Second-time Grammy-nominated producer MDS: “Let’s catch Sweden and beat them in the music business too, and not always in the hockey game”

/ Culture
MD$ in front of a silver YleX background.
MDS, Santeri Kauppinen, a music producer in Los Angeles, believes that Finland has a lot more talent for the international music market.

MDS is nominated for a Grammy with five other Finnish producers for the music they created for Nigerian artist Burna Boy.

There is now plenty of demand for a Finnish producer in the US, and he spends most of his time there at the moment. At least he’ll be able to see his family in Finland for Christmas.

– Working from morning till night. Sundays are occasionally free. When the iron is hot, we forge as much as we can.

– The nomination is a nice tribute. When the first nomination came, as a younger boy I didn’t even understand what it meant. Now there was a little bit of anticipation that this could happen again. I don’t expect to win, because just being nominated is a great thing.

A man in white sweatpants looks at the camera.
– I focus quite a lot on drums, aesthetics and individual melodies,” says MDS, describing his handprint as a music producer.

Via London to Los Angeles

Kauppinen, who just turned 30, has been making a career in music for ten years. He had already found his love for making music as a teenager while messing around with computer music programs.

Kauppinen already decided at the beginning of his career that he wanted to enter the international market. That route went through London. Ten years ago, he was looking for London rappers via Facebook, if he could make music together with someone.

The right guys were found, and Kauppinen ended up making music for months in London. One of the rappers got a recording contract in the United States and Kauppinen got in with the same opening of the door.

The first contact with the music circles of Los Angeles nine years ago has remained memorable in Kauppinen’s mind. He got to see celebrities up close and chat with Musamoguls. At the same time, he met his manager and established relationships that have remained to this day.

MD$ in front of a silver YleX background.
– Older people can tell you how things should be done. The mistakes have taught me a lot. You just have to be stubborn and face problems head on and then come home a learned man,” says MDS, or Santeri Kauppinen, who has just turned 30.

According to Kauppinen, the music circles in Los are similar to those in Finland. The circles are small and everyone knows each other. When you somehow get in, the network of relationships begins to expand like a spider’s web.

– The gang has slightly nicer watches and jewelry, but otherwise the hustle and bustle is the same as in Finland.

Los Angeles produces music by major international artists, so you also need luck to get into the circuits. However, according to Kauppinen, the most important thing is know-how, which has required years of work.

– No lichen ears are taken here. You have to have knowledge and skill when it comes to music. If you have talent, you genuinely carry yourself, and you don’t present anything, the gang will notice it and that energy will be transmitted.

Years of work pay off

The first Grammy nomination came from 6lack’s US platinum-selling album *Free 6lack*.

The latest nomination came with the song *Last last* by Nigerian Burna Boy. It has been streamed on Spotify nearly 160 million times.

Burna Boy performs at Flow Festival. Close-up of the artist wearing a white shirt.
MDS has made music for Africa’s biggest pop star of the moment, Burna Boy, who performed at the Flow Festival in Helsinki last summer.

The background of the song is American songwriters, but the finishing touch is Finnish know-how. MDS involved the experts of the Fountain Productions producer collective, which it piloted, for the final production.

– The song was rearranged by playing more instruments to get dynamics and a dramatic arc.

– We took such a power team to dune it. The stars were right there.

Finnish experts come to the fore through cooperation

MDS believes that his own success will also open doors for other Finnish talent. Songs are made and produced more and more with a large group, and he believes in the power of cooperation.

– It is really difficult for many people to get here on their own if there are no support networks. It’s hard to break alone, but together we can move forward. Together we are stronger.

Finnish producers still have a lot of work to do and MDS thinks that only the first steps are being taken now. Now we need more productions for the records of big artists and success on the US singles list.

– This looks good. Let’s catch Sweden, and let’s beat them also in a fun game and not always just in a puddle.

A man in black sweatpants looks towards the camera.
MDS, Santeri Kauppinen, also started this year as creative director of Epic Records.

Dreaming to create a new Drake

The busy MDS cannot reveal who he is currently making music with. It would also be hasty, because decisions about the release of songs are made at the very last minute.

– One more week before the publication may seem certain, but then the rug will be pulled from under the feet. It’s not worth waiting too long until the song is on Spotify.

– Creating a big sensation would be the thing. That’s what we’re going for here.

This year, MDS also started as the creative director of the record company Epic Records. In the interview with YleX below, the producer tells what the new record company brings to the Finnish music scene.