The Splits

Originating in Helsinki, Finland, the Splits operate as a punk rock group fronted by women, their forceful yet polished approach attracting listeners far beyond their home country. Four friends with no prior band experience—Helena handling lead vocals and guitar, Kiti covering guitar and vocals, Maiju on bass, and Aiju on drums—launched the project together in 2010. Even before any public shows, the foursome booked time at a modest studio where their acquaintance Jussi served as engineer to lay down a demo. One copy reached P Trash Records, the German punk label, via an intermediary, and the members expressed genuine surprise when the company, without prior notice, proposed issuing the recordings as a debut album. Airiston Punk-Levyt, a Finnish imprint, soon pressed a 7" single, while Dirtnap Records in the United States arranged distribution of the German LP. The band then embarked on dates across the United Kingdom and Europe, where they connected with the Love Triangle, a similarly inclined British act, and the two groups subsequently toured together. Although this early momentum proved promising, 2013 brought personal setbacks for the members, including romantic letdowns, painful separations, and periods without stable housing. Aiju exited upon learning she was pregnant, at which point Jussi, who had produced their recordings, took over on drums and the band funneled their setbacks into new material. The group reemerged in May 2015 with a second album titled II.