ENJI ERKHEM
Flowing Through Amber

When Enji opens her mouth to sing, it’s like Ella Fitzgerald on horseback—a gentle breeze sweeping across the grasslands, carrying cool jazz from the yurts. To music lovers, she is one of the most unique gifts Mongolian music has offered the world in recent years.

Following her highly acclaimed debut in China last April, Enji, the treasured jazz vocalist from Ulaanbaatar, and her band are set to return to the stage at the Lincoln Jazz Shanghai Center as part of the 2025 War Horse Music Festival.

Based in Munich but hailing from Ulaanbaatar, Enji Erkhem is one of the most exciting and talked-about jazz newcomers in the international music scene. Her voice is delicate, versatile, and enchanting, deeply rooted in traditional Mongolian singing techniques while also embracing a free-spirited, imaginative approach to performance. Together with her German production team and musicians, she has created a unique soundscape of Mongolian music that feels both groundbreaking and deeply authentic. Fans have hailed her as "the most beautiful gift Mongolian music has given to the world in recent years."

Media Reviews:

"In most people’s minds, Mongolian music is wild yet tender, painted with the sounds of the horsehead fiddle, long songs, and throat singing—a vivid depiction of life on the grasslands, where herdsmen roam and yurts dot the endless green. Then, one day, a quiet voice emerges—nimble, light, almost geometric—standing in stark contrast to the traditional sounds of Mongolia. It’s like a dewdrop on the grassland, reflecting the vast wilderness through a fisheye lens. This voice belongs to Enji, a jazz singer from Ulaanbaatar."
— Sanlian Life Weekly

While Enji’s music is deeply rooted in Mongolian culture, it doesn’t rely on the usual clichés of草原narratives or epic battles. Instead, it captures the vastness and grandeur of the landscape, as well as the innate connection nomadic people have with nature. Long songs meet jazz; the freedom of the grasslands intertwines with the microcosm of urban life. In Enji’s music, seemingly disparate elements coexist in a way that feels both magical and harmonious.

Enji: "I discovered that my native language, Mongolian, is a very rhythmic language, and from there, melodies naturally emerged."

For Enji, singing and composing in her mother tongue is a journey of self-discovery. She believes that within the language she grew up speaking lies a deeper, more authentic version of herself—one that she is still uncovering. When she improvises in Mongolian, the songs flow like the wind. In the world of her native language, Enji can freely extend her thoughts, much like the folk songs she sang with her family as a child, while also grounding them in the disciplined structure of jazz.

What resonates with listeners isn’t just Enji’s unique and beautiful voice, but also her keen observations of life. From the mountains of her homeland seen from an airplane window to travels in a small German town, from childhood memories to dreams, Enji has a knack for finding joy in the mundane and capturing fleeting yet luminous emotional connections. Her music transforms these moments into sweet, ephemeral snapshots.

So what you hear isn’t just the山水草原 (mountains, rivers, and grasslands)—it’s Enji’s world, and perhaps a reflection of the soft, tender spaces within your own heart.

As the Spring Festival came to a close, we received the full tracklist of Enji’s upcoming album from her German label, Squama. After a sneak listen, it’s clear that Enji is evolving in exciting ways. Her new album, Sonor, is set to release on May 2, with the lead single, Ulbar, already available.

Many listeners have marveled at how romantic Enji’s Mongolian lyrics sound, often wondering what lies behind the mysterious beauty of her words. To help, we’ve provided a translation of the lyrics for Ulbar, a visually stunning new MV. Watching it, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the subtle observations and emotions she expresses in her mother tongue. The lyrics are tightly interwoven with the melody, yet they feel light and ethereal—like a tangible breeze, a whisper of clouds, or the soft murmur of rain, gently drifting into your heart.

Ulbar

Ulbar means "amber." It refers to the brief moment at sunset when the sky turns a vivid amber color. In that fleeting, vibrant instant—neither fully day nor night—Enji, born in Mongolia and now based in Munich, found the inspiration for her new album, Sonor.

Sonor

"Sonor is a reflection of Enji’s personal growth, exploring the complex emotions of living between two cultures. The album revolves around the indescribable feeling of existing in the space between cultures—not as a source of conflict, but as a space for growth and self-discovery. Enji examines how being away from her traditional Mongolian roots has shaped her identity, and how returning home has made her more aware of these changes.

Supported by a band of renowned jazz musicians, Enji isn’t just returning to tradition—she’s distilling the essence of home, those small joys that only become apparent when viewed from a distance. Like the familiar songs hummed by parents, her music captures the essence of belonging, no longer tied to a specific place but deeply connected to the emotions and memories that shape us."
— Squama

This April, Enji will return to the Lincoln Jazz Shanghai Center to share her new album with Chinese audiences. Her nimble jazz rhythms will warm the early spring chill, and we look forward to experiencing countless sweet moments with you at the live performance.

Band Lineup

Lesley Mok

Lesley Mok (b. 1994) is a drummer, composer, and improviser based in Brooklyn, New York. Her work spans sound, installation art, film, and theater, exploring the connections between the everyday and the sacred. Her music blends a unique rhythmic language inspired by Afro-Cuban folk traditions, delicate textural percussion, free jazz, ambient, and electronic music. Mok’s debut album, The Living Collection, released in May 2023 on American Dreams Records, features a ten-piece improvisational chamber ensemble. The album has been praised by All About Jazz as "exquisite and provocative" and by Jazz Trail Magazine as a "unique personal statement," earning her the 2024 German Jazz Award for International Debut Album. She has received numerous accolades, including the 2024 ASCAP Fred Ho Award, the 2022 Roulette Intermedium Residency, and the 2021 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award.

Paul Brändle

Paul Brändle is a standout German jazz guitarist and a graduate of the Munich University of Performing Arts. With an impressive discography as a bandleader, Brändle has released three albums showcasing his unique style and innovative approach to jazz. He has collaborated with renowned artists like Enji, Fazer, Rick Hollander, and Brian Levy, and has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Known for his melodic brilliance, Brändle’s guitar work has earned him widespread acclaim, solidifying his place as a prominent talent in contemporary jazz.

River Adomeit

River Adomeit is a musician deeply influenced by American jazz and folk traditions. Originally from Connecticut and now based in Amsterdam, River holds a Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin Conservatory and a Master’s degree from the Conservatory of Amsterdam. He has collaborated with improvisational masters like Jamey Haddad, Anat Cohen, and Billy Childs, blending his understanding of American jazz and folk with global musical traditions. In 2024, he was named a "Jonge Maker" at the Amsterdam Jazz Festival, where he explores the intersection of contemporary classical music and improvisation. As the leader of the folk trio Flatland Prayer, River takes an interdisciplinary approach to songwriting, seamlessly integrating theater, visual art, and spoken word.