Identity and Mental Well-being: A Case Study of the Estonian Vikerlased LGBTQ+ Mixed Choir

The act of making music together serves to connect people, creating a sense of belonging and unity while being a powerful tool to facilitate mental well-being. This case study concentrates on member motivation and how this is related to their participation in the Estonian LGBTQ+ mixed choir Vikerlas...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Davidjants Brigitta, Raju Marju
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/jef-2025-0009
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Summary:The act of making music together serves to connect people, creating a sense of belonging and unity while being a powerful tool to facilitate mental well-being. This case study concentrates on member motivation and how this is related to their participation in the Estonian LGBTQ+ mixed choir Vikerlased, with research questions being focused on the political and psychological identity aspects of group singing. Data collection was carried out by means of participatory observation, a questionnaire, and in-depth and focus group interviews. The findings suggest that singing in an LGBTQ+ choir serves multiple functions for its members, serving to support identity, maintain social, institutional, and musical aspects of participation, and promote mental well-being.
ISSN:2228-0987