Arja Saijonmaa
Encyclopedia
Arja Enni Helena Saijonmaa (born 1 December 1944 in Mikkeli
) is a Finnish
singer, political activist and occasional actress.
She studied at the Sibelius Academy
and earned a Bachelor of Arts
at the Helsinki University. She made her breakthrough as a singer in Sweden
. She has made albums with Swedish translations of songs by Mikis Theodorakis
, as well as covers of Zarah Leander
songs.
In 1978 she issued Miten voi kyllin kiittää, an album of Finnish translations of the songs of the Chilean composer and singer Violeta Parra
. A Swedish version, Jag vill tacka livet, came out the following year. The title song, Jag vill tacka livet (Gracias a la vida
) was one of her greatest hits. She sang this at Swedish prime minister Olof Palme
’s funeral in 1986. Palme had been a close friend, and his widow wanted Arja to sing at the funeral.
As a politician, she has been a member of the Swedish People's Party in Finland, and in 1987 she was appointed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
.
She has written a Norwegian-language book, Sauna, about the Finnish sauna
tradition.
She appeared in the first season of Let's Dance, the Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing
in 2006. Her professional partner was Tobias Karlsson, aged 28, and they were eliminated in the 7th week.
In December 2007 Saijonmaa participated in the Swedish reality show "Stjärnorna på slottet" along with Peter Stormare
, Britt Ekland
, Jan Malmsjö
and Magnus Härenstam
.
1972 Laula kanssani toveri
1972 Arja Saijonmaa & Mikis Theodorakis
1973 Koko yön minun poikani valvoi
1975 Huomenta sydämeni
1979 Jokainen arkiaamu - Arja Saijonmaa & Mikis Theodorakis Ateenassa
1979 Miten voin kyllin kiittää
1981 Ruotsiin ja takaisin
1983 Ystävän laulu
1985 La Cumparsita
1988 Arja Saijonmaa & George de Godzinsky
Finlandia-talossa
1989 Yhteinen taivas ja maa
1993 Paijaa mua
2000 Sydänten silta
2006 Rakkaus on rohkeutta
Reissues
1985 Valitut laulut
1988 Arja Saijonmaa (2LP)
1995 20 Suosikkia: Ystävän laulu
2001 20 Suosikkia: Satumaa
2007 Tähtisarja - 30 suosikkia (2CD)
Swedish language
1977 Det är tid att sjunga sånger
1977 Tango Jalousie
1978 Arja Saijonmaa i Stockhomns konserthus
1979 Jag vill tacka livet
1981 Sånger från asfalt och ängar
1982 Leksar och parfym
1987 Högt över havet
1988 Arja sjunger Zarah
1989 Samma himmel, samma sol
1994 La Cumparsita
1998 Bara du kommer
1999 En bro av gemenskap
2003 Arja Nära
Reissues
1994 Arja's bästa
2000 Guldkorn
2002 100% (2CD)
2005 Vad du än trodde så trodde du fel
Other languages
1976 Bonjour mon coeur
1983 Es ist Zeit
1969 Punatukka
1969 Pohjan tähteet
1985 Puntilan isäntä ja hänen renkinsä
M.A. Numminen, Tango on intohimoni
, Schilds 1998, ISBN 951-50-0918-9
Mikkeli
Mikkeli is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in what used to be the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
) is a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
singer, political activist and occasional actress.
She studied at the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
and earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at the Helsinki University. She made her breakthrough as a singer in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She has made albums with Swedish translations of songs by Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...
, as well as covers of Zarah Leander
Zarah Leander
Zarah Leander was a Swedish actress and singer.Leander began her career in the late 1920s, and by the mid 1930s her success in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Scandinavian countries, led to invitations to work in the United States...
songs.
In 1978 she issued Miten voi kyllin kiittää, an album of Finnish translations of the songs of the Chilean composer and singer Violeta Parra
Violeta Parra
Violeta del Carmen Parra Sandoval was a notable Chilean composer, songwriter, folklorist, ethnomusicologist and visual artist...
. A Swedish version, Jag vill tacka livet, came out the following year. The title song, Jag vill tacka livet (Gracias a la vida
Gracias a la Vida
"Gracias a la vida" is the name of a song composed and first performed by Chilean musician Violeta Parra, one of the artists who set the basis for the movement known as Nueva Canción...
) was one of her greatest hits. She sang this at Swedish prime minister Olof Palme
Olof Palme
Sven Olof Joachim Palme was a Swedish politician. A long-time protegé of Prime Minister Tage Erlander, Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 to his assassination, and was a two-term Prime Minister of Sweden, heading a Privy Council Government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet...
’s funeral in 1986. Palme had been a close friend, and his widow wanted Arja to sing at the funeral.
As a politician, she has been a member of the Swedish People's Party in Finland, and in 1987 she was appointed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrity representatives of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees who use their talent and fame to advocate for refugees.-Current Ambassadors:...
.
She has written a Norwegian-language book, Sauna, about the Finnish sauna
Finnish sauna
The Finnish sauna is a substantial part of Finnish culture. There are five million inhabitants and over two million saunas in Finland - an average of one per household. For Finnish people the sauna is a place to relax in with friends and family, and a place for physical and mental relaxation as...
tradition.
She appeared in the first season of Let's Dance, the Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
in 2006. Her professional partner was Tobias Karlsson, aged 28, and they were eliminated in the 7th week.
In December 2007 Saijonmaa participated in the Swedish reality show "Stjärnorna på slottet" along with Peter Stormare
Peter Stormare
is a Swedish film, stage, voice and television actor as well as a theatrical director, playwright and musician.- Early life :...
, Britt Ekland
Britt Ekland
Britt-Marie Ekland is a Swedish actress and singer, and a long time resident of the United Kingdom. She is best known for her roles as a Bond girl in The Man with the Golden Gun, and in the British cult horror film The Wicker Man, as well as her marriage to actor Peter Sellers, and her...
, Jan Malmsjö
Jan Malmsjö
Jan Wilhelm Malmsjö is a Swedish stage and actor, musical star and singer. He is married to Marie Göranzon and father to Jonas Malmsjö.-Biography:...
and Magnus Härenstam
Magnus Härenstam
Johan Herbert Magnus Härenstam is a Swedish television host, actor and comedian. Härenstam hosted the Swedish version of the game-show Jeopardy! for 14 years before being replaced by Adam Alsing...
.
Discography
Finnish language1972 Laula kanssani toveri
1972 Arja Saijonmaa & Mikis Theodorakis
1973 Koko yön minun poikani valvoi
1975 Huomenta sydämeni
1979 Jokainen arkiaamu - Arja Saijonmaa & Mikis Theodorakis Ateenassa
1979 Miten voin kyllin kiittää
1981 Ruotsiin ja takaisin
1983 Ystävän laulu
1985 La Cumparsita
La Cumparsita
"La cumparsita" is a musical piece written by Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, an Uruguayan musician, in 1916. It is among the most famous and recognizable tango songs of all time....
1988 Arja Saijonmaa & George de Godzinsky
George de Godzinsky
George de Godzinsky was a Russian-born Finnish composer and conductor. Godzinsky is known from his Schlager music although he composed music for movies and operettas....
Finlandia-talossa
1989 Yhteinen taivas ja maa
1993 Paijaa mua
2000 Sydänten silta
2006 Rakkaus on rohkeutta
Reissues
1985 Valitut laulut
1988 Arja Saijonmaa (2LP)
1995 20 Suosikkia: Ystävän laulu
2001 20 Suosikkia: Satumaa
Satumaa
"Satumaa" is the quintessential Finnish tango. It was written by Unto Mononen, and published in 1955. The most famous recording is probably the one made by Reijo Taipale in 1962. The lyrics tell a story of a distant land beyond the sea — a happy paradise — however, the narrator can...
2007 Tähtisarja - 30 suosikkia (2CD)
Swedish language
1977 Det är tid att sjunga sånger
1977 Tango Jalousie
1978 Arja Saijonmaa i Stockhomns konserthus
1979 Jag vill tacka livet
1981 Sånger från asfalt och ängar
1982 Leksar och parfym
1987 Högt över havet
1988 Arja sjunger Zarah
1989 Samma himmel, samma sol
1994 La Cumparsita
La Cumparsita
"La cumparsita" is a musical piece written by Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, an Uruguayan musician, in 1916. It is among the most famous and recognizable tango songs of all time....
1998 Bara du kommer
1999 En bro av gemenskap
2003 Arja Nära
Reissues
1994 Arja's bästa
2000 Guldkorn
2002 100% (2CD)
2005 Vad du än trodde så trodde du fel
Other languages
1976 Bonjour mon coeur
1983 Es ist Zeit
Films
Arja Saijonmaa has appeared in the following films:1969 Punatukka
1969 Pohjan tähteet
1985 Puntilan isäntä ja hänen renkinsä
Sources
Tony Latva and Petri Tuunainen, Iskelmän tähtitaivas, WSOY 2004, ISBN 951-0-27817-3M.A. Numminen, Tango on intohimoni
Tango on intohimoni
Tango on intohimoni is a novel about Finnish tango written by M. A. Numminen. It features Virtanen, who is obsessed with the Finnish tango and is interpersed with a history of the Finnish tango.-Plot summary:...
, Schilds 1998, ISBN 951-50-0918-9
External links
- Official website (warning: background music)
- Short bio on United Nations' website