Now Playing: SANNI
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| Photo shamelessly stolen from this article by Seura |
She's found the spotlight after participating a reality TV show 'Vain Elämää' that is very popular here in Finland. The format originates from Netherlands and has been used in other European countries as well. It shows seven artist of different ages and genres gather together for a week and sing covers of the other artists' songs. Sanni was last seasons young new pop-singer. I actually didn't even watch that season, since I had zero interest in most of the artists. But suddenly Sanni's music started playing everywhere. Then she released her newest single with quite catchy a title that sparked heated conversation in the yellow papers and social media ('heated' in Finnish standards, it really wasn't anythign that big of a deal) and I became very intriqued to see - and listen- what the fuss was about. And before long I had her albums on shuffle from Spotify when I was riding a bus and dragged Valentine to see her at a club.
So, what is the fuss about?
She's a young singer-songwriter who makes her own songs, which always gets a truckload of extra credits from me. She has a fun nasal voice ( not everyone's cup of tea, I understand) and a nice attitude. Her songs are very contemporary and mostly won't stand well against time, but right this moment they have funny lyrics and good catch-phrases. But she mentions a lot of modern medias etc in her lyrics, like Netflix and Tinder and once those die out, the lyrics become historical.
Anyway, let's get to my top 6 songs from Sanni, with commentary from me:
Number 6: Sotke mut
"Mess me up" is a song about a relationship that "feels like S&M" according to the artist. I always feel like this song is about letting go and really throwing yourself into the moment and getting messy in a relationship.
I just like the chorus:
Mess up my hair
Melt my mind
Mess up my face
You know you want to
Number 5: Me ei olla enää me
"We aren't us anymore" is an after-breakup song. Closely related in theme is this other single 2080-luvulla, which didn't make the cut into the top6.
This song is about an ex-couple who meet again and seem to still share the same circle of friends, maybe even be friends still.
Catchy rhymes and a theme one can relate to, making it the number 5.
Because we aren't us anymore
We're buying Christmas presents for some one else
You don't belong to me anymore
Because we aren't us anymore
Number 4: Että mitähän vittua
I can't really properly translate that title, but closest might be "What the fuck?!" XD It is a phrase commonly said (at least among younger people) in a situation that really baffles you but feels humouristic. This is the latest single she's released and the one with the 'omg how can she say that word in a song that my young kids listen to?!'-title. Must be said though that her music is not really meant for small kids as such. On her first album she has a song named 'Kokaiini' (Cocaine) that describes how the relationships feels addictive and damaging like using drugs.
Anyways, this song is actually quite funny, when you really listen to it. It tells of a (young) woman whose partner is cheating on her. She sees the signs but kinda refuses to believe them.
The rhymes are actually quite innovating and the music is catchy and something you (at least I) want to dance to.
The chorus translates to something like this:
And what the fuck
I'm running out of humour
It's nice to have friends
but friends don't make hickies
What the fuck
Soon teeth will start to fall (lego=tooth in slang)
Your drunken french kisses
I heard some stories about
Number 3: Jos mä oon oikee
"If I'm real" would be a decent translation of the title. It is from her first album.
This is the first song I ever heard from this artist and back then, although I liked the song, I didn't ever remember the name of the artist. I just always remembered this as the 'Chtulhu-song' as she repeats that iä-iä-iä at the chorus XD Or as the ghost-song, since the lyrics go like something like this:
If I'm real
Why they walk through me on the streets
If I'm real
Why can't I remember even my own name (iä-iä iä-iä)
Maybe I breathe?
I heard her describe this song in a Spotify interview where she told this song tells about how sometimes you feel totally invisible and no one pays any attention to you. Without that, this song might have been higher on my list, since I would really have loved this song as a sing sung by a real ghost, like it first seemed to me.
Anyway, I have no idea how this music video of her making out with the boy relates to either interpretation of the lyrics...
Other one point that makes me cringe everytime with this song is how she sorta laughs in the rap part. If she had just kept it desperate and moody all to the end, it would have been more of an impact.
Number 2: LELU
Edit. Found a better quality video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNNti95Kt3c
Lelu = toy in Finnish. A very weird fan-made music video XD But it was the only one I could find... I also would recommend listening to this in Spotify or something since the sound quality is not the greatest.
Anyways! This song is the titular song of her second album. It is about a relationship kept in secret and where the other uses the singer from their own pleasures whenever they want. It is sort of the story of the booty-called. The singer feels like she's just a toy that is being played with, but although she feels derogated, she puts up with it.
I like the samples playing in this one and although the subject is more grim, I still find myself playing this one over and over again.
Number 1: Supernova
I was shuffling through her songs and when the chorus started, I was sold! (The bridge begins the first time at 0:37 of the video above.)
This song is autobiographical for Sanni and tells of a girl who makes/has made mistakes but who embraces the scars they have given her. It is a very much feel-good song for anyone who has ever felt like they were broken or lived too far on the edge.
I don't really relate to the lyrics, at all in fact. My life has not had that many hiccups and I've always been a 'good girl' as opposed to this smoking evil teen of the song ;) It still doesn't stop me from appreciating the song and feeling uplifted! :)
I like these kind of posts that give insight to the blogger's other interests than dolls and toys! So if you'd like to introduce more of the music you like to listen, books you like to read etc, I'd be happy to read those! :)
VastaaPoista...actually I'm always happy to talk about the music I'm currently listening. xD
HAha, actually I thought at first that the video for "Lelu" was an official music video and it was a parody of the Littles Pet Shop fan music videos that some youtubers make... too bad that wasn't the case, I think it woud have been brilliant if that had been the case! :D
I really don't listen to Finnish artists all that much (Ok, Teflon Brothers have songs that I like for some reason. They are catchy. xD ), but maybe I should give them a chance because these songs from Sanni are pretty good. Especially the aforementioned Lelu and I also like the electro-inspired sounds of Sotke mut.
...actually I could use Lelu as a character song for some doll of mine. :D So thanks for bringing that song to my attention!
I agree with you, the song Jos mä oon oikee would have been a hundred times better ifit had been about a real ghost girl! (and if the video omitted those cringe-worthy make out scenes... ugh... ^^;; I always feel a bit cringy when I see that kind of thing on music videos because I feel like they are there to make the video feel edgy but actually it's just really really cliched and conventional.) But the song is really pretty and I like the lyrics (...not sure about the rap-part fitting to the general feeling of the song either...).
All in all, without knowing anything about her except what I've read on your blog, Sanni seems like a nice young artist and not as annoying as some Finnish celebrities. So thumbs up for her (especially if she writes her own songs).
We seem to be on very much the same page here ^-^
PoistaLately I haven't had the chance to listen to that much music at all, even less to music I myself choose. During spring there was a radio on at all times during workdays and it mainly played Finnish music, and recent international pop hits. I came to hate some songs from the bottom of my heart since they were so Fyrddamn irritating! But Sanni's songs didn't wear out. Those few times I go to work by bus I listen to Spotify and that is the only time I can actually pick whatever I want to listen to :D
I don't usually go for Finnish musicians but there are some exceptions, mostly female artists like Jenni Vartiainen, Sanni and Vesala (from PMMP). But I don't like mixing Finnish songs with English ones (chance in language disrupts my thoughts) so I either only listen to international music or just Finnish music. So if I'm in the mood to listen to one song from Sanni for example, I end up listening to a bunch of them.
I'm glad I got you interested! ^-^ And me too, I like to read these kinds of posts from other people as well. Especially if they also give some insight into /why/ they like a certain song. Sometimes I begin to like some song because of a really good argument! :D
So that's how finnish sounds!!! I must say its a very pretty language!
VastaaPoistaI like that you shared with us this because as Spica says, it shows us a different side of you. Not everything is about dolls right?
I admit I only listened to your top 2 songs, it kinda sucks I can't understand what they say by myself. I used to listen to jrock when I was in school and didn't care that I didn't know japanese, but somehow now I'm bothered by it haha, though I do dance to the rythm of some kpop songs XD
I think the music was very nice and her voice didn't bother me at all. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, Finnish is quite lyrical as a language and works great in poetry and songs. Buuut when you hear actual Finnish people speaking on the street, it is not as pretty! XD Spoken Finnish is very monotone, as we don't usually use intonations. Stick to the songs, I say! :D
Poista