Kaija Pohjola

Kaija Pohjola is a Finnish singer who began performing publicly at the age of four, singing Oskar Merikanto's "Laula tyttö." She gained early recognition in the late 1960s, winning several singing competitions, including the Tähtijahti competition in 1969 with “Dong Hoin tyttö,” composed by Juha Vainio. In the early 1970s, she briefly used the stage name Maarit before reverting to her real name to avoid confusion with Maarit Hurmerinta, and she paused her career to raise a family. Pohjola returned to the music scene in the 1990s, competing at the Tangomarkkinat, where she earned the titles of Tango Princess in 1990 and Tango Queen in 1991. She released multiple albums during this period, including Kultaa Kuutamo Loi (1992), Nyt Tanssimaan (1994), and Tatuoitu Ruusu (1996).