New Zealand's very own father-daughter duo HØVDING have released "Caught Beneath the Water," a cinematic folk song that draws inspiration from the duo's Nordic roots. Infused with dark melodies and haunting lyrics, the new single allows listeners to become immersed in a world of fantasy where mythical creatures and mysterious magic thrive. When creating the track, vocalist Nika Jane wanted listeners to envision a place where they'd be able to explore the antagonists of a story:

"Whenever I'm writing a HØVDING song like 'Caught Beneath The Water,' I picture a mythical scene and I let myself go there in my head. It's always dark but I love it. It feels comforting to me and I always find a story in there. There's nothing like that feeling in the real world. I find it fun to dive into the dark and mysterious. In movies growing up I never liked the princes or princesses, I always loved the villains - they were so much more fun." - Nika Jane of HØVDING

HØVDING
Angela Duncan/ WTFpublicity

HØVDING's "Caught Beneath the Water"

Geoff Duncan, who produces the sounds of HØVDING, shares the important textural elements of the track - and how the opening lyric was vital to capturing the dark, hopeless feeling the song carries.

"With 'Caught Beneath The Water' we wanted something that felt hopeless, and foreboding, and we wanted to feel like calamity and doom was all around. It needed to feel cold and elemental. 'Wind on the water, Blood in the well' is the opening line and we wanted it to set the scene like something very dark was unfolding. And even though it's a dark and serious song, with this heavy undertone, we actually had so much fun writing it and trying to make it as spooky as possible." -Geoff Duncan of HØVDING

HØVDING is the musical collaboration between 17 year-old artist Nika Jane and her father, Billboard-charting producer Geoff Duncan. Together they create dark Nordic-inspired cinematic songs inspiring a feeling of longing and nostalgia while embracing the chilling drama of dark myths and legends.

Their music features the haunting vocals of Nika Jane, who loves creating immersive rhythms and layered atmospheres with her voice. Accompanying the vocals are dynamic and lush soundscapes, crafted from organic instruments like acoustic guitars and drums, alongside orchestral strings and bombastic cinematic elements. From fragile intimate moments to gargantuan ensemble performances, HØVDING create a unique and immersive world for the listener to inhabit.

The name HØVDING hails from the name of the ship that took Nika's ancestors from their homeland in Norway to settle in New Zealand. Both Nika Jane and Geoff were born in New Zealand but are now currently living in Nashville TN, where Nika Jane is high school student, Fellowship-awarded composer, and producer. Geoff is a full time songwriter and producer.

Be sure to stream "Caught Beneath the Water" on all DSPs today.