Mira Kunnasluoto
Encyclopedia
Mira Johanna Kunnasluoto born (13 January 1974 in Elimäki
, Finland
) is an award-winning Finnish singer. She first came to fame as a tango
singer; now her repertoire includes evergreens and Finnish pop.
She is second youngest of four sisters. Her parents divorced when she was only 3, after which she became shy and introverted:
"At school I found comfort in arts subjects, in which I could express myself. I liked drawing, I drew a lot at home, and I painted in watercolours. Of course music was one of my favourite subjects. I hated mathematics, history, and other boring theoretical subjects.”
“All us girls liked singing at home. I was given a guitar which I taught myself to play. I accompanied myself on it, and sang songs which I heard on the radio and which were popular at the time. We listened to a lot of dance music and Arja Koriseva
was my great idol. I sang her songs and cut her pictures out of the paper and stuck them on the walls of my room. Another favourite Finnish singer was Eija Kantola. Foreign stars I particularly liked were Kim Wilde
, Paul Young
, and Madonna
.” (Nyland, p 185)
After leaving school, she attended Kuusankoski
nursing college, but left after six months.
“I have a terrible fear of needles - I didn’t want to stick them into people. I had to leave.” (Nyland, p 185)
She started catering college but left because she started putting on weight. She married at the age of 18 and had two children, Lassi and Janne, but the marriage did not last. After the divorce she trained briefly as a florist, abandoned it after four months, and started to participate in singing competitions. In 1999 she took part in the Radio Stars competition, the Stage Stars, and the Finland Stars. Modest success in these encouraged her to try for the prestigious Tangomarkkinat
.
“I have always had a great love for tangos. They are like love poems or little stories of happy or unhappy love. The lyrics have real meaning.” (Nyland, p 186)
She became Tango Queen in 2000, since when she has been a respected and popular singer in Finland. A high point in her career was a tour to the USA and Canada with Eino Grön.
“I’ll be a singer to the end of my life. I have never been an 8 to 4 person.” (Nyland, p 188)
Elimäki
Elimäki is a former municipality of Finland.It was located in the province of Southern Finland and was part of the Kymenlaakso region. The municipality had a population of 8,199 and covered an area of 391.74 km² of which 4.27 km² was water...
, Finland
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...
) is an award-winning Finnish singer. She first came to fame as a tango
Finnish tango
Finnish tango is an established variation of the Argentine tango and one of the most enduring and popular music forms in Finland. Brought to Europe in the 1910s by travelling musicians, Finns began to take up the form and write their own tangos in the 1930s...
singer; now her repertoire includes evergreens and Finnish pop.
"At school I found comfort in arts subjects, in which I could express myself. I liked drawing, I drew a lot at home, and I painted in watercolours. Of course music was one of my favourite subjects. I hated mathematics, history, and other boring theoretical subjects.”
“All us girls liked singing at home. I was given a guitar which I taught myself to play. I accompanied myself on it, and sang songs which I heard on the radio and which were popular at the time. We listened to a lot of dance music and Arja Koriseva
Arja Koriseva
Arja Sinikka Koriseva is an award-winning Finnish singer. She first came to fame as a tango singer; now her repertoire includes evergreens, Finnish pop, musical theatre, and sacred music....
was my great idol. I sang her songs and cut her pictures out of the paper and stuck them on the walls of my room. Another favourite Finnish singer was Eija Kantola. Foreign stars I particularly liked were Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
, Paul Young
Paul Young (singer and guitarist)
Paul Antony Young is an English pop musician. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & The Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, his following solo success as a solo recording artist turned him into a 1980s teenage pop idol...
, and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
.” (Nyland, p 185)
After leaving school, she attended Kuusankoski
Kuusankoski
Kuusankoski is a former industrial town and municipality of Finland, located in the region of Kymenlaakso in the province of Southern Finland. The population of Kuusankoski was 20,392 and the total area was 129.5 km² of which 114 km² was land and 14.56 km² water. It is located some ...
nursing college, but left after six months.
“I have a terrible fear of needles - I didn’t want to stick them into people. I had to leave.” (Nyland, p 185)
She started catering college but left because she started putting on weight. She married at the age of 18 and had two children, Lassi and Janne, but the marriage did not last. After the divorce she trained briefly as a florist, abandoned it after four months, and started to participate in singing competitions. In 1999 she took part in the Radio Stars competition, the Stage Stars, and the Finland Stars. Modest success in these encouraged her to try for the prestigious Tangomarkkinat
Tangomarkkinat
The Tangomarkkinat is the world's oldest tango festival. It is held early every July in Seinäjoki, Finland. As well as competitions to find the country's best tango singers, composers, and dancers, the festival features public dancing to live music provided by the best Finnish entertainers...
.
“I have always had a great love for tangos. They are like love poems or little stories of happy or unhappy love. The lyrics have real meaning.” (Nyland, p 186)
She became Tango Queen in 2000, since when she has been a respected and popular singer in Finland. A high point in her career was a tour to the USA and Canada with Eino Grön.
“I’ll be a singer to the end of my life. I have never been an 8 to 4 person.” (Nyland, p 188)
Sources
- Marja Nyman, Tangokuninkaalliset, Revontuli 2002, ISBN 952-5170-27-6
- Tony Latva and Petri Tuunainen, Iskelmän tähtitaivas, WSOY 2004, ISBN 951-0-27817-3