Iskelmä Finlandia 2011 awarded tonight

The annual award for the merits in the schlager field will be given out tonight. As usual the audience has a poll and the people's favourite will be awarded with a diploma but the real winner of 10.000 euros and name in the music history will be decided by Arto Alaspää alone. This is the 11th time the award will be given and last year the winner was Laura Voutilainen. Previous winners include Marion Rung, Kari Tapio, Jari Sillanpää and Paula Koivuniemi.

This year the moniness feature four veterans and a surprising newcomer, Mariska. She started as a hip hop artists but has then moved to pop, jazz and schalger also writing songs to other artists like Anna Puu, Jenni Vartiainen. Four albums todate with the latest hit being Suloinen myrkynkeittäjä.

Very underrated name in this is Meiju Suvas. She started in 1982, has participated in Euroviisut and has based her career on cover versions mainly but has showed over the 30 years she's got it what it takes to stay in this business still performing and recording with solid success. Yet, she hasn't had a radio hit since forever. Her first hit was Tahdon sinut and hits like Viet itse kontrollin, Muukalainen, Tää onnea on, Moliendo cafe, Pure mua and Pommi oon.

Pepe Willberg has been singing since 1960's and has nine solo albums and many more with various bands to his credit, as well as the Eurovision 1988 Finnish entry as a composer. He has also written countless national final songs over the years. In 1999 he also was one of the Mestarit with Hector, Pave Maijanen and Kirka doing one album and highly succesful tour. After that he performed awhile with Fredi and Petri Laaksonen so he's filled with Eurovision connections. His most famous song is Aamu.

Markku Aro who represanted Finland in Eurovision 1971 and has participated another 5 times in the national final. He has released 19 albums since 1969. In Syksyn Säcvel he participated seven times and has countless hits under his belt from the 1970's mainly when he was the hottest Finnish singer. His hits include Etsin kunnes löydän sun, Jos luoja suo, Käyn uudelleen eiliseen, Anna kaikkien kukkien kukkia and Kestän mitä vaan.

He was already nominated back in 2001.

Danny, the grand old man of the Finnish music business is the favourite to win. He started with Danny & The Islanders back in 1964, Pepe Willberg was one of the band members. Later he went solo amd has been also a duet with Armi Aavikko in the late 1970's. Today he performs with D'Voices. 18 albums, 81 charting hit singles 11 of them number ones, ground breaking tours and shows he is the Finnish Johnny Halliday or Tom Jones. In Euroviisut he has participated seven times; first time in 1966 and last so far in 2004. His hits include Vähän ennen kyyneleitä, Kuusamo, Kesäkatu, Tämä taivas, tää maa

UPDATE: Danny won the televoting followed by Markku Aro but the award went to Pepe Willberg, a bit surprisingly...

Comments

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