Danish Originals

From her home in Copenhagen, Rødovre-born, Danish singer-songwriter KIRA SKOV talks about her deeply personal new memoir Liv forladt about music, life as a musician in 1990s Los Angeles and London, and the silver lining in loss and grief. Kira talks about musicians who have inspired her, her spirit animal that accompanies her in her writing, the detrimental 2017 sudden death of her husband and collaborator Nicolai Munch-Hansen, and putting behind her relationship with people with addiction. 

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For today's episode, Kira Skov chose Emil Westman Hertz's Nine of Wands, from 2016, from the collection of the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KMS8828 

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Photographer: Rita Blue

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This conversation with Gregers Heering occurred on September 2, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]

From his home studio, Hørsholm-born, Burbank, Los Angeles-based BAFTA-winning Danish composer and sound designer JESPER KYD recalls his part in the European demoscene in the '80s and '90s that took him to Boston, New York, and eventually Los Angeles. Jesper revisits his hit franchises Hitman, Assassin's Creed, and Borderlands, and shares thoughts about his more current ventures in film, animation, and live concerts. He also explains how being a composer is being a problem solver.

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For today's episode, Jesper Kyd chose François Schuiten's "The Theory of the Grain of Sand" from the series Cities of the Fantastic, from 1992–2009, from the collection of the King Baudouin Foundation in Brussels.

https://www.heritage-kbf.be/collection/cities-fantastic

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Photographer: Ben Bentley

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This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on July 31, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]

From her home in Indianapolis, Glostrup-born, Herlev-raised Danish-American singer songwriter ANITA LERCHE describes her roles as acclaimed performer of Punjabi music, global ambassador of Punjabi culture, Grammy voting member and Recording Academy's Chicago Chapter Board governor. Alongside her contributions to world, new age, classical, pop, and jazz music, Anita talks about her mark on traditional Danish music and her mission as the Honorary Consul for Denmark in Indiana. 

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For today's episode, Anita Lerche chose Robert Indiana's LOVE, from 1970, from the collection of the Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana.

https://collections.discovernewfields.org/art/artwork/28170 

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Photographer: Dan Møller

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]

From his office in Holmen, Århus-born, Gilleleje-raised, Copenhagen-based Danish director of the National Film School of Denmark KRISTOFFER HEGNSVAD shares his thoughts on the school's role in training students from its nine departments to achieve their artistic best and to work collaboratively. He revisits his work as a filmmaker, film critic, and author, his three iconic documentaries, and discusses the potential of mainstream American films to be catalysts for public cultural conversations. 

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For today's episode, Kristoffer Hegnsvad chose Francisco Goya's The Drowning Dog, from 1820–1823, from the collection of the Prado Museum in Madrid.

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-drowning-dog/4ea6a3d1-00ee-49ee-b423-ab1c6969bca6 

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Photographer: Ken Hermann

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This conversation with Tina Jøhnk Christensen occurred on August 20, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]

From his home, Copenhagen-born and -based Danish vintage clothing store owner and PhD fellow JESPER RICHARDY talks about the life cycle of textiles. He shares his thoughts on quality, and on the systemic changes needed in the fashion industry as it concerns sustainability, circularity, waste, capitalism, and consumerism. Jesper talks about the evolution of his three different ventures, in Copenhagen and New York respectively, and how in 2017 Lady Gaga changed his trajectory. 

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For today's episode, Jesper Richardy chose School of Goya's Portrait of Luis María de Cistué y Martínez (1788-1842), from 1791, from the collection of the Louvre Museum in Paris.

https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010067553

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Photographer: Nana Reimers

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This conversation with Frederikke Møller occurred on August 17, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected] 

From her San Francisco office, American journalist and author JEANNE CARSTENSEN discusses her new non-fiction book A Greek Tragedy: One Day, A Deadly Shipwreck, and the Human Cost of the Refugee Crisis, that portrays, through firsthand accounts, the largest single-day loss of life during the modern European refugee crisis on October 28, 2015. Jeanne shares thoughts on the timelessness of this very human story, and comments on historical patterns of migration as a global survivor's game.

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For today's episode, Jeanne Carstensen chose Ruth Asawa's installation of 15 Untitled, from 1955–1969, from the collection of Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

https://www.famsf.org/learn-engage/read-watch-listen/sharing-ruth-asawa-art 

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Photographer: Marissa Leshnov

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This conversation with Finn-Olaf Jones occurred on August 10, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected] 

From his home in Østerbro, Copenhagen-born French-Vietnamese-Danish jazz bassist, composer, and band leader CHRIS MINH DOKY shares his journey that included a multicultural musical upbringing, becoming the house bass player at Copenhagen's La Fontaine at 17, and moving to New York at 18 to be closer to the music he loved, which resulted in a 30-year stay. Chris talks about discovering Miles Davis and the improvisational language of jazz that lends itself to superimposing on other genres. 

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For today's episode, Chris Minh Doky chose Antonio Corradini's Femme voilée (la Foi?), or Veiled Woman (Faith?), from 1800, from the collection of the Louvre Museum in Paris.

https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010094893  

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Photographer: Camilla Winther

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This conversation with Finn-Olaf Jones occurred on July 15, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]

From his home in Hornbæk, northern Copenhagen-born, retired Danish pilot, airline captain, and businessman PERCY BECK RØRVIG recalls living in Manhattan at an early age, joining the Danish Air Force at 18, starting a 30-year long career at Scandinavian Airlines at 24, and piloting the CPH-JFK route for years. Percy calls New York his second home, having lived there for several periods. And he talks about the businesses he took up along the way, borrowing from lessons he learned as a pilot.

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For today's episode, Percy Beck Rørvig chose Alberto Giacometti's Three Men Walking II, from 1949 from the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/489978 

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Private Photograph

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This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on June 28, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/ 

email: [email protected] 

In Los Angeles for Noma's 16-week Silver Lake pop-up residency, Seoul-born, Fjerritslev-raised Danish restaurant co-owner PETER KREINER revisits his path running the influential establishment ranked #1 in the world five times. Peter shares his insights, on leading Noma with its philosophy on culinary innovation through foraging and fermentation and its approach to creating unforgettable experiences, and on expanding the Noma portfolio. And he also discusses some ups and downs along the way.

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For today's episode, Peter Kreiner chose James Turrell's Aftershock from 2021 from the collection of Copenhagen Contemporary in Copenhagen.

https://copenhagencontemporary.org/en/james-turrell/ 

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Photographer: Klaus Rudbæk

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This conversation with Carsten "Soulshock" Schack occurred on June 17, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]

From her home in Culver City, Næstved-born, Los Angeles-based Danish bakery owner and head baker KAREN HANSEN recalls her journey arriving in LA in 1977 as an au pair to her current venture with the beloved local favorite, Copenhagen Pastry. Karen talks about being a resourceful self-starter and checking in with her instincts. And she revisits her very different prior businesses, a residential home cleaning service and a marketing service for creatives, before arriving at traditional Danish pastries.

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For today's episode, Karen Hansen chose Harald Slott-Møller's Dansk landskab, or Danish Landscape, from 1891 from the collection of the National Gallery of Denmark. 

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/DEP297

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Photographer: Sara Madsen

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This conversation with Christian D. Bruun occurred on April 27, 2026.

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We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/                                

email: [email protected]