Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The Rasmus has been in Turin now for a few days and had their two rehearsals and are waiting for the second-semi final and of course the final next Saturday.  For the joy of their fans they have performed - for the first time ever they say - as street musicians (and earned 1,60 euros) in Turin's streets and piazzas. They have started a Vlog about their journey so come along! Check it out below: Check out their rehearsal sneak peak below And enjoy also this acoustic version of Jezebel, recorded in Hawaii, Italy and Finland. Or maybe Australia? Those guys are on so many continents it's hard to tell.. ...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? To complete the solo/band triple after Samu/Sunrise Avenue and Johanna/Auri/Nightwish it's obvious choice: Lauri Ylönen solo or with his The Rasmus . Having success for over 20 years already and  In the Shadows in 2003 being one of the biggest hits of the year in Europe and top-10 single in 11 countries globally. It's also been several times the Finnish song that has earned most royalties globally beating also classical works by Sibelius. But it's not their only hit, they keep coming and Lauri also enjoyed success as a solo artist when The Rasmus has a short break. Definately a serious card to play if Yle only dares to ask them, and they or him dare to take the chance! Lauri is also one of the artists in this autumn's Vain elämää series so he wou...

It's September and the Eurovision 2018 season is officially on. I will feature in coming days names that could be in UMK18, if only...... I say if only, as most likely we won't see any of them in there for UMK is profilied as a newcomers contest instead of being our own Sanremo or Melodifestivalen. In short: a major contest all the big names want to take part not only to win but to boost their record sales and score hits. But one can dream, right? I have thrown in some not so known names for variety. Let's go.... Vol.10 Check out the previous posts by scrolling down. Vesala is singer-songwriter, actress and playwriter, started in hugely popular PMMP before going solo, writes hit songs to other artists as well and Lauri's ex-wife and mother of his kid. Past few years it seems everything she touches turns into a success and she's got her shelves full of awards to prove it. This week it was revealed she has written the Finnish version of  hit musical Mamma M...

As the state failed to collect money to build a new, desperately needed hospital for children all sort of events and fund raising ways has been launched previously. And here finally comes the "ULS17 Live Aid". Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen wrote the sing together with Simo Reunamäki and Cheek, and 18 artists got together for the recording of the song and the video. A five hour long stadium concert will follow on June 6, 2015 in Helsinki Olympic Stadium with all the artists and the choir of musicians of Finnish National opera and the dancers of the national Ballet. This event should push the donations to pass over the needed sum to start building later this year and the new hospital to be ready in 2017. The list of artists is quite impressive from top selling artists of the past few years like Cheek, Jenni Vartiainen, Chisu, Jesse Kaikuranta to Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus and Samu Haber of Sunrise Avenua. And Eurovision stars Jari Sillanpää, Riki Sorsa and Vesa-Matt...

In our exlusive interviews n Malmö 2013 Finland's Krista Siegfrids mentioned The Rasmus as the one she would like to see represent Finland in Denmark 2014.  This is also been this blogger's wish for years already! However, recently the lead singer Lauri Ylönen said The Rasmus is about to take a break while he is to release a new album with his new band Amanda . This album was supposed to be his second solo album following the success of his debut.... Meanwhile The Rasmus has announced tour dates in Russia this fall! Things are a bit complicated here but The Rasmus/Lauri/Amadeus would a great choice anyways, but only a wish I guess as UMK 2014 will be here again.... But maybe could be at least involved in writing the song? He and his partner PMMP's Paula Vesala wrote for example Johanna Kurkela 's Rakkauslaulu . Anyways, The Rasmus is one of the most succesful Finnish bands abroad. In 2003 their In the shadows was the number one single in Europe that year. Othe...

This week it's been all about Eurovision videos but something else has been going on. Måns Zelmerlöf has moved away from Cara mia days and his Broken parts shows as a very different Måns. Staying in Sweden we have Robin Stjernberg with Scars , a strong anti-mobbing song and video. Readers of this blog aren't certainly among those nasty people who tease others, right? RIGHT? Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus is releasing his second solo album later this year and the new offering from it is She's a bomb . The music is what it, is but Lauri is a bomb in it :-) Eros Ramazzotti has started his world tour and this blogger will see him again in Helsinki in May, meanwhile here's his first offering from the new album, Un angelo disteso al sole .

Tuuli is a 13-year-old from Espoo. Some see her as record company's desperate female response to Robin 's huge success. Time will tell how it is. Her Syksyn Sävel entry is a ballad Enää ei oo kiire . She has released already two singles, Salaisuudet and Paljon onnea vaan and her songwriters includes Lauri and Pauli from The Rasmus. Her debut album has sold already gold. I'm not impressed..... Maybe I'm just too old?

Last night it was the last show in Peacock Theater in Helsinki before the show will move on to the Helsinki Ice hall next Sunday. Torsten Borg was voted out - rightfully so if you ask me - and we have two big voiced ladies in the final so one thing is for sure: it will be a female winner in this edition, the first since Hanna Pakarinen , who won the very first edition. The megasuperfavourite since the beginning, only 17-year-old Diandra Flores belted out Listen  from The Dreamgirls but Susanna Erkinheimo (27) was the big surprise by giving such a performance of The Power of love that even Jennifer Rush and Celine Dion would applause. This blogger has loved her cover of Johanna Kurkela's Rakkauslaulu previously while the song's composer, Lauri Ylönen from The Rasmus was as a judge. For the first time ever the Finnish Idols has had singers that can really do big power ballads! But this edition is only saved by these two, The Voice of Finland wins in every other aspect pl...

If some of you follow daily politics you may know we are in the middle of presidential elections here in Finland. The first round was won by Sauli Niinistö, but Pekka Haavisto, an openly gay represant of the Green Party made the impossible and made his way to the second round as well. Political views aside, as the seat of a republic's president is non-political but the country's cultural life has divided. In short, the artists are on Haavisto's side, the sportsmen and business on Niinistö's side. And even if the artistic support for Haavisto has been widely public since day one tonight an incredible line up will take the stage in Helsinki's Ice hall to support Haavisto. Ultra Bra reunites just for him for this one off, Jenni Vartiainen breaks her holiday to be there, both PMMP girls will be there, so will Lauri  of The Rasmus, Paradise Oskar, Anna Puu, Eicca Toppinen of Apocalyptica, Freeman, Jonna Tervomaa, Kaija Kärkinen, Maarit, Maija Vilkkumaa, Värttinä an...

Surprised? This must be the song I have listened the most in 2011. Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus fame did a solo album and the first single was Heavy , a very pop oriented song in very much the Pet Shop Boys style in all it's poppy melancholy. The PSB influence comes rather evident in the remix . Love it! It was first premiered live on TV in February and then charted for 12 weeks peaking at #2. The story continues in the follow up, In the city . And now The Rasmus will make a comeback in the UMK final in February. I will feature in this series the five songs that have marked my year 2011, the ones that made me go ooh when they started playing on radio, the songs that I sung to myself the most in my head during the year and that still I like to listen and like the most. Simple as that.

Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus fame is one of the songwriters in Katri Helena's new album Valon maa out on November 9, 2011. He has written the beautiful Vieras sisar with his companion Paula Vesala, of PMMP. They also wrote Johanna Kurkela's megahit Rakkauslaulu . Other songwriters of rock generation for Katri Helena include Tuure Kilpeläinen and Jussi Hakulinen.  Listen songs from her new album: Vieras sisar , Sinun sydämesi kanssa and Kerro, kerro kuiskaten .

Lena's success story continues as she is the European nominee for the MTV Europe's Wordwide act. The others besides Lena are Britney Spears (North America), BIGBANG (Asia Pacific), Abdelfattah Grini (Africa/India/Middle East) and Restart (Latin America). The Finnish act is Lauri this year. And like every year I can only wonder why they bother with these awards if some 90% of the acts are non-European? So, let's all unite and vote for Lena who is both European and Eurovision! Ok? Here . One click is enough. This year the awards are givenin Belfast on November 8, 2011 hosted by very European Selena Gomes. Not. Helsinki has applied for the 2012 edition btw.

The biggest names in the Finnish music business from Chisu to Lauri Tähkä, from Lauri to Anna Abreu , from Haloo Helsinki to Sunrise Avenue , from Kim Herold to Paradise Oskar with LeKid from Sweden are playing tonight live in Hartwall Areena to raise money for the children hospitals. This annual event is more alive than ever and besides beforementioned artists names like Arttu Wiskari, Fintelligens , Idols winner Martti Saarinen , Pasa and Ronya will be performing. The concert is also live on TV from 8pm local time on MTV3.

You thought I had forgotten about the number ones? No. Jennifer Lopez sits firmly at #1 for the 7th week with On the floor followed by Lauri's Heavy at #2 and Sunrise Avenue's Hollywood Hills at #3.  In albums Foo Fighters drop Anna Abreu's new one from the top spot and Carola's combilation enters at #4.

Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus fame has released his first solo single Heavy off his coming album and it's pretty fabulously hypnotic and addictive. With an interesting story: "The song is based on an interesting conversation I had with a local taxi driver one night. We were talking about what it means to have the freedom of speech. He told me a story of a bird in a golden cage, where all the beauty and wonders of life has been brought infront of him but only thing he really wants is freedom. He asked me to write a song about it, so I went back to my hotel and did it that night. I really hope he’s able to hear this song one day!" (Lauri's Official Blog) Can't wait for the album! And if you want to know how he's doing in the charts, click here .