The final of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu is scheduled for today week. YLE & the competing artists are currently preparing for this show which will decide the artists and the song that will participate for Finland in Kiev for this year’s Eurovision competition. Today, Lauri Yrjola has found time to talk to us.
Hello Lauri
First of all thank you for your time talking to us. How are you ? Can you introduce yourselves ? What can you tell us about yourself?
Hello! I’m good thank you! I just visited the States again with Isac Elliot so it took me a while to sit down and write you back. My name is Lauri Yrjölä and I’m a singer-songwriter. Most of my career I’ve been a freelance guitarist but now I’m focusing on my solo career.
Your song that you will be presenting for the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun is “Helppo Elama”.What can you tell us about the song? What was the inspiration for the song, and did you write it specifically for Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun and Eurovision?
I’m singing about person from our friend circle who is a bohemian person who wants to think deeply and save the world and be compassionate but who has no discipline or perseverance. Someone who wants things quick and easy. That person is quite the opposite of me in the sense that I like to put time and effort in whatever I do. I wrote a few new songs in the summer just to play with the idea of UMK and this is the one we picked with my producer Kasperi Kallio.
Your song is the only song that is not in English in this competition. What do you think about this fact? Do you plan to release an English Version of this song? If you win, will you sing this song in English?
I think it’s an advantage for me. I’ll be singing in Finnish no matter what. It’s a big part of me being an artist and expressing myself. English would mean compromises. Besides no one has made it big singing in Finnish outside our country. I think it’s about time. I actually get a lot of support from abroad for singing in Finnish when some of the Finns are worried about them not understanding the lyrics. Funny that it doesn’t seem to bother foreigners 😀 Maybe you don’t have to understand something entirely to still be able to enjoy that? 🙂
What is your impression of the Eurovision Song Contest in general? Do you watch it every year? What is your favourite entry?
I watch bits and pieces of the competition. My absolute favorite of all time is Common Linnets and Calm After the Storm because I have a weak spot for country music.
Apart from the Eurovision Song Contest , where would you dream to do a performance?
No particular place. I just want to have a long and lasting career and do better and better as I get more experienced.
Do you think performing at the Eurovision Song Contest will have a positive impact on your career?
I think it all ready has helped me a lot. I have a lot of own material that I’ve played and learned that people really like my music. I think the publicity helps to get the attention of the record companies.
What is your biggest success so far for you?
Almost completing Angry Birds! Not too many stars missing anymore 😀 Seriously, just to be able to sing and play for a living is a blessing.
Can you tell us about your first experience with music?
Well I only started playing the guitar and listening to music when I was 15. Before that there weren’t any signs of my musicality. I heard Oasis and that was it! Good songs and distorted guitars.
You can listen to Lauri’s entry “Helppo Elama” on this link below :
