For her very first concert in a “small” venue since her second place at Eurovision in 2023, Kaarija is preparing to take the stage at Backstage By The Mill. A look back at an extraordinary musical experience and closer than ever to Finland.
Kaarija is this guy with green sleeves discovered during Eurovision in 2023. Until then, he had never played in France, although his success goes beyond the borders of Finland. England, Germany, Northern Europe… Kaarija is everywhere, collaborating (Joost Klein, Tommy Cash…) with international artists. However, a passage through France was essential. The success was such that, several months before the start of the concert, the ticket office was sold out. It's a safe bet that the artist with an unclassifiable style, moving easily from rock to pop or electro, could have filled a Boule Noire, at least.
In the next room at the Moulin Rouge, there is excitement. Right in the middle of the crowd, we hear English, French, but also Finnish spoken. Huchahhei is the first song played. Like many of the songs in this concert, we don't really understand what it means, but we imply a very personal way of saying hello. On the turntables and instruments, three people who are very physically similar create a very particular atmosphere: that of a very offbeat side and at the same time very coherent with the universe of Kaarija. Moreover, he knows very well how to interact with his audience, despite his broken English which sticks to him so well. A fan in the front row gives him a candy bra that he will soon put on. If his technician refuses to help him, the public does so without any pressure. That's also the magic of small rooms. No crash, never far from the artist, we come into cohesion with his world, we are part of it.
The titles follow one another and although some are not yet known to the general public, the excitement is in full swing. The pogos don't take long, nor do the strong moments on stage. On one of the artist's best-known tracks, WhipElena Vikman takes the stage for an anthology moment halfway between hard rock and techno. An atmosphere which can also recall Electric Callboy encountered at La Nuit de l'Erdre. Kaarija obviously recalls that her album, People’s Championreleased on November 11, 2024. Most of the titles to be discovered at the end of the year are played, including the very powerful Sex = Money which recalls Little Big's darkest hours. It's no surprise to find Tommy Cash in collaboration on It’s Crazy it’s Party. Although the latter is not present this evening, the public knows very well how to echo the words of the one who will be at Trabendo in Paris on November 26.
You have to wait until the end of the concert to hear Kaarija's most famous songs, starting with Traffic, one of his latest creations in collaboration with Joost Klein, Dutch representative of Eurovision 2024. The title, like the discography, is crazy in its atmosphere and is perfectly transcribed at Backstage By The Mill. Cat Cat is another one of those quirky, powerful moments. The audience resumes a sort of duck dance with their hands, in the sweat of a frantic pogo. Anthology finale with the Eurovision hit which, although it lost to Loreen, remains in the memories: Cha Cha Cha is taken up in chorus, or rather in yogurt, the words being in Finnish.
Kaarija offers a musical slap and juggles between genres. More than that, it brings up to date a Finnish culture that is too little known here. However, artists like The Rasmus or Lordi have been able to demonstrate this over the years. Not to mention the even more famous Nightwish or Darude. Will Kaarija follow in the same footsteps as these artists? In any case, we hope to see him again soon on French lands.
