Coruña Was So Amazing And Of Course There Is This “my Last Foreign Trip” Vibe As You Can’t Travel

I'll let the time tell me..

Hey all..

Still unemployed, I’m afraid. Never been this eager (read: desperate) to find a job. Totally new experience, this one.  For me having a job is so much more than just a source of income. Going to work has always been a very social thing as well. It gives some sort of meaning and structure in your life.

I guess it’s hard for the local employers to understand that I can really work for free during my practical training thanks to the Finnish social insurance and despite the fact that I study management at the university level, the ordinary customer service work is really what I wanna do at the moment. If it’s -my far from perfect- French – no one has said it out loud yet. Not sure if I’ve been looking for the right places though. Have widened my search and looked for jobs outside of MTL as well though leaving this city is the last thing I wanna do. Though in a way it’s interesting and exciting to see where I’ll end up.

(from this exhibition: http://www.mosaiculturesinternationales.ca/en/ )

Summer has ended and besides the weather you can see the season’s change in the streets of Montreal. Don’t mind really. Fall has always been one of my favourite times of the year. In here it’s especially beautiful with all the maple trees.. I do love to live in this city and even though it didn't work out in the end and I’d have to leave I try to celebrate every moment I get to spend here. I’m so lucky.

Also I’ve lived in my new room for a week now. I’m so loving it! I mean how happy can you be for having one simple window! The window itself looks quite dirty and the scenery ain’t impressive but having that fresh breeze.. :D

(my new room, messy I know but otherwise it wouldn't be mine)

Otherwise not much new with me. My days are filled with the job hunt, going to the gym, some school stuff and new friends. Met my first Finnish person here btw! Worth mentioning for! Though I’m perfectly comfortable speaking in English and it’s not like I miss home or anything but I gotta admit that speaking in your own language is quite a luxury when you’re being this far away from home. 

(my new room - look at all that space!)

UMK 2024 Song Review - Vox Poppuli

The hype is very real around Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the Finnish national selection for Eurovision and the race to Malmö ends with another rap entry!

Mikael Gabriel x Nublu - Vox Poppuli

Mikael Gabriel is one of the best known Finnish artists who started his career back in 2007 and has since released 7 studio albums and multiple smash hits. He's had more number #1s than one can count!

A big name UMK audience has been requesting to participate to the contest for years.

His mother is estonian which might explain why he is collaborating now with Nublu, highly succesful rap artist in Estonia. This is surely one of the most interesting UMK entries this year.

Vox Poppuli means in Latin the voice of the people. The song begins with eurodance entry but moves quickly to the 90's / 2000's rock-pop sound that will continue throughout the song. This reminds me of Blink 182 or similar rock band. There's a young energy here despite of its nostalgic sound for older generation.

As a rap song and as a non-rap music fan - this might be the least irritating of the rap songs in UMK24 - also even though musically this seems to be a bit tedious, one note kind of thing, I think this is delivering the crazy fun act better than Windows95man which had kind of similar idea with his performance. I like the choir a lot! Also points for Nublu's rap part in Estonian and not in English.

This has already become somewhat a domestic hit gathering views on Youtube and streams on Spotify. This is easy to listen even though not your cup of tea, it's radio friendly with a catchy memorable chorus and therefore a potential UMK winner. Also MG enjoys a loyal and young fandom so it is expected them to pick up their phones and vote on Saturday night.

Video clip keeps you hooked and we can expect a crazy staging at Nokia Arena at Tampere!

What do you think of the seventh UMK24 track and would you vote for Mikael Gabriel x Nublu to go all the way to Malmö? UMK final takes place on February 10th!

And who will have the courage if not me?

Hello there!

So in case someone has missed my enthusiastic posts on FB or Twitter about leaving to Montréal, Canada I'm glad to inform you about it now. So that’s where I’ll be going, next week actually, and that’s what this blog is all about! My working holiday visa (through the SWAP organization) is for 12 months but I’m doing my practical training while I’m there which will probably last untill the end of this year. After that I WISH, HOPE and PRAY to find a decent job so that I won’t have to come home before the summer 2014.  

I’ve been asked about if I speak French. I probably wouldn’t go if I didn’t. I’ve studied the language now roughly a decade or so but I’ve never been in ANY French speaking territory before. But I feel like the hours spent in the classrooms have totally passed me by and now it’s time to get out there and see what I’ve learnt. If nothing. But I will learn this language - even though it would be the last thing I do!

So still a few days to go, before my departure and things are looking good. I’m emptying my flat which still feels like an endless process (you can’t imagine this amount of stuff I have!) but otherwise everything is well organized for the journey. Or at this point I still think they are. It’s a good thing my parents aren’t together anymore so I’ve got two places to squeeze my stuff into. I might need them one day so it would be a pity to sell them all..

Still no job though but I’ve made a list of potential employers which I will be approaching once I get there. I’d like to work in a hotel, big enough where I could work in different positions but event organizing interests me as well. Luckily there are plenty to choose from. The industry of tourism in Montréal is waaaay bigger than what I’m used to at back home.

Another thing people have been asking me is, am I nervous or scared to go. Yes and no. In a way  I feel like I’ve got nothing to lose here so if I die there, I’ll die happy or trying to be at least. Just in case I have prepared myself for the worst: even though all of this went terribly wrong, I wouldn't find a job or learn the language or whatever. Then I just fly back home and re-arrange the things again.

Going to Canada and especially to Québec has been my dream for as long as I can remember and not just to visit there as a tourist but to really, really, really live there. To explore the nation in a deeper level.

This is definetely the craziest thing and in the same time the most natural thing I’ve ever done in my life. And it is such a liberating feeling! I’ve never been more happy or excited about anything else! Of course I have fears… millions of things can go wrong but I’m not ready to give up on this, just because it’s new and unknown for me. I REFUSE to be the one who’ll be sitting in her rocking chair as a 60-year-old and regretting all the chances she missed.

Who will have the courage if not me?    

Lahti sunsets from last May :) 

Melendi - Tocado y hundido (Videoclip oficial)

Just discovered him #Melendi #UnAltimoMas :)

Welcome to this long winter

Salut á tous! And "Cheers to a 2014 and another chance for us to get it right". 

(Celebrations at the Vieux Port of MTL, which I planned to go too..)

My first post in 2014 happens also to be the longest of my ramblings so far so make some time..

All my grand plans for my first Christmas abroad got all ruined because of the flu that ended up being the longest one of my life! From Christmas Eve untill  January 5th – 13 days!! That’s insane! Didn’t go to a doctor’s for that cause I didn’t wanna pay almost $200 up front even though I’d have got the money back from my insurance company. All the symptoms that you can have with flu - you name it I had it! Not in the same time thou. Fever, sore throat which healing took forever seriously, cough, sneezing, runny nose, even an eye infection which appears mostly on kids or something…  I also lost my voice for three days. Absolutely nothing came out.

Feels like being sick is all I’ve been doing lately.. Good thing I’m unemployed and no need to call in sick. First I had a bladder infection, then these awful muscle spasms at my neck and shoulder area and now this freaking flu… And the thing is that I’m never sick! But I’m gonna be on super-healthy-diet from now on and eat lots of fruits to prevent any future sickness’! #NewYearRevolutions

(Christmas tree decorations at Museum des Beaux Arts) 

And speaking of..had grand plans for New Year’s too but as I was sick… I did have a lovely friend visiting me though whom I wish I could have done more active stuff but.. another time. Movie watching, eating good food and relaxing isn't exactly bad thing to do on holidays either :) 

I know I kind of mentioned about the “cold” temperatures in my last post but I gotta take it back a bit. Seriously there’s a new definition for cold now. Never in my life I’ve experienced (or not that I remember of anyway) that kind of cold that the air literally HURTS you once you’ve stepped outside. And I’m from Finland after all!

(MTL in the winter time, photo from Google) 

Last week as the temperature went down to -27C ( felt like -40C thanks to wind chill) people were actually told to stay inside as much as possible! And in Toronto they actually closed highways! Totally insane! But according to what I’ve heard this isn’t exactly normal winter weather to canadians either. One of the perks of being unemployed again that I was able to stay those few days inside non-stop pretty much. The weather was another reason that changed a lot of the New Year’s plans even though it was kind of warm on December 31st only being -20C or something.

I’ve been asked a lot about if the winter here is any different from what I’m used to back home. There are a couple differences: humidity which is way higher here, the wind is a constant companion in this city – and a damn strong one too! Makes the temperatures feel immediately 10 degrees colder than what they really are.

Don’t know if this typical to Canadian/Québecois winter or not but the temperature changes are truly crazy.. I mean like last Friday it was about -25C and on Saturday it had risen almost to zero! And then a couple days later they dropped back again from +5 to -15C in one night. So those happen a lot more often than in Finland. Also Finland is slightly darker during the winter time. Even though it gets dark here too after 3pm, the sun seems to rise earlier than in back home. 

Finally made it to one of Montreal’s museums btw! Met some couchsurfers at Museum des Beaux Arts where they had this free Christmas Tree exhibition. About twenty trees decorated by local associations and cultural groups in the Montreal area. So creative! I’m definitely gonna use more imagination while decorating my tree next year! Saw some other free exhibitions and was so surprised that they had quite a lot of Finnish design there too!  

(Instead of taking pics of the art itself - they're kind of boring I think - took pics of great names of Finnish Arts and Design) 

For the last weeks I’ve been crazy about job hunting and I’m truly surprised how many Anglophone jobs there are in this city.. and especially in January when people are saving and staying in after the festivities of December. But new ones seem to come in every day. Nothing touristic I’m afraid but customer service and sales stuff mostly. Big call centers and so on. But I don’t mind. Anything that can buy me some time to stick around here longer. I’ve been invited for a few interviews too which is always positive.

(Luminotherapy, monumental animations which were all over in centre-ville and so many different kinds, from old black-and-white movie clips to cartoons like this one/ Pic from Visitez MTL)

I think I’ve mentioned the unwanted pets as being the mice in our flat. The situation was bearable as long as they stayed outside of my room but now I actually have one in my room! Saw it and heard it. The most disgusting little creature ever. I’m afraid that there’s a hole behind my closet cause that’s where I hear it most often. So I’ve been doing a lot of sleeping the lights on. I hope I'll get rid of it soon. 

(Old town/ Pic from Visitez MTL)

I’ve been thinking about a lot of going home too. Seriously, to almost to that point of booking the flights. Or planning the date when to leave. I may have been suffering some sort of winter depression with the being sick all the time or the cold preventing me to do stuff I’d like to do.. But now with being healthier and all these job opportunities, my mind is so much more positive.

Not that going home is a defeat if living here is not working out for me. Don’t wanna waste my time and I gotta admit that for school stuff it would be better to go home. I’d have more time to finish my studies cause now I’m slightly afraid that if I go back at the end of July like planned, I’m gonna have to rush things down to get them finished by the end of the year. But only a crazy person would turn down a job offer (if that will happen at all) and a chance to live in MTL only to return to Finland instead. Yeah. We’ll see. On va voir. 

"...Qui dove tutto sembra che sia da sempre immobile...Dove resto solo io."

UMK 22 : My top

If pandemic has had any positive effects during the last two years – it is on Eurovision. The contest is now being seen differently as an oppurtunity to promote your music and gain fame than ever before. Television in general I guess since performing live has been pretty challenging now for the passed two years.

Last year’s Eurovision results showed how people are craving for live music, self made songs about real emotions and not pre-choreographed dance moves. All top 3 of winning songs were not sang in English and represented each of them a different genre. Blind Channel brought Finland the best result since Lordi’s victory 15 years prior and have ever since been embraced by charts all over the world. This is the professional spirit I’ve been longing in Finland for years.

UMK 2021 Winners Blind Channel

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) offers perhaps the best national ESC selection of the season! All the seven acts are already published artsits with their own characters, style and paths. These are all very well produced products already on its own merits and it’s only matter of one’s personal taste whether or not the song is your cup of tea. 

This year’s black horse The Rasmus could be easily thought to be the automatic winner being the most famous band among the seven entries but these six other entries do give a fare and balanced battle and the best one will win!

Music videos have also been upgraded what they were from previous years matching to each performance and atmosphere. Check each one by clicking the title of the song below! 

Cyan Kicks : Hurricane

Cyan Kicks

This was such an explosive start for this year’s UMK! Cyan Kicks comes from the same record label as last year’s Blind Channel and to be honest they do share some of the same elements. They call their style as modern rock. In genres Hurricane succesfully blands electronic as rockier sounds together. The energy here is undenyable. I cannot think of anything to add to this one. Only live performance will define where they will stand in the race to Torino..

Pros : self made song

Cons : generetic lyrics

BESS : Ram Pam Pam

Bess

The most surprising UMK entry so far and my ultimate favourite! People tend to compare this to Erika Vikman’s Cicciolina a couple years back but I personally I find this 10 x times better. The chorus is catchy and you find yourself singing along Ram Pam Pam instantly! The song is ultimately about freedom and breaking up from a bad relationship. For me this is the best pop-music can offer and I’m so in love with Bess’ raspy voice. I seriously wouldn’t mind if this won the ticket to Italy!

Pros : bold perfomance on the video and hopefully on the stage

Cons : The title of the song + swear words in the lyrics which would have to be changed for ESC

The Rasmus : Jezebel

The Rasmus

The big name among this year UMK entries. Frankly I’m surprised they weren’t just internally selected as for Darude and Saara Aalto. However having them competing this way brings much needed spice to the show. First sight and hear promises well (Desmond Child was one of the songwriters btw!) – I loved the black and yellow look and the quitar (new quitarist Emppu getting much deserved attention through entire song). The song follows safe pattern in its rock genre and moves smoothly from one part to the next one. Tiger roaring is a nice add. However I was slightly disappointed in the chorus – it didn’t explode, reach the hights as I would have wanted. But then the song does improve the more you listen to it and at this point it does sound quite natural as the song goes on. This is hit and stage ready and very familiar from The Rasmus with or without Eurovision.

Pros : Solid, high quality performance

Cons : Too safe? Can The Rasmus answer to these crazy high expectations?

Younghearted : Sun numero

For me less known band but Younghearted has established a reputation of singing beautiful, acoustic songs. Sun Numero makes no exception. This is a heartfelt break-up ballad. The song builds up nicely but a bit too slowly to my taste, the singing is amazing though. This is a great add to this years UMK. I don’t have much to say about this and it bothers me.

Pros : Emotional, gentle – easy to listen

Cons : Too forgettable?

Olivera : Thank God I’m an Atheist

Oliveira was completely new artist for me so no expectations but the song title promised bold, ironic attitude. The first thinfg you hear after pressing play is the VOICE! So unique, strong… I hear so much soul and character. The second thing that blows me away here is the lyrics, they’re so deep which makes me think again that is ESC able to appreciate this talent and art enough? She’s not super well known in Finland but I hope her participation in UMK gets her much deserved attention. I’m loooking forward to see how her R’n’B ballad is staged. Despite of the memorable beat, atmosphere her voice and lyrics are definitely the hook in this one! 

Pros : Self produced without a big label behind her

Cons : Just another ballad? Will her voice deliver live? 

Tommi Läntinen : Elämä kantaa mua

Every year UMK has a ”senior artist” entry. Last year it was Danny, this year it’s Tommi Läntinen. I prefer Tommi, his songs have always had more flavour even though I cannot call myself a fan by all means. His 1994 hit ”Syvälle Sydämeen Sattuu” about school bullying is a timeless Finnish classic among others. ”Elämä Kantaa Mua” however carries a more uplifting, positive message than Danny’s song last year or Tommi’s previously mentioned hit. The song is written by Finnish rock band Haloo Helsinki, who are one of the best loved rock bands in the country and if they were performing this song, this would be all over the charts. Even sung by Tommi it does have a radio play appeal and the tune does suit for him. He interprets the lyrics in his personal way and has a strong presence. This has grown on me significantly. Would I want him to represent Finland in Turin? Perhaps not but I do hope all the best and success for him with this song.

Pros : well written and performed pop hi

Cons : age group tends to separate this further from the other entries and voters

Isaac Sene : Kuuma jäbä

Another surprise in UMK 22! And probably the hottest one which has promised to make you blush! This is a genre, style and artist I wouldn’t normally listen. However one has to give credit a song well composed and played and charismactic performer. I don’t know if he reminds me of Young Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake or Justin Bieber - or perhaps a mix of all them? This lingers somewhere between pop-R’n’B but includes also electronical sounds. There was a small fuzz around this song if it had been relesed before UMK release – however since no actual recording of this release has emerged, it remains only as a rumour. There’s nothing I would add or remove but as mentioned before not my cup of tea.  

Pros : daring, not a traditional ”Finnish” song

Cons : Is he only a teenage idol? Will this sexy performance appeal to voters?  

What do you think of this year’s UMK entries? UMK takes place on February 26th at 9pm (FI timezone) on YLE. 

What an inspiring speech! "If not me, who?" #emmawatson #ifnotmewho #UN #genderequality