The music duo Ilaheva is an evocative blend of contrasting worlds, rooted in the serene mountains of northern Sweden. The band consists of Kasete Skeen, who is half Tongan and half English, and Melina Malke, who is half Swedish and half Syrian. Their music is a dynamic reflection of their diverse backgrounds and experiences, a meeting of different worlds that they hope resonates with listeners.
For Kasete Skeen, the journey into music runs parallel to another ambitious pursuit: qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he will be representing Tonga in alpine skiing. He sees many common threads between the two disciplines. Both sport and music require dedication, focus, training, and practice to reach the next level. He notes the repetitive nature of practicing musical scales is similar to repeatedly practicing a specific technique in ski training. For him, the two complement each other well, providing both a creative and a physical outlet. With the snow finally having arrived and the lifts open, he is excited to get back on the slopes for real training.
Melina Malke, a communications student, has been writing songs since she was 12 or 13, using music as an outlet to express her feelings and everyday life. Her background in communications has shaped her artistic approach; she realizes that her music has always been about “putting messages in the package of a melody”. Growing up, she was influenced by Swedish pop culture and a diverse range of genres, mentioning that in her household, they would listen to Aussie Osborne.
Their diverse identities are intrinsically woven into Ilaheva’s sound. Kasete Skeen shares that Pacific peoples are naturally musical, a trait deeply ingrained in their culture, a contrast he observed when living within the Pacific diaspora and being constantly in contact with Western cultures. He contrasts the “energetic, frenetic, or like stressful” music he made while living in London with Ilaheva’s current, calmer sound. He attributes this shift to their current location in the mountains of northern Sweden, which offers a sense of space and connection to the natural world, similar to being on the islands, and bringing a sense of calm.
The duo’s origin story is unique. Melina Malke recalls first meeting Kasete Skeen around 2020 while she was working at a boutique in the mall. He “popped in and said we should do music someday together”. Later, they were paired up by a mutual friend, Yani, who, by day, is a bus driver. This bus driver, who they both frequently rode with at different times, was instrumental in bringing them together to collaborate.
The band name, Ilaheva, was chosen from a long list of possibilities. They sought a name with meaning and resonance. Kasete Skeen explains that Ilaheva reflects their heritage and the importance of “womanhood and traditional cultures in the modern world,” making it a story and a relevant name.
Ilaheva’s music has been described as pop fused with EDM and atmospheric elements. The band sees their sound as a “fusion of our own personalities” and song-based. They are willing to look beyond ordinary pop song structures, taking influence from EDM and dance music to create something unique, while remaining grounded in the song itself.
When suggesting a first listen, they recommend “Wildfire” and “Under the Sky,” as the two songs, though different, encapsulate their music. “Wildfire” is very down-tempo and was an older song Melina Malke had written. “Under the Sky,” which is more melodic and features a beat, was based on an idea Kasete Skeen presented. Their collaboration varies, sometimes starting with a melody and beat sent by one member, and other times starting with a song already written by the other.
Ultimately, Ilaheva hopes their music evokes a sense of “spaciousness” and “connection”. They aim to connect with their audience by sharing universal experiences, such as feeling desperation, loneliness, or chasing something in life.
Looking ahead, the duo has a busy year planned. They are releasing a new EP in January and hope to play some local gigs in the spring. Their plan is to have a third EP out before the summer and potentially tour and play festivals around Europe. Their ultimate hope for Ilaheva is for music to become their main pastime and to pay their bills. When asked to describe their future in one word, Melina Malke chose “inspiration”, as inspiring others is the “why” behind their work, while Kasete Skeen added that their future will also be “challenging”.
Images provided by the featured individuals or sourced from their public social media profiles and online platforms. All rights remain with the original creators. Originally published in PMN+ Magazine, January 2026 (Vol. 3 No. 1).
January 2026 · Digital Magazine
