Maija Vilkkumaa

Maija Vilkkumaa entered the Finnish music scene in the early '90s alongside her band Tarharyhma, delivering a gritty alt-rock style reminiscent of American acts such as Meredith Brooks and Sheryl Crow. Transitioning to a solo career toward the end of the decade, she issued her first album, Pitkä Ihana Leikki, in 1999, and it reached the third position on the Finnish charts. Over the following five years additional albums appeared, with three attaining the top spot, among them the 2003 release Ei, which earned an Emma Award. Her initial chart-topping single arrived in 2006 under the title "Hei Tie."