Hanna Hellström Doktorand

PhD in Musicology.

In my PhD I do an ethnomusicological work researching Ukrainian singing in Sweden postmigration and during an ongoing war. Through an ethnographic work including interviews and participant observation I look at the function of Ukrainian singing in Sweden on an individual, collective and political level. This is a multi-sited fieldwork including various spaces where ukrainian singing takes place; from organised performances, singing among ukrainian choirs and singing groups and more spontaneous utterances of Ukrainian song that occur, for instance, at protests and manifestations.

I have a great interest in ethnomusicology/applied ethnomusicology, music sociology, music and migration and engaged humanities, specifically issues regarding music and identity, belonging/non-belonging, music and wellbeing and music and politics. I have since my bachelor engaged in ethnomusicology and the field of music and minorities/migration. In my bachelor I studied choral singing as a tool for integration. In my master thesis I wrote about music making in a refugee position, working with four Ukrainian musicians that took part of SWAN:s (The Swedish Artists Redicendy Network) emergency artists residencies in 2022/2023.

Alongside my academic work I have worked as a choral conductor for ten years, conducting choirs for both kids and adults. I work with both pop-rock choirs and language and integraton choirs today. I have also done work at music projects such as Sjungande barn at Kungliga Musikaliska Akademien and I am since spring 2026 part of the thinktank ' Unga tankar om Musik'.