Finnish-Swedish culture is on an unprecedented upswing – thanks to KAJ

Sweden’s Eurovision nominee, the band highlights Finnish-Swedish culture in an unprecedented way.

Finland is abuzz with KAJ hype after the Finnish-Swedish band won the Melodifestivalen at the weekend and will represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Finnish-Swedish culture has certainly never been so prominent in Finland, let alone the world.

Heikkilä says that at first the participation of *Bara bada bastu* in Mello was shunned by the Finnish-Swedes. In Hufvudstadsbladet, for example, it was written that once again we were being given a bad image of Finland.

Half -Swedish Heikkilä noticed that the sound on the watch changed after a positive reception.

– Hi, we have been noticed in a perfect neighbor where everything is always really well. After the victory, we have been legitimized in a whole new way, Heikkilä sums up the Finnish -Swedish feelings.

Kaj’s victory has also merged Finnish -Swedish. According to Heikkilä, Swedish speakers are a surprisingly fragmented lifestyle. Life can be very different on the coast of Ostrobothnia than in southern Finland.

The image is often that Finnish -Swedes are privileged money -rich in the Helsinki metropolitan area, but this is not the case. On the coast of Ostrobothnia, small communities live in ordinary working life.

– Kaj is the perfect merger here and brings together all kinds of Finnish -Swedish people, says Heikkilä

Kaj has also given a new look at the Swedish -speaking culture for the Finnish -speaking population. For the vast majority, the band is a whole new acquaintance, even though the band has been in operation for over 15 years. The Finnish -Swedish culture of Ostrobothnia may have remained distant.

But now at least everyone knows where there is a vöyer.

– I wish that Finnish -Swedish and Swedish would become cool in a new way, says Heikkilä.

Getting to know Finland in Sweden

The Swedish image of Finland has long been back or even a bit of a jerk. According to Heikkilä, Finns are thought to be culturally behind in the more European spirit of the Swedes.

On the other hand, the band can play everything in a fun and sympathetic way. The Finnish -Swedish band was also a fresh breeze for the careful and even clinical pop -up of the Melodifestivalen.

– Nowadays, authenticity, sincerity and its own roots are on the surface. Kaj also performs honestly and ironically, laughing at himself. It certainly sank into the Swedes and now also into the European audience.

Heikkilä believes that Kaj unites Finland and Sweden in a miserable world situation.

– This is a unifying glue in the form of Nordic friendship. We need friends nearby and Sweden is a logical partner. We think of many things in the same way and culturally, in the end, we are very similar countries.

– I think the spirit of a sweet national match is coming. However, Finland and Sweden know how to do it kindly and comfortably, Heikkilä believes.