Music Finland's "WTF – Welcome to Finland showcase" concept comes to Iceland Airwaves with three great acts on the bill: Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Modem and Rosettes. The event takes place at the NASA venue on November 8th.

Iceland Airwaves is the world's northernmost music showcase and professional festival. The event brings together the country's emerging artists and the latest international acts every year. Launched in 1999, Iceland Airwaves has since become Iceland's oldest festival and most well-known music brand, and an integral part of Reykjavik's annual cultural offering. The festival traditionally attracts a significant number of music gatekeepers from Europe and America.

This year, at Iceland Airwaves, Music Finland organises the showcase event "WTF – Welcome to Finland showcase" at NASA (Thorvaldsensstræti 2, Reykjavik 101) on Friday November 8th (between 20:30–23:00) – where you can discover Finland’s hottest new sounds from synth pop to rare groove! The concept was first introduced at this year's South by Southwest. At Iceland Airwaves, the performers will be Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Modem, and Rosettes. Scroll down to learn more about the acts.

WTF – Welcome to Finland showcase

WTF is Finland? Perhaps the happiest country in the world—or so they say. Despite the long winters, deep dark forests (read: alcohol), and Santa Claus, Finland has also carved out a unique place in the global music scene. It's a country with the highest number of metal bands per capita, and it’s home to not only some of the world’s finest classical music talents but also incredible pop artists, songwriters, and world-class producers. Again, the WTF Showcase introduces some of Finland’s freshest artists – get to know them here!

Jaakko Eino Kalevi is already a favorite in experimental indie and electro-pop. Modem offers a fresh take on dark, retro-infused, and 80s adoring synth pop. Six-piece groove machine Rosettes fuse soul, city pop, R&B, jazz, and several other styles into their innovative mix.

The acts

Jaakko Eino Kalevi

Jaakko Eino Kalevi is a Finnish musician whose body of work spans two decades and covers a wild range of styles informed by jazz, reggae, metal, electro and pop. Since 2013 he has released his music through the British label Domino. His sixth album Chaos Magic came out in November 2023 and features collaborations with Jimi Tenor, Alma Jodorowsky, Faux Real. Flaminia Veronesi and Vilunki 3000. The record is in part inspired by his new home in Athens. Live, expect lots of new songs and hits such as "Flexible Heart", "Macho" and "I Wanna Win". This year, his Chaos Magic tour has taken Jaakko across Europe, into the Arctic, over to China – and now Iceland!

Read our "What's Cooking" Q&A session with Jaakko Eino Kalevi here!

Showtime 21:30

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Modem

Modem is a Helsinki-based synth pop duo formed by Tytti Roto and Ville Valavuo in 2020. Having paid their dues in the Finnish punk and indie underground (in bands such as Tamara Luonto, Plastic Tones, Kissa, Foreseen and Kohti Tuhoa), the duo set out to create electronic pop music and channel their love for the synthetic sounds of the 1980s. Following the DIY ethos of the punk scene, the band has been very self-sufficient in recording, mixing and artwork, and released everything through their own label Modem Age Records. So far the band has put out two 12” singles – "Elokuvia" (2022) and "Luxuria" (2022) before releasing a full length in April 2024. In the past couple years Modem have been touring actively in the Finnish club scene, played some of Finland’s biggest festivals such as Flow Festival, Sideways and Ruisrock, and toured briefly in Central Europe and Scandinavia.

Showtime 22:30

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Rosettes

Rosettes are a Helsinki-based six-piece band born from diverse musical backgrounds and a shared passion for soulful sounds. Described by some as ”Khruangbin of the north”, they draw inspiration from a myriad of genres, including soul, city pop, R&B old and new, jazz, and rap. With a strong DIY ethos and close to no formal musical education they effortlessly blend their influences into an evolving tornado of sounds and rhythms. Influenced by artists like Curtis Mayfield, Tony Allen, Sade, Cleo Sol, and SAULT, they infuse their music with rare groove elements and an acute jazz sensibility. Comprised of Tytti Roto (vocals & keyboards), Rosita Ahola (bass), Tatu Kuisma (guitar), Markus Hietamies (drums), Eero Tarmio (percussion), and Jaakko Hietakangas (guitar), Rosettes boasts an impressive lineup of both accomplished musicians and eager explorers from the Finnish independent music scene. Rosettes’ rising star is a testament to their unwavering commitment to musical exploration and experimentation. From sold-out shows warming up for their compatriot vintage rocker Grande Mahogany to their first European tour in 2024, the group continues to captivate audiences with their raw approach.

Showtime 20:30

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