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Yona, aka Johanna Rasmus, is known for her open-minded approach to breaking genre boundaries, cinematic arrangements, and powerful emotions. Her music combines jazz and pop as well as tango and schlager.
Her album Uni johon herään (2021), made with the Tapiola Sinfonietta and praised by critics, was awarded the Critics’ Choice Emma and Teosto Prize. The album was also nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council Music Prize. Yona has also charmed audiences in Vain elämää -series.
The concert opening the festival’s second day will feature Yona’s own compositions as well as songs from the album Solovey – Lauluja Ukrainasta (2025), composed in collaboration with Saimaa Orchestra. The interpretations of the original Ukrainian versions pay tribute to the Slavic musical tradition, while Yona’s lyrics encourage reflection on freedom and peace.
