The ultimate tango king Jari Sillanpää is set to conquer the pop market when he releases his new album Rakkaudella merkitty mies - his first studio one in three years - on September 26, 2014. The first single Malagaan is already out. The album features some young and popular song writers being more pop oriented than any of his previous albums after the recent success with playing with various music styles from opera to reggae, heavy and pop. About this new single he says he first thought it was just too corny and he coudn't possibly record it. After listening to it a couple of days he thought it was amusing and he just had to do it. Indeed it's kinda silly.... yet, it somehow works.
Jari Sillanpää has managed to stay on top since his victory in Tangomarkkinat 1995 and his defeat in Eurovision 2004 or coming out in 2006 hasn't changed his status one bit. He has always been adored by elderly women in particular and now he may be crossing over to younger generations - has the time come when liking Sillanpää is actually the coolest thing to do since Cheek?!
Even if he hasn't released a new material since 2011 he has been all over the place and everywhere in between. In late 2011 he won the Syksyn Sävel contest with En se olla saa. In late 2012 he was one of the stars in the first season of Vain elämää, a reality TV-show that broke all records and produced countless hits, sold multiplatinum with its two albums and even sold out concerts. He covered Nylon Beat's Teflon love, Kaija Koo's Kaunis, rietas, onnellinen, Katri Helena's (or Anne Marie David's Tu te reconnaitras) Nuoruus on seikkailu, Dingo's Sinä ja minä, Negative's Jealous Sky and most of all Cheek's Liekeissä that become a big hit. As a duet he did with Cheek his beforementioned En se olla saa.
This spring he took part and won another reality Tv-format, Tähdet, tähdet. Every week the artists perfomed in different music genres and one was voted out. He beat Diandra in the final. People just went crazy for his Gangnam style. Alphaville classic Forever young followed, that fits him like a glove. For opera he chose Mozart's Der Vögelfänger.... Pharrell Williams' Happy was next, followed by Dio's Holy diver, where he showed his dedication by cutting his hair just moments before the live show causing quite a media stirr.
Boney M's Sunny performance was overshadowed by his golden trousers... A duet with Diandra followed, Up where we belong and indeed they ended up being the top-2. Go the distance and Could you be loved came next proving he can sing any style really. In the final he performed yet two other songs, his own Euroviisut 1998 runner up Valkeaa unelmaa and Queen's Bohemian rhapsody. The guy's truly versatile......
Oh, here's a little bonus from his Liekeissä Tour: ABBA-medley! And what about this accapella tributo to late Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Donna Summer?
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