Finland

Folk Lives On

Folk music in Finland consisted of an element called "runonlaulanta," which had a rhythmic, chanting sound. The musical form was revolutionary in Finland's early days of music and led to a similar, more melodic form of singing called "rekilaulu." Although the style dates all the way back to the 1600s, the 1920s pop musicians began to include hints of rekilaulu in their music. 

The birth of rock music was in the 1960s, with popular musicians singing protest songs. The monumental decade also saw musicians translating American pop songs into Finnish. Even today, rather than singing song in broken English that is incomprehensible to most fans, Finnish artists prefer to sing in their native language. 

With the popularization of pop and rock, Finland still celebrates folk music as a large part of its culture. Folk music groups that are still popular today include Frigg and Troka. 

The styles that Finland is most well-known for today are punk and metal, which emerged in the country somewhere in the late '70s. Like all musical revolutions, these styles predominantly influenced and were influenced by the youth in Finland. 

Just like in the US, Finland took part in an '80s pop wave of music, some of the more popular artists being Dingo and Yö. Accordingly, that style of music died down and electronic/dance forms took over in the nineties and remain popular today. 

Chisu

The young, Finnish pop artist is one of the most recognized musicians of the country today. She released her first album, Alkovi, in 2008, peaking at #5 on music charts. In following years, the artist has gained increasing popularity, her most recent album having gone multi-platinum and peaking at #1 on music charts. 

Chisu has also had many hit singles, one of them having appeared in the film Sooloilua, the recognition that began her fame. The musician is most recognized for her superior vocals, having earned her the title of Best Finnish Vocalist in previous years.