Latest news with #JustHaveaSauna
France 24
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Favourite KAJ hopes for fun and steamy Eurovision
With war raging in Gaza and Ukraine and economic and political uncertainty sweeping the world, people "need to have some fun", the trio, who hail from Finland but are representing Sweden in Eurovision, told AFP in an interview. Kevin Holmstrom, Axel Ahman and Jakob Norrgard -- whose first initials spell KAJ -- met as children growing up in Vora, a small mostly Swedish-speaking town in western Finland. They formed KAJ back in 2009 and have since produced seven albums but readily admit that describing them as obscure until recently is "accurate". Now, their song "Bara Bada Bastu" (Just Have a Sauna) is the bookies' favourite to win the 69th edition of the contest in Basel, Switzerland, on May 17. Their breakthrough has surprised the group. "You're doing this for 15 years, doing the same thing, trying to evolve, and now suddenly it's like this big breakthrough. It's quite hard to understand," Holmstrom told AFP. They describe "Bara Bada Bastu" as a "fun pop song". "It's about relaxing with your friends, going into the sauna and having a nice time and coming out on the other side feeling great," Norrgard said. 'Sauna pop' Their number features the three singers in brown suits, surrounded by dancers in lumberjack shirts first grilling sausages over a bonfire before appearing in a mock sauna with towels around their waists, slapping their backs with birch branches. "We have called it sauna pop because there's nothing really like it," Ahman explained, adding that the song blends genres. The group said they even used the sound of water splashing against the hot sauna stove to create one of the song's sound effects. Sauna culture is deeply embedded in both Swedish and Finnish culture and, as Swedish speakers growing up in Finland, they strongly identify with both countries, they said. Their song was one of 30 selected by Swedish broadcaster SVT -- out of almost 2,800 entries -- to compete in Melodifestivalen, the contest to select Sweden's Eurovision contestant. They ultimately won with 4.3 million votes, in a country of 10 million people. "Since we are from Finland and we were competing in Sweden's national final for Eurovision, we wanted to bring something different to the table and something that represented where we come from," Ahman says. This will be the first time since 1998 that Sweden will be represented at the glitzy glamfest by a song sung in Swedish. The Nordic country -- which is tied with Ireland for the most Eurovision wins, with seven -- last won the competition with Loreen's "Tattoo" in 2023. But KAJ's wacky style stands in stark contrast to the slick pop acts that Sweden has sent to Eurovision in recent years. "Hopefully it's going to be well received. We have got a lot of good comments from all over Europe and also from Sweden. I think the Swedish people were ready to send something new this year," Norrgard said. Steam and lasers Asked if they thought they could win Eurovision, Ahman said he thought they had a "36-percent" chance, smiling as he referenced the latest odds on bookmaker sites. "It's crazy to me because we were at the bottom of the list when (the Swedish competition) Melodifestivalen started," he added. A Eurovision victory would be a win for both Sweden and their native Finland, the trio said. "We're representing Sweden, so it's Sweden's win, but I think the Finnish people would be equally happy," Norrgard said. With controversy over Israel's participation looming over Eurovision for the second year in a row, KAJ hopes their contribution can bring some joy in troubled times. "I think this is a song that fits greatly in these times, where people need to have some fun," Ahman said. They want to turn the "whole stadium into a sauna", Norrgard added.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sweden turns up Eurovision heat with wacky sauna song
Sweden is getting up a head of steam for what could be a record number of Eurovision wins this year with a humorous sauna act. KAJ, a comedy group more accustomed to playing birthday parties than large arena shows, is already the bookies' favourite to triumph at the extravaganza in Basel, Switzerland on May 17. With their song "Bara Bada Bastu" (Just Have a Sauna), the Finnish trio pay homage to sauna culture, clad in brown suits and accompanied by an accordion in a wink to Finland's other big cultural phenomenon, the tango. Dancers in lumberjack shirts grill sausages over a bonfire before appearing in a sauna with towels around their waists, slapping their backs with birch branches. "We're gonna have a sauna, sauna, steam up and let go of the stress of the day," they sing repeatedly in Swedish, in a catchy chorus that sticks to the brain like chewing gum to the sole of a shoe. "The melody works internationally. Even I am able to hum the chorus, and I absolutely do not speak the language," laughed Fabien Randanne, a French Eurovision expert and journalist. - Shock selection - The Swedish public chose the song at its annual Melodifestivalen contest -- a national institution broadcast five Saturday evenings in a row that attracts millions of viewers. KAJ's victory stunned the nation that brought us Abba and two-times winner Loreen, beating out 2015 Eurovision victor and pop heartthrob Mans Zelmerlow, who was broadly seen as the favourite. "Sweden has usually competed with very slick numbers. Now I have the feeling that the public is a little more open to originality, to something unique," Randanne said. Melodifestivalen producer Karin Gunnarsson approached KAJ and asked them to send in a demo for the Swedish contest, Swedish songwriter Anderz Wrethov, a Eurovision veteran who co-wrote and co-produced KAJ's song, told AFP. Founded in 2009, KAJ is made up of Kevin Holmstrom, Axel Ahman and Jakob Norrgard, its name formed by their first initials. Until now they had a niche but steady following in Finland, primarily in the small Swedish-speaking community to which they belong. Their song was one of 30 selected by Swedish broadcaster SVT -- out of almost 2,800 entries -- to compete in Melodifestivalen, ultimately winning the contest with 4.3 million votes. "We've seen all these very polished artists but underneath it all, the kind of music KAJ makes is very typical of Swedish 'schlager' (popular hits)", said Andreas Onnerfors, professor of intellectual history at Linnaeus University in Sweden. - Eurovision 'doesn't have to be serious' - Randanne said that while it was hard to explain KAJ's success, Swedes' "voted with their hearts". "In the current context, we all need to de-stress... but the vote also just shows what people find entertaining," Onnerfors added. He said it was also important to understand the song's popularity in the broader context of Eurovision, a contest created to unite Europeans across borders. "Eurovision is like a bonfire around which we gather... It doesn't have to be very serious, it can also be eccentric," he said. Onnerfors said countries reveal their true selves through their cultural stereotypes -- in the case of KAJ, poking fun at the way Swedes view Finns and their sauna culture. But does KAJ have what it takes to claim Sweden's eighth Eurovision victory in Basel? Onnerfors doesn't dare make any predictions. Randanne said he expects them to place well thanks to the tune's catchy melody. "Eurovision is usually a little more open-minded than Sweden," agreed Wrethov. In this year's Eurovision, around 20 of the 37 contestants will sing in a language other than English, which is "unprecedented", Randanne said. Wrethov said KAJ's number could even shake things up in pop-loving Sweden. "Maybe more artists who don't do mainstream pop will say, 'Wow, there's a new place for me!'" he said. cbw/ef/po/fg
Local Sweden
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Local Sweden
Why Sweden's bizarre sauna hit could actually win Eurovision
Sweden could claim a record number of Eurovision victories if its humorous sauna act manages to win the competition this year – which according to the bookies may just happen. Advertisement Kaj, a comedy group more accustomed to playing birthday parties than large arena shows, is already the bookies' favourite to triumph at the extravaganza in Basel, Switzerland, on May 17th. With their song Bara Bada Bastu (Just Have a Sauna), the Finnish trio pay homage to sauna culture, clad in brown suits and accompanied by an accordion in a wink to Finland's other big cultural phenomenon, the tango. Dancers in lumberjack shirts grill sausages over a bonfire before appearing in a sauna with towels around their waists, slapping their backs with birch branches. "We're gonna have a sauna, sauna, steam up and let go of the stress of the day," they sing repeatedly in Swedish, in a catchy chorus that sticks to the brain like chewing gum to the sole of a shoe. "The melody works internationally. Even I am able to hum the chorus, and I absolutely do not speak the language," laughed Fabien Randanne, a French Eurovision expert and journalist. Shock selection The Swedish public chose the song at its annual Melodifestivalen contest – a national institution broadcast five Saturday evenings in a row that attracts millions of viewers. Kaj's victory stunned the nation that brought us Abba and two-times winner Loreen, beating out 2015 Eurovision victor Måns Zelmerlöw, who was broadly seen as the favourite. "Sweden has usually competed with very slick numbers. Now I have the feeling that the public is a little more open to originality, to something unique," Randanne said. Melodifestivalen producer Karin Gunnarsson approached Kaj and asked them to send in a demo for the Swedish contest, Swedish songwriter Anderz Wrethov, a Eurovision veteran who co-wrote and co-produced Kaj's song, told AFP. Founded in 2009, Kaj is made up of Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman and Jakob Norrgård, its name formed by their first initials. Until now they had a niche but steady following in Finland, primarily in the small Swedish-speaking community to which they belong. Their song was one of 30 selected by Swedish broadcaster SVT – out of almost 2,800 entries – to compete in Melodifestivalen, ultimately winning the contest with 4.3 million votes. "We've seen all these very polished artists but underneath it all, the kind of music Kaj makes is very typical of Swedish 'schlager' (popular hits)," said Andreas Önnerfors, professor of intellectual history at Linnaeus University in Sweden. Advertisement Eurovision 'doesn't have to be serious' Randanne said that while it was hard to explain Kaj's success, Swedes "voted with their hearts". "In the current context, we all need to de-stress... but the vote also just shows what people find entertaining," Önnerfors added. He said it was also important to understand the song's popularity in the broader context of Eurovision, a contest created to unite Europeans across borders. "Eurovision is like a bonfire around which we gather... It doesn't have to be very serious, it can also be eccentric," he said. Advertisement Önnerfors said countries reveal their true selves through their cultural stereotypes – in the case of Kaj, poking fun at the way Swedes view Finns and their sauna culture. But does Kaj have what it takes to claim Sweden's eighth Eurovision victory in Basel? Önnerfors doesn't dare make any predictions. Randanne said he expects them to place well thanks to the tune's catchy melody. "Eurovision is usually a little more open-minded than Sweden," agreed Wrethov. In this year's Eurovision, around 20 of the 37 contestants will sing in a language other than English, which is "unprecedented", Randanne said. Wrethov said Kaj's number could even shake things up in pop-loving Sweden. "Maybe more artists who don't do mainstream pop will say, 'Wow, there's a new place for me!'" he said.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sweden turns up Eurovision heat with wacky sauna song
Sweden is getting up a head of steam for what could be a record number of Eurovision wins this year with a humorous sauna act. KAJ, a comedy group more accustomed to playing birthday parties than large arena shows, is already the bookies' favourite to triumph at the extravaganza in Basel, Switzerland on May 17. With their song "Bara Bada Bastu" (Just Have a Sauna), the Finnish trio pay homage to sauna culture, clad in brown suits and accompanied by an accordion in a wink to Finland's other big cultural phenomenon, the tango. Dancers in lumberjack shirts grill sausages over a bonfire before appearing in a sauna with towels around their waists, slapping their backs with birch branches. "We're gonna have a sauna, sauna, steam up and let go of the stress of the day," they sing repeatedly in Swedish, in a catchy chorus that sticks to the brain like chewing gum to the sole of a shoe. "The melody works internationally. Even I am able to hum the chorus, and I absolutely do not speak the language," laughed Fabien Randanne, a French Eurovision expert and journalist. - Shock selection - The Swedish public chose the song at its annual Melodifestivalen contest -- a national institution broadcast five Saturday evenings in a row that attracts millions of viewers. KAJ's victory stunned the nation that brought us Abba and two-times winner Loreen, beating out 2015 Eurovision victor and pop heartthrob Mans Zelmerlow, who was broadly seen as the favourite. "Sweden has usually competed with very slick numbers. Now I have the feeling that the public is a little more open to originality, to something unique," Randanne said. Melodifestivalen producer Karin Gunnarsson approached KAJ and asked them to send in a demo for the Swedish contest, Swedish songwriter Anderz Wrethov, a Eurovision veteran who co-wrote and co-produced KAJ's song, told AFP. Founded in 2009, KAJ is made up of Kevin Holmstrom, Axel Ahman and Jakob Norrgard, its name formed by their first initials. Until now they had a niche but steady following in Finland, primarily in the small Swedish-speaking community to which they belong. Their song was one of 30 selected by Swedish broadcaster SVT -- out of almost 2,800 entries -- to compete in Melodifestivalen, ultimately winning the contest with 4.3 million votes. "We've seen all these very polished artists but underneath it all, the kind of music KAJ makes is very typical of Swedish 'schlager' (popular hits)", said Andreas Onnerfors, professor of intellectual history at Linnaeus University in Sweden. - Eurovision 'doesn't have to be serious' - Randanne said that while it was hard to explain KAJ's success, Swedes' "voted with their hearts". "In the current context, we all need to de-stress... but the vote also just shows what people find entertaining," Onnerfors added. He said it was also important to understand the song's popularity in the broader context of Eurovision, a contest created to unite Europeans across borders. "Eurovision is like a bonfire around which we gather... It doesn't have to be very serious, it can also be eccentric," he said. Onnerfors said countries reveal their true selves through their cultural stereotypes -- in the case of KAJ, poking fun at the way Swedes view Finns and their sauna culture. But does KAJ have what it takes to claim Sweden's eighth Eurovision victory in Basel? Onnerfors doesn't dare make any predictions. Randanne said he expects them to place well thanks to the tune's catchy melody. "Eurovision is usually a little more open-minded than Sweden," agreed Wrethov. In this year's Eurovision, around 20 of the 37 contestants will sing in a language other than English, which is "unprecedented", Randanne said. Wrethov said KAJ's number could even shake things up in pop-loving Sweden. "Maybe more artists who don't do mainstream pop will say, 'Wow, there's a new place for me!'" he said. cbw/ef/po/fg
