Her music achieved mainstream recognition with films such as Joker (2019), for which she won an Oscar, TÁR (2022), or the HBO drama series Chernobyl (2019). Her most recent work appears in HEDDA (2025), a radical re-working of Henrik Ibsen’s play which premiered earlier this month at the Toronto Film Festival.
At the Holland Festival 2026, she will present Where To From, a new multidisciplinary concert in which live-performed music from her album of the same name (to be released later this year) and Guðnadóttir’s existing oeuvre will be combined with light art by Theresa Baumgartner. This performance is co-produced by the Holland Festival.
The role of associate artist
Since 2019, the Holland Festival has worked annually with an associate artist: an international artist with a broad outlook and an innovative and interdisciplinary artistic practice, who commits to one edition of the festival. The associate artist commits to one edition of the festival and functions as a source of inspiration, a discussion partner for the programming team and shows part of their oeuvre, alongside work that is co-produced by the Holland Festival.
Hildur Guðnadóttir on her role as associate artist:
'It´s a great treat to be named associate artist at the Holland Festival 2026. It’s been one of my favourite festivals ever since I played there first in 2013. I have always admired their courageous and exciting lineups, so it’s a huge honour to partake in next year’s programming. It’s a rare and beautiful thing to have the chance to perform with and hear some of my favourite artists in the span of a few weeks.'
Emily Ansenk, director Holland Festival:
'With Hildur Guðnadóttir we welcome an artist who brings together sound, emotion and imagination in a unique way. Her work gets under the skin, touches a wide audience and is at the same time uncompromising and innovative. We look forward to stretching the boundaries of music and performance with her further.'
About Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur Guðnadóttir broke through internationally with her compelling film music for films such as , among others, Joker (Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Grammy), TÁR and Women Talking. She also composed for Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Mary Magdalene, Journey’s End, and Tom of Finland, as well as music for TV series such as Chernobyl, Trapped and Street Spirits.
Alongside her music for film and television, Guðnadóttir has built an impressive solo repertoire. In her four albums — Mount A (2006), Without Sinking 2009), Leyfðu Ljósinu (2012; performed live at the Holland Festival in 2013) and Saman (2014)— she draws an enormous variety of sounds from her instruments, ranging from deeply intimate tones to overwhelming soundscapes.
Recently, she performed in the Netherlands with her band Osmium, a collaboration with James Ginzburg (emptyset, Subtext), Rully Shabara (Senyawa), and producer and sound designer Sam Slater.
About the Holland Festival
The Holland Festival is the largest international performing arts festival in the Netherlands and will take place for the 79th time in 2026. In June, the festival presents innovative and groundbreaking performances from around the world at various locations in Amsterdam.
