Jussi Sinkkonen‘s Karaoketiähti olet sinä! (in English: “You are the karaoke star!”) is a set of karaoke songs in Karelian language. Producer Jussi Sinkkonen has carefully created numerous video recordings of new and old songs in Karelian dialects. The karaoke set was completed in 2021 as part of the Parempi pajot project, which promotes the status of the Karelian language and culture. In the summer of 2021, Karaoketiähti olet sinä! toured all over North Karelia, for example to Rääkkylä Kihaus (kihaus.fi), Joensuu Culture Market, Nurmes Bomba, Ilomantsi Bear Festivals (karhufest.fi) and Kontiolahti Pajot – Karelian Music Days festivals (pajot.fi). The tour was realized by having lead singers as additional stars. Amongst others, it was joined by musician and Karelian active Timoi Munne and singers Pentti Mäkkeli (KareliaBrihat), Taru-Tuija Hyykky, Virpi Eronen (Trio Tricolori), Uuna Kainulainen and Tiina Huttu (Duo Ikiruuhi) and Wimme Saari. The work is presented on the Mediawall of Musiikkitalo on the opening day of OAF. Everyone is welcome to join in singing. “Eigo haittua ku et jo maltanne kieldy, karaoke panou sanat sinun suuh!” (“No worries, if you do not speak Karelian, the karaoke will put the right words in your mouth.”)
OAF curators comment: “An original and fun way to bring Karelian culture to people all over the world. An unexpectedly funny extraordinary project that can unite an audience of different ages around the song heritage of Karelia in modern karaoke format. Great! Karaoketiähti olet sinä! brings forth the united cultural heritage in the border areas of Finland and Russia. It is fantastic to bring this up-to-date and internationally interesting work to Musiikkitalo and the Kansalaistori Square.”
Karelian karaoke is open on Friday 12.8. at 17.00 at Musiikkitalo’s Mediawall and during the Night of the Arts on Thursday 18.8. at 17.00 at HAM Corner.
At the Night of the Arts, Karelian karaoke is sung and lead by Taiteiden yön karaokessa esilaulajina toimivat Timoi Munne, Wimme Saari, Arto Rinne, Kristiina Olanto and Minna Karttunen.
Before the karaoke during the Night of the Arts, there is a conversational program Talks about Karelian culture and language at 16.00 at HAM Corner. The discussion is lead by Timoi Munne (Karelia expert), Kati Kallio (academic researcher, lecturer), Ari Burtsoff (Karelia activist), Jyrki Haapala (film maker), Arto Rinne (singer (Sattuma)) and Minna Karttunen (Pajot and Karelia activist).
More information:
OAF X Karelian karaoke X Veneh movie at Musiikkitalo’s Mediawall
In collaboration Revival of the multivocal Karelian language at UEF.
