Suoralähetys at the semifinals.

Suoralähetys takes first prize at the non-European alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest (now called Eurosong).

The 2009 Ourvision Singing Contest was held in Finlandia Hall on 25 April, where a nearly packed house enjoyed a vast variety of performances. The competition was consistently high-class, but in the end it was the Finnish Roma singing quartet Suoralähetys who garnered the top prize: 7,000 euros and a record deal.

Band member Mertsi Lindgren says that all of his fellow members are open and genuine individuals who are ready to take on new challenges.

“We sing from the heart. For us, music is pretty much emotions played out loud,” Lindgren comments.

Suoralähetys sees the Ourvision contest as a springboard to more than their own success. The quartet’s members would like to enrich the Finnish musical landscape with their own music, which is heavily influenced by the Roma tradition.

“The Ourvision win comes as a reward for many years’ worth of hard work and realised dreams. We also believe that there is demand out there for groups like us,” Lindgren says.

Suoralähetys also has a dream for the future of representing Finland in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. The Ourvision victory moved the quartet’s male members to tears, and the record deal gives Suoralähetys a credible opportunity to forge a potential musical career.

The competition’s second prize went to Grupo Kaney, of Cuban background, while Luca Cannavo, of Italian background, took third place. The judges also awarded Anusha Iyer, of Indian background, the prize for best voice. Ourvision’s youngest performer, Noah Kin, whose background is in Nigeria, was recognised as having produced the best original song. Grupo Kaney also took home the title of best band.

MATTHEW PARRY - HT
JUHA KIVIMÄKI