According to music industry experts interviewed by Yle, Käärijä has an exceptional opportunity for a Finnish-language artist, even an international career.
– Finnish music has not received this much attention in one go for a long time. It is truly exceptional that a Finnish song and a Finnish-language song can be so successful in Europe.
According to Manninen, phenomena like Käärijä are rare.
– They are impossible to script and predict. But the song is great, the artist is great and the show, the pre-promotion and everything hit the spot. And ultimately it’s up to the audience.
Will Cha cha cha end up in international advertisements?
In practice, Käärijä’s success means, among other things, even more gig offers in Finland for the artist, who is already booked to perform at almost all important festivals. According to Manninen, gig fees will definitely increase.
Käärijä’s public success at Eurovision was also amazing from the perspective of the competition. He received the second most public votes in the entire history of the competition. Only the representative of Ukraine in last year’s competition has received more.
Unprecedented success also opens international doors for the artist. Manninen estimates that Käärijä will receive many different offers from abroad in the near future. They may concern, for example, the use of *Cha Cha chan* in advertisements and events.
– Music will definitely be dark, that is, it will be wanted in different contexts: advertisements, marketing, brands. It may be that they want to make international versions of it and of course there may be many offers to perform at festivals and elsewhere.
In a financial sense, *Cha Cha cha* alone will very likely generate significant income for Käärijä, the authors of the song and the record company.
– If the song involves advertising revenue and the like, yes, in such copyright cases, you can easily talk about hundreds of thousands of euros, Manninen estimates.
A strange curse lurks over Eurovision artists
– Many artists have had a lot of trouble getting a long-lasting career going with just that five song.
The researcher justifies the matter with the intensive nature of Eurovision.
– It’s a kind of musical Christmas that just coincides with spring. When the fifth week is over, you don’t really want to remember it in a couple of months.
Cursing also has another side. Wherever a successful artist in Eurovision goes, the stamp of a Eurovision artist follows.
– It has been with me throughout my career and it has to be accepted in some way.
– Maybe in this age of social media and spotify there are opportunities to break away from that curse, Mäkelä reflects.
Where are you going, Wrappers?
Since the same song is performed over and over again in Eurovision, there is a big risk associated with the popularity brought by the competition. Many a creator who embedded earworms in the public’s consciousness in the same way has become a one-hit wonder.
– There are a lot of one-hit wonders in the history of pop music. Especially if it’s a breakthrough hit like this, it has its own difficulties in continuing a career in the same direction, says Mäkelä.
According to the researcher, *Cha Cha cha* will certainly support Käärijä for some time. Especially in the minds of Finns, it can last longer than internationally.
But at some point you have to start making new music.
– I trust that Käärijä has innovation and the ability to take his cause forward.
Music Finland’s executive director Mikko Manninen is hopeful that Käärijä’s success has turned the world’s ears towards Finland.
– This brings Finnish music a good momentary spotlight. Interest in Finland and Finnish music is really high right now.
*Käärijä will perform at the Helsinki Ice Hall next Saturday, May 20. at 20–21:15 and it will be shown live on TV2 – and Yle Areena, both to Finland and the world. Yle has transmitted information about Saturday’s live concert internationally as well.*