Introducing: Eleanoora Rosenholm

Eleanoora Rosenholm is the work of three incredibly respected Finnish artists who have written three concept albums which narrate the dramatic and disturbed odyssey of a suburban housewife to “hysterically kaleidoscopic pop”. Its idiosyncratic beauty is its ability to sit so left of centre yet raise comparisons crossing a wide spectrum from the likes of Kylie Minogue, Abba and Mondonna to Smashing Pumpkins.

Catch Eleanoora Rosenholm play alongside Retro Stefson and Young Dreams this Thursday, May 26 at The Lexington. Tickets are on sale now. For more info on this months Ja Ja Ja lineup click here.

For people out there that have never heard of you, give us three reasons why they should?

Good tunes, great singer, fresh approach.

Tell us a little about where you’re from: do your surroundings affect the music that you create?

We are from a small city called Pori (pop. 78,000) which is located on the west coast of Finland. A quiet, working class city with a reputation of being a bit rough. It’s a great city to do music and art in general. No fancy scenes or hipsterious surroundings! A bit boring sometimes, but in a good way. You really have to invent your own universe to amuse your imagination.

If you could have played on or written any song, what would it be?

Sorry! This is too violent question for me to answer!

How did the band come in to being? And where did the name come from?

Me (Pasi Salmi) and Mika Rättö wanted to do synth based pop-music with Finnish lyrics. We knew Noora from a local band called Low Life Rock ’n’ Roll Philosophers and we felt that she would fit perfectly to play the part of Eleanoora Rosenholm. Mika is a writer and singer in such groups as Kuusumun Profeetta, Circle and Rättö ja Lehtisalo and I myself play in a band called Magyar Posse. Mika writes the lyrics and we compose the songs together. Also Noora has composed some parts. Eleanoora Rosenholm is sort of an artistic side affair for all of us, but it’s more about making music with good friends. All the members of the Eleanoora live line-up are good friends rather than hired guns. Eleanoora Rosenholm was a mytchical figure born in 1909 in village near the Russian border.

What is the most memorable gig you have played, and what can we expect of your live set at Ja Ja Ja?

Maybe Ilosaarirock. A big summer festival and we played in a tent to 4000 drunken people. That was great! At Ja Ja Ja you are going to hear an intensive cut-through of our playful musical repertoire.

If you were asked to curate your own Ja Ja Ja night, which three acts would you choose and why?

My personal trio would be: Scott Walker, Arvo Pärt and Ennio Morricone. Music speaks for itself!

We’d like you to make us a Nordic themed mix-tape. Which five tracks would you choose?

Ummm… a hard question, but I will give it an intuitive try. 1. A-ha: Scoundrel days 2. Bob Hund: Et Fall och Et Lösning (Swedish Pere Ubu cover!) 3. Björk: Hidden Place 4. Radiopuhelimet: Varmaa Hapuilua 5. Circle: Meronia