Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

If some thought beforehand this season's Vain elämää wuld be all about Käärijä it has all been proven wrong. He's still going strong but the real revelation is Lauri Haav. If he was most known for common people outside his fan bubble for taking the people's choice Emma award in 2023 when everyone thought it would go to Käärijä no doubt he's now experiencing the same that happened to Cheek back in 2012 when Vain elämää made him a household name and the biggest artist of the decade and he conquered not only his fans but kids and grannies alike. (Cheek retired on top in 2018) Lauri Haav (or Haavisto, 27) released his first EP in 2019. Three albums to date, the last #1. He has five #1 singles to his credit so far, two of them from Vain elämää and two of them with Mirella. As the genre is he has often collaborated in vocals with others artists in his songs including before mentioned Mirella, Emma & Matilda, pehmoaino, MD$, Etta, Gettomasa, Sonia, Costi, JVG, Shrty and Pa...

The 16th season of Vain elämää is on and every Friday we get new versions of artists songs by other artists. Here comes the first dose of the best ones so far excluding Käärijä's songs and covers that are covered in a different post here . Here comes two effort by UMK veterans Viivi and Kohannes Brothers of Kuumaa fame. Viivi - Olen kaunis (syntynyt voittamaan ) (Pelle Miljoona cover) Johannes Brotherus - USA (Viivi cover) Viivi - Tikapuut (Jonna Tervomaa cover) Johannes Brothers / Kuumaa - Minä toivon (Jonna Tervomaa cover) 

Vain elämää, the Finnish versison of originally Dutch The Best Singers has reached its 16th edition featuring quite a fresh and young cast including Käärijä, Viivi, Johannes Brotherus of Kuumaa from UMK, Lauri Haav and Vesta with more seasoned Jonna Tervomaa, Mikki Kauste of Egotrippi and Pelle Milhjoona. In further episodes there will be guests like Marion Rung (ESC 1962, 1973 - Imagine Käärijä belting out Tipitii for example - and Pepe Willberg. In each episode said artists perform a new version of their choice from the day's artist's repertoire. (Update: Sadly Käärijä didn't attend these last episodes as he was performing in Japan instead!) Update: Käärijä's episode scored 447.000 viewers.  Käärijä's day opened the season and we heard the following versions:  (and updated 19.9. with chart positions in the official singles Top-50 charts) Cha cha cha - Pelle Miljoona ( original ) Mic Mac - Jonna Tervomaa  ( original ) Ruoska - Viivi  ( original ) Enters official c...

The ever so popular Vain elämää season 15 this fall had a lot of Eurovision connections as among the ones that gathered together to spend time and cover each other songs were both Hanna Pakarinen and Waldo of  Waldo's People with Eurovision wannabes Eini, Ilta and Marko Hietala of Nightwish fame. Ilta has been a real revelation who has made fantastic covers of everyone's songs. She's certainly one that I'd love to see back in UMK soon! Let's start with Ilta. She covered Waldo's People's Lose control making it a ballad in Finnish as Kiire . And what a heartfelt ballad it became! Not to be less Waldo covered Ilta's Kelle mä soitan . Ilta took also Hanna Pakarinen's Leave me alone and did the same treatment: heartfelt ballad in Finnish as Mee nyt vaan pois   and did it work? Oh yea! But Waldo wasn't yet done with Eurovision as he took also from Eini her UMK entry Draamaa and make it his own. As a bonus here's Waldo and Ilta belting out Hanna Pa...

Some more Vain elämää season 13 goodies, including Pete Parkkonen, another hotly tipped for UMk 2023 covering both Meiju Suvas and Erika Vikman, and another one from Erika Vikman. Enjoy! Pete Parkkonen - Pure mua (orig. by Meiju Suvas. a cover of Azucar Moreno ) Jyrki 69 feat. Erika Vikman - Sä teit tän laulun (orig. Yona ) Yona - Valo (orig. Light by Redrama) Pete Parkkonen - Syntisten pöytä (orig. by Erika Vikman )

Another name from the latest season os Vain elämää is Meiju Suvas, who is also heavily hinted as possible UMK artist next year. She's not a stranger to that affair having already participated in Euroviisut, the original selection show already in the 1980's and has also tried to get to UMK with Playing with fire two years ago. The funny cougar (63) with a lot of self irony and dirty mind did leave her mark also in these covers: Aina (Orig. Let go by Redrama) Irti (Orig. by Yona ) Hetken ikuinen (Orig. In your dreams by The 69 Eyes) Ei nyt (Orig. by Pete Parkkonen ) BONUS: Cicciolina

Vain elämää, that show were artists gather together for a week, each day singing covers of each others songs dedicating one day for everyone has just ended and this season, number 13,  one of the artists was Eurovision fan favorite Erika Vikman. I have chosen four of my favorites of her covers. Enjoy! Loimaa (Orig. Kickstart by Redrama) Kasipäkki (Orig. by Pete Parkkonen ) Kova duuni on rahaa (Orig. by  Meiju Suvas ) cover of She works hard for the money by Donna Summer) Maailmanlopun reunalla (Orig. Dance d'amour by The 69 Eyes)

Vain elämää series, where top artists gather together in a villa for a week to perform each other's songs and talk over everything over lunch and dinner has reached its 10th season already and it's a All Stars one featuring JVG's VilleGalle, Elastinen, Lauri Tähkä, Paula Vesala, Maija Vilkkumaa, Erin, Antti Tuisku and Sunrise Avenue's Samu Haber . The series kicked off with Antti Tuisku's Day and below are my favorites out of the performances (and Antti's originals) that all outdid the original for a reason or another.... Lauri and Erin turned the songs something else and were for me the outstanding ones by far.  Antti Tuisku Antti Tuisku Antti Tuisku Antti Tuisku

Juha Tapio, one of the most popular and succesful singer-songwriters in Finland said he "would consider the offer should Yle approach him" while being present in a summer theater premier in Hämeenlinna of Kaksi puuta that includes his songs. Juha Tapio (44) has won awards as the male artist of the year in various galas, his last seven albums have all been top-5 (including 3 #1's) and he's earned 8 gold, 3 platinum and 4 multiplatinum albums for them and he has two additonal top-5 compilation albums, one of them #1. He has 27 radio play top10 songs since 2003, 9 of them #1s.  He sings in Finnish and his music is rather traditional melodic Finnish music with great lyrics but he's equally loved by young and old. Yet he wouldn't be the first one to come to your mind when thinking about Eurovision - but then Sobral wasn't either. This blogger would be pleasantly surprised..... Check out some of his most popular songs below. Would yu like to see hi...

Laura Voutilainen releases her new album Miks ei , her first in four years but already her 13th following her biggest hits Miks ei (#10) and Mä en kestä since forever. Mä en kestä (#6) has been cerfified platinum and one of last summer's biggest radio hits Miks ei gold. She's propably more popular than ever and totally deserves it! She's also been part of hugely popular Vain elämää series this spring and belted out covers of other artists songs: Särkynyt enkeli (Olli Lindholm/Yö), Tänä yönä taivaaseen (Petra), Milloin nään sut uudestaan (Robin), Koko kuva (Irina), Ettei nyt vaan sattuis mitään (Nikke Ankara), fantastic  Forever yours (Samu Haber/Sunrise Avenue) and her own Päiväkirja with Nikke Ankara and Yö's Särkyvää with Olli Lindholm.  Nikke Ankara in turn covered her Miks ei , ( live ) but no one did her Eurovision entries :-(

A curious details was revealed by Sunrise Avenue's Samu Haber in the popular Vain elämää show, where artists spend a week together and every night cover each others songs between stories of their career and life. On Samu's night Laura Voutilainen had picked Forever yours to cover and Samu told: "After Lordi won Eurovision in 2006, we were writing a song to Hanna Pakarinen for Eurovision and the demo sounded pretty much like Forever yours. When I played it to the record company people telling this would be on our second album's first single they insisted we record it and it was added to the debut album's special Gold version instead." So, if the record label didn't like the song so much it could have been one of the two Hanna Pakarinen songs in Euroviisut 2007 and propably Finland's entry as well at home in Helsinki 2007. Hanna never recorded it, of course, but Laura Voutilainen gave an outstanding performance of it in the show first solo,...

Finally! Chisu joins the cast for the fifth season of Vain elämää and at this point it seems it's going to be a Chisu show, but then you never know. The other names are Hector, rapper Mikael Gabriel, Suvi Teräsniska, Lauri Tähkä, Anna Puu and Mikko Kuustonen. This is the first season we don't have any Eurovision or national selection veterans taking part but the names are big and current with those two older gentlemen with decades of career behind them. The most critizised name is Mikael Gabriel that most seem to be going with "Who?!" - just like Sanni last year and look what happened...... If you forgot how the show works here's a short sum up: The artists get together in a villa for a week. Each day is dedicated to one of them and the other artists cover his/her songs in their own way. In the end there's a final episode with duets. After the show the compilation albums will be released and they will sell multiple platinum and the show will take over iT...

Last but not least Pave Maijanen got his day. His career covers five decades so there was where to choose but all went for his golden era the 1980's with the exception of Vicky Rosti. No one covered his Eurovision song contest 1992 entry Yamma yamma , but it was remembered in a short clip. As we remember he came last and the tabloid were screaming the day after "Worst in Europe!" and Pave told his gigs vanished for three years when no one wanted him anymore. He was also worried for his kids that they would be bullied at school.... rough times. Once again mostly very enjoyable versions and the first ever Vain elämää duet (other than the day's artist's final one) Maija Vilkkumaa Vs. Pave Maijanen - Jano One of Pave's biggest and well known hits. Quite similar arrangement to the original but Maija's vocoder, simplified approach and touch of orient sounds made it very good and fresh. Vicky Rosti Vs. Royals - I'm gonna roll Vicky confessed ha...

Sanni is the youngest and with the shortest career in this season. Yet she has won Emma, the Finnish Grammy as the best female artist, and her 2080-luvulla has been voted the best song of 2015 already. She writes her own songs and plays violin and guitar. But surprisingly the oldest artists really convinced with her songs making them their own and showcasing their quality. Sanni's electronic sound and style was turned into something else with excellent results...... Somehow I almost like all the Sanni covers more than the originals.... what it tells about me. Or Sanni? Anssi Kela Vs. Sanni - 2080-luvulla Anssi brings this song to 1980's in the sound and in my opinion does his best cover so far. Excellent, I almost like this more than Sanni's original! Incredible but true. His falsettos and Sanni's tears mean a success. This could become the next iTunes chart topper. VilleGalle Vs. Sanni - Prinsessoja ja astronautteja Sanni's debut single. The one that m...

Anssi is a very talented songwriter, and this episode turned out to be one of the most interesting ones when his songs with minor changes turned out something different and in most cases something very good. In his own words: These kids come and show how it's done. Damn! He also confessed enjoying being the Artisti Anssi Kela these days more than ever. He came down hard from his debut albums 160.000 sales (13th most sold album ever in Finland) but is back in business today enjoying his fame and success.  Pave Maijanen Vs. Anssi Kela - Milla Pave turned this originally for a movie written song into a rockabilly swing affair. Nice and fun, but that's all I guess. The original is great. Antti Tuisku Vs. Anssi Kela - Kaksi sisarta Antti gave this a makeover modernizing the sound and bringing out the melody. The result is rather etheric and epic. Antti lost himself in the interpretation but in a good way. He has really proven he can transmit emotions and bring out ne...

This week it was Antti Tuisku's day, and one of the episodes I looked forward the most.  Meanwhile his version of Vicky Rosti's Eurovision 1987 entry Sata salamaa stays as number on both on official singles chart as well as download and streaming chart. In the radiolay it jumps from 71 to 19. And as we talk about charts Maija Vilkkumaa's day last week created to hits: Anssi Kela's Kasarin lapsi made an apperance in the download charts at 17 while Sanni's Ei entered the charts at number 4.  This week Vicky Rosti made wonders with Antti's Hyökyaalto and I wouldm't be surprised at all t see it charting next week..... But now to Antt's songs. VillaGalle Vs. Antti Tuisku - Peto on irti Antti's latest hit gets a makeover by VilleGalle with the usual rap, vocal samples and lyrics changes. With added jungle bet as the title (Beast is loose) suggests. Not my cup of tea, as is Antti's original.  Anssi Kela Vs. Antti Tuisku - Vaarallin...

This episode was one of the most awaited by this blogger as I'm a huge Maija Vilkkumaa fan. I was curiously waiting how these artists would treat her usually rather aggressive pop-rock songs, most sticking very much to the same formula. And indeed they all arranged them in an all new way, making them all quite different from the original. All had picked up one of her biggest hits and from her solo career. Pave Maijanen Vs. Maija Vilkkumaa - Satumaa tango Maija originally had wanted Pave as the producer for her debut solo album but he had turned the offer down. Now he gave us a taste how it could have been in this more middle-of-the-road version of her first hit. More polished, tuned down if compared to Maija's in-your-face approach. Vicky Rosti Vs. Maija Vilkkumaa - Ingalsin Laura Vicky turned this another angry song into an American line dancing kind of country schlager, but her voice fits is perfectly without the need of being angry-aggressive like Maija...

The Finnish Eurovision entry 1987, originally by Vicky Rosti, has been covered by Antti Tuisku for the Vain elämää series and is this season's first hit. It enters both official and download charts at number One and is already getting also radioplay entering at 71. One hundred lightnings are surely striking again!  Official Finnish singles charts (week 39) - 1.  Download and streaming charts (week 39) - 1. Radio Play charts (week 39) - 71.

Second episode was dedicated to rapper VilleGalle. Most of his songs as JVG are all about what they enjoy the most in life: ice hockey and Playstation. Most songs also are rapped with featured singers so the covers by his fellow Vain elämää stars were mostly completely reworked, most of them by lyrics, too. This was the episode I maybe waited the least as I thought I wouldn't know his music at all but then.... four of these were such big hits you couldn not have not heard them.... In the end a very enjoyable evening after all and if the first three seasons have been marked by tears and artists crying their eyes out this season so far it's been mostly laughter and good vibes! Vicky Rosti Vs. JVG feat Anna Abreu  - Huominen on huomenna Vicky as a 50something grandmother had turned the teenager party song into an anthem for a hot mama who goes for holidays and parties all night with her daddy man. Very well done and she already declared this one's going in to her gig ...

Vicky Rosti had the honor to open the fourth season of megapopular Vain elämää series. Over one million Finns tuned in to see it on television and streaming continues online. Antti Tuisku's Sata salamaa has got already over 300.000 views. This season the artists doesn't seem to know each other beforehand that well or at all so the first lunch and dinner were still a bit akward but surely when the season goes on they loosen up. As expected all but Anssi have searched a song from Vicky's early years and 70's cover hits - besides her Eurovision entry 1987 of course that was sure to be in the line up.  VilleGalle Vs. Vicky - Menolippu ( One way ticket ) Him being a rapper the song had gone through a total make over and gotten new lyrics sampling Vicky's original vocals. Good start but not outstanding or quite totally there.  Maija Vilkkumaa Vs. Vicky - Näinkö meille aina täällä käy ( Ain't that just the way ) This song fitted nicely Maija's voic...