Lauri Tähkä

Lauri Tähkä & Elonkerjuu emerged as a Finnish rock band whose popularity reached its height in the mid-2000s, driven by chart-topping singles such as "Maailma on Renki" (2006) and "Hetkeksi en Sulle Rupia" (2007). The lineup consisted of Lauri Tähkä on vocals and guitar, Johanna Koivu on violin and piano, Simo Ralli on guitar, Antero Naali on bass, and Lenni Paarma on drums, and the group had formed during the mid-1990s. Western Finland served as their origin, shaping both their music and singing style, which prompted frequent descriptions of them as a folk-rock act. Their first full-length release arrived in 2001 with Pistoja Syrämmes on Little Big Records. Suomen Mediamusiikki acquired the album for reissue the next year and also issued the second album, Komia on Aina Komia (2002). Breakthrough success followed with Syntymähäjyt (2004), which climbed to number four on the Finnish albums chart. The band moved to major-label status with Universal Music for Maailma on Renki (2006), another Finnish Top Five album whose title track delivered their first major number-one single. Tuhannen Riemua (2007) became their first chart-topping album, while its singles "Hetkeksi en Sulle Rupia" and "Pauhaava Sydän" reached numbers one and two. Around the same time, the best-of collection Kirkkahimmat 2000-2008 appeared in 2008, accompanied by the video compilation Kerjuuvuodet 2000-2007 (2007).