Venla Ilona Blom

Venla Ilona Blom (born 1985) is a Finnish vocalist, composer, and beatboxer. She is best known as a founding member and the primary beatboxer of the vocal ensemble Tuuletar, and as Finland's only professional female beatboxer. Blom specialises in extended vocal techniques, vocal percussion, and traditional singing styles derived from Nordic and Finno-Ugric folk music.

Early life and education Blom was born in 1985 in Finland. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark, as an exchange student, where she met the other members of Tuuletar in 2011.

Blom holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance and composition from the Sibelius Academy (University of the Arts Helsinki), which she completed in 2018 with a focus on Global Music Studies. She also works as a part-time lecturer in the Global Music programme at the Sibelius Academy.

Career

Tuuletar

In 2012, Blom co-founded the vocal ensemble Tuuletar with Sini Koskelainen, Johanna Kyykoski, and Piia Säilynoja. As the group's primary beatboxer, Blom creates the rhythmic foundation for their "vocal folk hop" sound, which combines Finnish folk tradition with contemporary beatboxing and harmonies.

Opera career In spring 2025, Blom made her operatic debut at the Semperoper Dresden in Kaija Saariaho's opera Innocence, performing the role of Markéta. The role was specifically composed for a singer with Finno-Ugric folk singing abilities, and Saariaho chose to incorporate traditional Finnish vocal techniques into the opera's fabric. The production, directed by Lorenzo Fioroni and conducted by Maxime Pascal, received critical acclaim and was nominated for Best New Production at the International Opera Awards 2025. The production was supported by Kone Foundation, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, and Wihuri Foundation.

In September 2024, Blom released her debut solo album Nevrak through Nordic Notes. The folktronica album blends classical, folk, and electronic sounds. and explores themes drawn from legends, myths, and stories Blom collected during her travels around the world. Guest musicians on the album include kantele virtuosos Maija Kauhanen and Jutta Rahmel, and American actress Geneviève Andersen as a spoken word artist.

Awards and recognition 2017 – EMMA Award for Best Ethno Album (with Tuuletar) 2019 – Border Breaking Act of the Year at the Finnish Ethno-gala (with Tuuletar) Recipient of grants from the Finnish Cultural Foundation, Kone Foundation, Wihuri Foundation, and Arts Promotion Centre Finland

Discography

Solo albums Nevrak (2024, Nordic Notes)

With Tuuletar

Tules maas vedes taivaal (2016, Bafe's Factory) Rajatila / Borderline (2019, Bafe's Factory)

With Piirainen Blom Company Matka / The Path (2020, Bafe's Factory)