About
Biography
Hanna Pakarinen was born on April 17, 1981, in Lappeenranta, Finland. Before starting her music career, she worked as a forklift driver and was part of a local band called Rained.
In 2004, Hanna gained national fame by winning the first season of Finland’s “Idols” singing competition. Her performances, including songs like “The Best” by Tina Turner and “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles, earned her 60% of the public vote in the finale. As the winner, she received a recording contract with Sony BMG and released her debut single, “Love Is Like a Song,” which topped the Finnish singles chart.
Her first album, “When I Become Me,” was released in June 2004 and reached number two on the Finnish albums chart. The album was certified platinum, selling over 52,000 copies. In 2005, she released her second album, “Stronger,” which also peaked at number two and achieved gold status with nearly 17,000 copies sold.
In 2007, Hanna represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Helsinki. She performed the song “Leave Me Alone,” finishing in 17th place with 53 points. Despite the result, the song gained popularity, especially in Sweden, where it topped radio charts for three consecutive weeks and reached number eight on the Swedish singles chart.
Following Eurovision, Hanna continued her music career with the release of her third album, “Lovers,” in February 2007. The album debuted at number three in Finland and was certified gold. She showcased her songwriting skills by contributing to six of the album’s eleven tracks.
In January 2009, she released her fourth album, “Love in a Million Shades,” which marked a departure from her earlier rock style. The album debuted at number seven on the Finnish albums chart. The single “Shout It Out Loud” reached number two on the Finnish singles chart, her highest position since her debut.
Hanna then transitioned to recording music in Finnish. In 2010, she released “Paperimiehen tytär,” her first Finnish-language album, featuring singles like the title track, “Miehet,” and “Se yksi ainoa.” She continued this trend with subsequent albums “Olipa kerran elämä” in 2013 and “Synnyin, elän, kuolen” in 2016.
In 2021, after a period away from the public eye, Hanna Pakarinen returned to the music scene with the release of her single “Sun aika tulee vielä” (“Your Time Will Come”). This marked her first new music in several years and signaled a renewed phase in her artistic journey. She has lent her voice to various Finnish-language versions of animated films and series, showcasing her versatility as an artist. Additionally, she has narrated audiobooks.
Throughout her career, Hanna Pakarinen has sold over 91,000 certified records in Finland, placing her among the top 50 best-selling female soloists in her home country.
