Gunhild Carling

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Gunhild Carling (born 7 May 1975 in Gothenburg) is a Swedish jazz musician who plays many instruments. She is best known for trombone and bagpipes, but she also plays trumpet, recorder, piano, guitar and more. She often uses several instruments in one song and sometimes taps the rhythm or sings in between.

Her career highlights include a standout performance at Allsång på Skansen in 2010 and work as a commentator on Dansbandskampen. She finished third on Let's Dance in 2014. She led the Carling Big Band and performed at royal events, such as King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Ruby Jubilee in 2013 and his 70th birthday in 2016. She has appeared with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox in several videos, including versions of Never Gonna Give You Up, Material Girl, The Final Countdown, Happy, and Dancing Queen. In 2016 she spoke at TEDxArendal about the trombone, and in 2024 she spoke at TEDxPalo Alto about the history of the jazz trumpet.

Carling cites early jazz legends like Louis Armstrong, Freddie Keppard, Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, and Billie Holiday as influences. She married Johan Blomé in 2003 and performs with their children Idun and Viggo, as well as with her siblings Gerd, Max, and Ulf; their mother Aina Carling often joins the group. She grew up in southern Sweden near Malmö in a musical family and learned by playing with them, not through formal lessons. She started with drums, recorder, trombone and trumpet, then added tap dancing, harmonica and bagpipes, and later began composing.

In 2018 she moved to northern California with her family and continues to perform across the United States, online and through videos that have earned many views. Her recordings are available on CD, digital formats and streaming services.