Jaakko Gauriloff

Jaakko Gauriloff (born March 1939) is a Skolt Sámi singer. He is regarded as the first artist to have sung popular music in the Skolt Sámi language and is said to be the first Sámi to have published an album in Finland when he published his first record at the end of the 1960s. Although he is mostly known as a schlager singer, he can also sing traditional Skolt Sámi leuʹdds. Three years later, he placed third in the Finnish Schlager Championships. and "the world's northernmost schlager singer", and his popularity went skyrocketing. He began to receive fan mail in Nellim. "It was terrible. I could no longer have my peace and quiet", he says of those times. He was asked to go to Helsinki, and indeed went there, but did not like it, explaining: "I was not cut out for city life. I could not stay there and stare at those apartment buildings".

In the early 1970s, Gauriloff performed on the television for the first time. He also toured with Nils-Aslak Valkeapää and Åsa Blind. The three artists released an album titled De čábba niegut runiidit in 1976. The album got mixed reviews, for example, Helsingin Sanomat did not consider the album to represent genuine Sámi music. In 1981, Gauriloff recorded the world's first reggae single in Saami called "Tanja", which placed second in voting on the popular Finnish television show Levyraati.

From 1984 to 1989, Gauriloff served as the provincial artist for Sámi culture. While in the Soviet Union, he met Ilpo Saastamoinen, who was there on a tour.

From 1993 to 1999, Gauriloff sang the lead role in the opera trilogy Velho in Äkäslompolo. He has also performed in many countries in Europe as well as in the United States and Japan. In addition to schlager and folk music, Gauriloff has sung on an album titled Finlande in 2002.

In November 2013, the Sámi Parliament of Finland presented Gauriloff with an award on his 50th anniversary as an artist.

Family Guitarist Leo Gauriloff was Jaakko Gauriloff's younger brother. Film director Katja Gauriloff and master craftsman and artist Heidi Gauriloff are their nieces.

Discography Albums (selected works) De čábba niegut runiidit (1976) Kuäʹckkem suäjai vueʹlnn (1992) Luommum mäʹdd (2005) Tuõddri tuõkken (2009)

Singles ”Tanja / Laulu Kaisalle” (1981) ”Moostaka / Pai maainest säämas” (1985)