Folk-prog artist Dikajee releases emotional new single ‘Friar’s Lantern’

The hauntingly brilliant multi-instrumentalist Dikajee has previously announced her brand new album The Frame, which will be out on 6th November. Dikajee is now releasing her emotional new offering ‘Friar’s Lantern’, featuring Guillaume Bernard (guitarist KLONE).

A personal comment from Dikajee on the track and video:

“This song should probably be called ‘Wondering Light’ because that’s what I’ve meant to describe, but I just loved that word combination. This song is empowering, but at the same time it’s a type of song that you would sing to someone who is dying; you’re gonna be ok, it’s gonna be fine; like a reassurance to make the dying person avoid horror. At the same time I’m picturing some ghosts of dreams that are probably dead somewhere inside you, but if you spend some time with yourself, reach out to your deep spirit, you may find that that kid who dared to dream, to laugh, to fall in love, to say yes to adventures is still there and that it’s never too late to live if you’re alive. I think this song is a sister of the previous track ‘Home of the Wind’.”

Singer-songwriter Dikajee has captivated audiences on stages around the world, sharing lineups with acclaimed artists across the progressive, folk, and metal scenes.

In 2021, Dikajee released her critically acclaimed album Forget~Me~Nots, showcasing an intricate blend of folk, neo-baroque, neoclassical, and progressive rock. The album features guest appearances from Fiona Rüggeberg (flutes, bagpipes; FAUN), Guillaume Bernard (guitars; KLONE), and Artis Orubs (drums; Erik Truffaz), and received widespread praise from music publications across Europe, the UK, and the USA. Her achievements include being voted #1 Best New Artist of the Year in the Prog Readers Poll (2025), #4 Vocalist of the Year in the Prog Readers Poll (2021), while her single ‘Lily Of The Valley’ was featured on The Best of Metal Hammer 2021 compilation.

Her voice is incredibly versatile, allowing her to move effortlessly between genres and styles. From classical operatic vocals to extreme metal and everything in between, Dikajee‘s exceptional range, virtuoso vocal dynamics, and refined technique make her one of those rare singers capable of excelling across an extraordinary breadth of vocal styles. In 2023, the Russian-born artist was granted a UK Global Talent Visa and relocated from Saint Petersburg to the United Kingdom, where she rebuilt her band with a brand-new lineup. 

Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Dikajee is set to release her second full-length album, The Frame, on 6th November 2026. The album features an international lineup of guest musicians including Jonathan Noyce (Archive, Jethro Tull), Varijashree Venugopal (Snarky Puppy), German Vergara (Aisles), Guillaume Bernard (KLONE), Christian Ayala (Avandra), Vikram Shankar (Pain of Salvation, Charlotte Wessels, Within Temptation, Lux Terminus), and many more.

Both of Dikajee‘s albums showcase her distinctive blend of progressive rock, folk, classical music, and metal, highlighting her adventurous songwriting and fearless musical vision.

Pre-order The Frame here: https://dikajee.bandcamp.com

Track-list:
1. The Frame
2. Gunpowder
3. In the Blink of an Eye
4. Home of the Wind
5. Friar’s Lantern
6. Thrown Ashore
7. Imaginary Doctor
8. Travel Through Time (feat. German Vergara)
9. Troin (outro)

Dikajee live:
08/10 – the Piper, st Leonard, solo (supporting John Hackett Band)
09/10 – Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate, solo (supporting John Hackett Band)
10/10 – West Hampstead arts Club, solo (supporting John Hackett Band)
22/11 – The Thames Side Session, Staines, solo
30/11 – London, WaterRats, full band (supporting The Paradox Twin)
04/12 – Manchester, Empty Space, full band (supporting The Paradox Twin)

Dikajee are:
Olga Karpova – songwriting, grand piano, keys, arrangements
Dmitry Irinovich (studio) – keys, orchestral arrangements, keys
Christian Ayala (studio) – guitars, programming
Benjamin Baert – drums (studio)
Graham Brown – drums (live)
Gulia Naumova, Ksenia Sednina – strings, backing vocals
Joe Fraser – guitars, vocals 
Victor Sankov – bass (studio) (tracks 1,3,4,8,9)
David Honour – bass, backing vocals (live)