Kaija Hannele Kärkinen (born 9 September 1962) is a Finnish pop and rock singer, lyricist, and actress from Sodankylä. Kärkinen studied education at the University of Lapland before graduating from the Helsinki Theatre Academy in 1990. Kärkinen began a musical career as the soloist for the rock group Lato. In 1991, Kärkinen represented Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Hullu yö”, which reached number 20. Following the contest, Kärkinen established a musical duo with guitarist Ile Kallio. Their collaborative discography includes the albums Mustaa vettä (1991), Sade (1995), Lupaus (1996), Suuri salaisuus (1997), and Noitavoimaa (1999). Kärkinen appeared in television series including Rederiet. From March 2012 to April 2024, Kärkinen served as the President of the Finnish Association of Songwriters.
