Arja Saijonmaa

Arja Enni Helena Saijonmaa (born 1 December 1944) is a Finnish singer, political activist and occasional actress.

Life and career She studied at the Sibelius Academy and earned a Bachelor of Arts at the Helsinki University. She made her breakthrough as a singer in Sweden. She has made albums with Swedish translations of songs by Mikis Theodorakis, as well as covers of Zarah Leander songs.

In 1978 she issued Miten voi kyllin kiittää, an album of Finnish translations of the songs of the Chilean composer and singer Violeta Parra. A Swedish version, Jag vill tacka livet, came out the following year. The title song, "Jag vill tacka livet" ("Gracias a la vida") was one of her greatest hits. Swedish prime minister Olof Palme had been a close friend, and his widow wanted Arja to sing at the funeral in 1986. She sang Ine Megalos O Kaimos in Swedish. In 1987, she participated at Melodifestivalen with the song "Högt över havet", ending up second. The same year, she scored a Svensktoppen hit with the song Jag vill leva i Europa.

As a politician, she has been a member of the Swedish People's Party in Finland, and in 1987 she was appointed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. She has written a Norwegian-language book, Sauna, about the Finnish sauna tradition.

She appeared in the first season of Let's Dance, the Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2006. Her professional partner was Tobias Karlsson, aged 28, and they were eliminated in the 7th week. In December 2007, Saijonmaa participated in the Swedish reality show Stjärnorna på slottet along with Peter Stormare, Britt Ekland, Jan Malmsjö and Magnus Härenstam.

She participated in Melodifestivalen 2019 with the song "Mina fyra årstider".

Saijonmaa is both the Finnish and Swedish voice actor of Emma the Stage Rat in the Finnish-British animated television family drama Moominvalley (2019–).

Discography Finnish language

1972: Laula kanssani toveri 1972: Arja Saijonmaa & Mikis Theodorakis 1973: Koko yön minun poikani valvoi 1975: Huomenta sydämeni 1979: Jokainen arkiaamu – Arja Saijonmaa & Mikis Theodorakis Ateenassa 1979: Miten voin kyllin kiittää 1981: Ruotsiin ja takaisin 1983: Ystävän laulu 1985: La Cumparsita 1988: Arja Saijonmaa & George de Godzinsky Finlandia-talossa 1989: Yhteinen taivas ja maa 1993: Paijaa mua 2000: Sydänten silta 2006: Rakkaus on rohkeutta

Reissues

1985: Valitut laulut 1988: Arja Saijonmaa (2LP) 1995: 20 Suosikkia: Ystävän laulu: 2001: 20 Suosikkia: Satumaa 2007: Tähtisarja – 30 suosikkia (2CD)

Swedish language

1977: Det är tid att sjunga sånger 1977: Tango Jalousie 1978: Arja Saijonmaa i Stockholms konserthus 1979: Jag vill tacka livet 1981: Sånger från asfalt och ängar 1982: Leksar och parfym 1987: Högt över havet 1988: Arja sjunger Zarah 1989: Samma himmel, samma sol 1994: La Cumparsita 1998: Bara du kommer 1999: En bro av gemenskap 2003: Arja Nära

Reissues

1994: Arja's bästa 2000: Guldkorn 2002: 100% (2CD) 2005: Vad du än trodde så trodde du fel

Other languages

1976: Bonjour mon coeur 1983: Es ist Zeit

Title Year Peak chart positions Album SWEHeat. "Mina fyra årstider" 2019 7

Films Arja Saijonmaa has appeared in the following films:

1969: Punatukka 1969: Pohjan tähteet 1979: Herr Puntila and His Servant Matti