Islaja

Islaja
Background information
Birth nameMerja Kokkonen
Also known asIslaja
Born (1979-05-19) 19 May 1979 (age 45)
Helsinki, Finland
OriginFinland
GenresFolk, experimental, acid folk
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician
Years active2004–present
LabelsFonal
Websiteislaja.com

Merja Kokkonen (born 19 May 1979), better known by her stage name Islaja, is a singer-songwriter and musician from Helsinki, Finland.[1] Besides her solo career, she is a member of free improv and psychedelic folk bands Avarus, Kemialliset Ystävät, and the trio Hertta Lussu Ässä.[2]

She has been compared to Björk, Syd Barrett, and Nico.

Her music is psychedelic and intimate using a large variety of instruments. She is a multi-instrumentalist.[3]

As of 2017, she is based in Berlin.[4]

Discography

  • Meritie (Fonal, 2004)
  • Palaa aurinkoon (Fonal, 2005)
  • Ulual Yyy (Fonal, 2007)
  • Blaze Mountain Recordings (Ecstatic Peace, 2008)
  • Keraaminen Pää (Fonal, 2010)
  • S U U (Monika Enterprise, 2014)
  • Tarrantulla (Svart Records, 2017)

Also appears on

  • Beginner's Guide to Scandinavia (3CD, Nascente 2011)

Images

  • Islaja, 2006
    Islaja, 2006
  • Islaja, 2006
    Islaja, 2006

References

  1. ^ Leitko, Aaron (23 August 2010). "Islaja: Keraaminen Pää". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  2. ^ Stosuy, Brandon (19 September 2007). "Islaja: Ulual Yyy". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  3. ^ Derek (2007). "Islaja". The Wire (278): 12. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  4. ^ Hannah, Andrew (13 December 2017). "Finland's Islaja unveils the huge, glitching glacier of new track "Sadetta"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Islaja.


Flag of FinlandBiography icon

This article about a Finnish singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.