot of growth and understanding in the power of storytelling and the impact that film and television have on the conversations that we have. I guess I’ll speak specifically to indigeneity and our communities, and healing. What does indigenous futurism look like? What is our perception of the past? How do we reclaim it? How do we reclaim our past identities? Because how we’ve been portrayed in film and television has always been so skewed or inaccurate, or just completely wrong and harmful. There’s very much, as I’ve come to understand, a past, present future impact on how we tell stories now. I think with every project, I’ve become more conscious and more careful about the kind of stories I choose to be a part of.
When creating things, I do try and advocate as best I can to make things – I don’t want to necessarily say ‘positively’ impactful, because people think positive means good, positive means happy, positive means this, that, or the other. But when I say ‘positively’ impact or portray or represent, I just mean accurately.
In my career, I have always wanted everything I’ve done to be something I can look back on and be proud of, and know that I made a good decision. I think the impact of storytelling has grown as I’ve come to understand it more and more, but also learning to navigate it has changed. Also, finding my voice as a young Indigenous woman in film and television it’s difficult. It’s scary. I mean, you want to advocate for yourself.
But there is that little undertow of fear of like, “What happens if people think I’m a diva? What happens if they think I’m going to be hard to work with?” Having to take that fear and hold it and nurture it and go, “This is valid and this is real and this makes sense. But this can’t be what stops me from doing the right thing.”
jacket. Falguni Shane Peacock
shirt. No Maintenance
trousers. Theory
ear cuff + bracelet. Gabriella Artigas
ring. De Liguoro
opposite
suit. Bianca & Bridgett
shirt. Maison Tai
brooch. Talia Perla
Hard agree. I would say that, at some point, you have to stop caring what other people think. You know what you’re doing is right, and it feels right to you. That’s what matters. You just push forward. Adding on to the storytelling aspect, what are the stories that impacted you growing up? Whether it’s film, television, or even books, why did they resonate?
I was an angsty teenager [laughter]. I was reading The Hunger Games on the couch. I had Christmas dinner early to go read Mockingjay. Those kinds of fantasy stories and coming of age, teenage angst, I felt very seen by. But I was also aware that I was this kid growing up in the Canadian Arctic, I relate to these stories, but they’re faraway stories. Of course, they’re fantasy and dystopian universes. So, of course, they’re far away. But there was also the aspect of wanting to see something with people like me in it. That would be cool. There’s Indigenous film and television I grew up with. Like I spent a lot of time with my mom going and helping out my grandma, my great grandma, but we called her Anana, which means mom.
We’d spend a lot of time at her house, and in the background was APTN, the Aboriginal People’s Television Network. It was always a rerun of Atanatua or North of Sixty. Those also had a massive impact on my upbringing. So, of course, I never really felt represented in the mainstream, but there is stuff that exists about us and who we are and our stories. There was always that. But I love seeing now the bridging of both of those things and how we get to do both and be both and create and foster space to tell more stories that keep expanding the range of what Indigenous film and television looks like and is.
In past years, we’ve been seeing things like Taika Waititi’s Boy or Reservation Dogs, or Rutherford Falls, or Grizzlies and Trickster, and being part of the expansion of Indigenous film and television has been really exciting. It’s fun in many ways because getting to be part of development and beginnings is really cool.
dress. Onalaja
Speaking of beginnings, I was going to ask when ‘North of North’ first came across your desk, what were your initial thoughts?
My initial thought was, “I want to do this. 100 percent. Yes. Yep.” [laughs] I want an audition. I’m going to do everything for this audition. Then I’m going to be so annoying about making sure I’m constantly in the mix, that the role isn’t dead to me yet. You know what I mean? I’ve not been passed on yet. I had first heard about the role from Alethea (Arnaquq-Baril), one of the showrunners, a few years prior, when they were going to streamers and pitching the show. I ran into her at the airport, and she had just come back from L.A. We were both flying to Iqaluit, and she was explaining what the show was.
She’s like, “Have you ever seen Sex Education?” I was like, “Well, no.” And she said it’s the grounded elements of that with some other things. It’s really fun. It’s a comedy. “Well, if you ever want someone to come around and bring you coffee and stuff, you can call me.” And then, in the spring of 2023, I saw that they had gotten the green light. Everything was ready to go. They were about to start casting this untitled Arctic comedy.
I was on high alert, my eyes? Peeled. When the audition did come through, it ended up being a four-month audition process, multiple callbacks, chem reads, and a really long, long waiting game. But the entire time, I was being so dramatic about it. Bless my family and my partner, who all held my hand and consoled me very gently. Everything was going to be fine, whether I got it or not. Eventually, they called me and said, “Well, if you want it, it’s yours.” I was just like, “Well, yeah. I mean, I guess if it’s on the table, I’ll take a look at what I have going on.” [laughter]
Let me check my schedule.
I’ll see if I can fit it in.
What about Siaja jumped out at you from the page?
She’s so messy. I knew that from the audition. She’s also complicated. She’s so messy. She’s so imperfect. But really sweet and endearing and charming. It’s the best of both worlds, of everything you want to be able to do as an actor while being fun and silly and a little bit chaotic at times. It was all of those elements where she’s so layered, and she ticks the box of what a perfect Indigenous woman should be. She’s sometimes the problem, and she’s sometimes the solution. I love her. I want to be her. I know so many women in my personal life like her. She is such a reflection of so many Inuit women that I know and love, and am surrounded by. To be able to be a part of that representation is something that I was thrilled to even get a shot at doing.
Absolutely. Like you mentioned, when we first meet Siaja, she’s going through it. She’s married to the town’s golden boy, who, let’s be honest, isn’t so golden. It’s hinted at that she was parentified from a very young age in the first episode. So, she’s understandably fed up, her story is such a relatable one for a lot of women. What has it been like for you to see the response to her plight?
I think it’s been so humbling and so exciting and heartwarming and sometimes even scary at times how many women feel seen and represented by Siaja and her experience. Whether it’s being parentified from a young age, which I know so many indigenous women have the experience of having to go through or having to be raised to cater to men, be raised to cater to a family and your needs will always come second, or whether it’s being a single mom and, trying to understand how to navigate co-parenting or toxic relationships.
Then also just in general, people who feel so afraid about having to get it right all the time. It’s been nice to kind of share so much of Siaja with so many people, and that people relate to her on such different levels. It’s also been kind of unhinged and chaotic how many people relate to the wild parts of her as well. You know, the fact that she has wants and needs to date and that she wants to lose her second virginity, and she can want all of these things for herself without feeling guilty. Indigenous women, I think, are so often portrayed as victims of sexual experiences, victims of relationships, especially in television and media. I think to show an Indigenous woman who’s like, “No, I want this.” She has control and sovereignty over her body and wants to understand herself.
I think that’s so powerful. To be able to have that representation and to have people be like, “Sex isn’t a negative thing. Wanting things isn’t a negative thing. Wanting to put myself out there, those aren’t inherently negative things.” The fact that Indigenous women are constantly told that they’re victims and that they are commodified and fetishized and sexualized like that. Those are all true things and things that also need to be represented. Those are things that happen. But the fact that we can also want things is so important. Being able to have so many women and people in general feel represented by that as well, I think, shows the importance of having this kind of show told in this way, a comedy told in this way, to capture the breadth of the Indigenous woman’s experience.
At the end of the first episode, a lot of people would identify the crash out she has as cringe. I didn’t see it as cringe at all. I saw it as an act of rebellion, from a woman that has had enough and just wants to be given the opportunity to find herself and be given the opportunity to mess up. You’ve said in other interviews that the show was filmed in your hometown of Iqaluit, and you moved back in with your parents. Can you talk a little about that whole experience? Also, what was it like having the production basically take over the town? Do you have any memories from filming the first season that you can share with us?
I was so excited to go back home. I have dreamed about being able to live in Iqaluit as an adult. It’s really hard to get an apartment if you don’t have subsidized housing. It’s so difficult to pursue a career in the arts and acting in mainstream TV, if you live up north. So being able to have the opportunity to go back home was exciting to me and also getting the opportunity to live with my parents. I know for a lot of people they go, “Oh, no, no, no, no.” [laughter] The support system was really, really appreciated. It’s really freaking hard to make a TV show in the Arctic. It’s hard. There’s so little infrastructure. The production team were coming up on challenge after challenge after challenge, foreseen and unforeseen. The days were really long and difficult and sometimes complicated before we really managed to find our stride or before the snow managed to melt a little bit and it was less difficult.
But it was just nice after like a 14-hour day, coming home and my dad being like, “Hey, kid, there’s pasta for you in the fridge.” I would just have no words, nonverbal, eyes half closed, eating my pasta, shower, and going to bed. Then be up in eight hours for the next day. I was grateful for my family and my parents. It’s just nice to have a full house and all of these things at your fingertips, doing a shoot.
Then this production team comes in, and you get so close because you’re together every single day, all day. But then there were these weird moments where I would see people that I grew up with, and the production team together. I was like, “Oh, this is so interesting.” This is a crossover of two worlds that I never thought would happen. But it was really heartwarming. It was such a beautiful thing to see Iqaluit be so supportive of the show and welcome us with open arms. It was nerve-wracking to be leading a show and have your entire community as the audience. It was nice to have the production be so open to what life in the North is like. I was really excited to tell this story and go on this adventure, and to see their love for the North grow as the months went on was so beautiful.
Then, for Iqaluit to get the experience of filming a big budget series and be background and different positions in the crew was really, really cool. On the weekends, going out dancing and seeing this whole mishmash of worlds.
blouse. Kaos
hat. Stetson
I love that! What I adore about ‘North of North’ is just how vibrant and gorgeous the Inuk community is. What has been the most surprising thing about the response to the show and seeing your community in the spotlight?
I think it’s been really surprising how surprised people have been that the North is as vibrant as it is. We’re fun-loving communities. You know, of course, there’s hardship, of course, there’s darkness. We’ve seen it before. Been there, done that.
But we are very vibrant communities. We’re so full of colour, whether it’s our houses, whether it’s our clothing, we love a pop of colour. The love for the wardrobe has been so incredible because our team, our team is amazing. Debra Hanson, who was our head of costume, and Nooks Lindell, who was our Inuk designer, worked with Debra to really curate and make sure the wardrobe was as authentic as possible. The way they worked together to create such an incredible assortment of clothing was amazing. You go to the grocery store, and people are dressed to the nines. They look good. The parkas are colourful. The fur is big. That’s a real point of pride for a lot of people.
Whether it’s parkas that have been gifted, parkas that people have been made for them, I think it’s an important part of who we are, a real kind of combination of modern and traditional. To see all the love that that’s gotten and all the love the Indigenous designers who have contributed work to the production have gotten has been so exciting. For them to see their work on screen, I love seeing when people take a photo of their TV, and they’re like, “That’s my work!” That’s been so like heartwarming and fulfilling.
The response to the wardrobe has been shocking in all of the best ways, as well as the music. We have such an incredible music team that pulled together such great songs. And the fact that we were able to get clearance on some of these songs. What strings were pulled to get this? [laughs] Opening with Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ (‘Ikiaqqik’) sung by Riit was so like, my heart burst and then came back together just so that it could burst again. It was the best feeling. To see Riit get her flowers, and so many other Inuit artists that did covers of pop songs and rock songs and songs that we all know and love, but then covered in Inuktitut has been so beautiful and amazing. The fact that people love that and come to the show just for that is really incredible. It’s beautiful to see that the community effort that it took to make this show is being appreciated so widely. It’s a beautiful thing.
It really is wonderful to see the whole community being given the flowers they deserve on such a global scale. On a slightly adjacent note, I have to ask about your mom’s parka, the one you wear in the first episode. I saw in another interview that she let you borrow it, but won’t let you have it. Any movement there? [Anna laughs] Did you end up adding it to your closet? Or is she still holding on to it?
She will very, very quickly let anyone know that it’s still hers. Her parka. It’s not mine. I’m allowed to wear it.
Dang it.
I know. I know. I’m like, “You know who it looks really nice on? You know who it fits perfectly?”
No dice, huh?
Nope!
suit. Bianca & Bridgett
shirt. Maison Tai
brooch. Talia Perla
opposite
top to bottom
faux fur coat. Anastasia Bull
tank top. CDLP
necklace. Veronica Tharmalingam
dress. Onalaja
I did want to touch a little more on the fashion of the show. How much of a say did you have in Siaja’s wardrobe? Did you have a favorite piece? What’s the story there?
I’m so lucky. As soon as they started getting wardrobe together for ‘North of North’, Nooks Lindell had messaged me and he was like, “Hey, I’m working with the team on wardrobe. Are there any specific designers that you want?” I immediately started typing out a list. I want Victoria’s Arctic Fashion, I want Winifred Designs. Can we get so-and-so-and-so-and-so-and-so-and-so. He was like, “That’s great because we already got all of them.” It’s Inuit design, Inuit craftsmanship, it’s not that it’s small, but it’s if you know, you know, kind of thing. Some people are so well known for their parkas and their designs. I could see a Victoria’s Arctic Fashion from a mile away and go like, “Yeah, that’s Vic.” If it’s not Vic, it’s inspired by Vic. Everyone’s got their own unique thing. It’s amazing that we have such a wide range from Greenland to Alaska of designers.
They were always very curious about what my thoughts were. We wanted Siaja to be very fun and colourful. She goes through this journey throughout the series with her clothing, where she becomes a bit more experimental. She’s got such a wide array of parkas and clothing. She’s a fashionable gal. Her husband may not be the coolest guy, but he takes care of her and he buys her stuff. Whether it’s as an apology or not, we don’t know. I have a crazy collection of earrings. I have a crazy collection of parkas that I’ve had for 10 years. It’s a collection, and people really take care of their things. It’s not too far from any version of reality that she has so much stuff.
In terms of favourite items, I would say Siaja’s kamiks were one of my favourite things in the show. They’re just so beautiful. The craftsmanship that goes into a pair of kamiks is crazy. From cleaning the seal skin to tanning it. The stitching that goes into them is just unbelievable. Then the designs vary from region to region. They take weeks to make. It’s so special wearing and showcasing these designers, because my art is, is acting and it’s the screen, but being able to wear their art is such a huge honour.
Absolutely. The series is made with so much care from fashion to acting to production, and everything behind the scenes. What do you hope audiences take away from the show that has been made with so much love?
I hope that audiences are open to the fact that our lives, our stories, and our experiences really aren’t that different from the rest of the world. People, I think, a lot of the time forget the Arctic exists, or they think there’s nothing up there. That, you know, Inuit were once upon a time a people that existed and no longer do, they went extinct. It’s like, no, we’re very real and very vibrant communities, we’re still very much alive. Of course, history hasn’t been the kindest to us. Colonialism, for many people, hasn’t been kind to us. But we have managed to survive and persevere.
Alot of that has happened through joy and comedy, through laughter, through community. Our show is very much a reflection of that. I hope people see that our communities exist in an array of ways, you know, of course, the darkness of cold winter, and the heaviness of that exists, but so does this vibrant, saturated, beautiful community. And that deserves just as much screen time, just as much representation, and attention as stories that are centred around trauma and hardship. It’s been exciting to finally feel like we have a show that represents our communities as they are in a bright way. This is us. I’m so tired of people saying, “Well, this isn’t like what I thought the Arctic was like.” Girl, who do you think knows better? Are the locals and the actors who are actually from here? Or people who have only ever heard about it through TV? This is who we are. I hope people can take that away and just be open to our self-representation. That would be cool.
Here’s hoping the series gets even more eyes on it come season 2. My last question, what is one thing you’ve learned from playing Siaja and from filming ‘North of North’ What is a lesson that you carry with you?
A lesson I’ve carried with me from Siaja and filming ‘North of North’ is that embarrassment passes. The cringe does pass, and it does go away eventually. I think it’s emboldened me to take more risks, to be more myself, and to not put myself into a box out of fear of how people might judge or perceive me. If I make a mistake, that embarrassment does go away, and your community more often than not want you to win. They want you to succeed. They want you to grow. And whether there’s a little bit of judgment that comes with that, it’s inevitable. You’ve got to keep pushing on if you really believe in what you want and what you’re moving towards.
jacket. Falguni Shane Peacock
shirt. No Maintenance
trousers. Theory
ear cuff + bracelet. Gabriella Artigas
ring. De Liguoro
