Johanna Telander and Eeppi Ursin. Photo: Aleksei Postnikov

 

“Diamonds of the First Snow” was the first of a series of pop-jazz concerts organized by the Finlandia Foundation New York Metropolitan Chapter.

 

This year the concert took place at the historic New York Estonian House, featuring four Finnish singers based in New York City – Johanna Telander, Jonna, Eeppi Ursin, and Petra Jasmiina.

 

The repertoire included original songs by the performers, cover songs by celebrated Finnish artists, and pop tunes well known and cherished across the world.

 

Each of the performers have an outstanding background in the music industry.

 

Jonna is a Finnish pop singer with a mission to break the stigma around mental health through music, combining R&B with Finnish lyrics and sound.

 

Her ground-breaking three albums with Sony Music paved the way for many Finnish pop artists to come and she continues to make an impact on the music scene.

 

Eeppi Ursin is a New York-based Finnish singer-songwriter with a versatile career as a solo artist, jazz vocalist, composer, and pianist.

 

The Finlandia Foundation National has also selected her to be the Performer of the Year for 2022.

 

Petra Jasmiina is mostly known in the indie music scene across New York City. In 2019, she released her first EP album “Cygnet” and has been touring, promoting her indie music spanning pop, folk, and electronica into a unique soothing combination of sounds.

 

Johanna Telander is mostly known to the New York audiences as a composer & writer of Kalevala the Musical.

 

The musical has gained attention the world over and is currently in the final stages of preparation to be released as a full concept album with an expansive selection of songs.

 

Telander's other mentionable career highlights include her performance with Residente & Bad Bunny on the “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”, as well as her acting credits in television shows such as 30 Rock and White Collar.

 

All the musicians would like to say thank you to everyone who could make it to the New York Estonian House and stayed for a social hour afterward to reconnect, support, and celebrate Finnish, Estonian, and American creatives making this event happen.

Valev Laube
The VL Studios