Singing the sound of nature

The tiny bar was packed with a lively crowd, buzzing with excitement as the moment they had been waiting for approached. Cheers rippled through the air as the competition began.

But this wasn't just any kind of competition. It was a khoomei competition, and it had brought together 12 skilled performers who were expected to demonstrate their mastery of the mesmerizing vocal technique. Some had prepared songs, others would improvise, but all were ready to share their unique interpretation of this ancient tradition.

This UNESCO-recognized art is no ordinary form of singing. It's a remarkable vocal art in which the singer produces multiple pitches at once — deep, resonant tones that echo the sounds of nature, such as the wind, the rivers, the call of distant animals. It's a sound that can feel both mystical and grounded in the earth, a sound that has survived centuries of Mongolian nomadic life, carrying with it a deep spiritual connection to the land.