Jonna Pirinen
Encyclopedia
Jonna Christensen better known by her stage name Jonna, is a pop and R&B singer/songwriter from Finland
. She has released three albums, over ten singles and several music videos. Her latest release is the song Simple life, in June 2011.
She became known in 2002 for her participation to the Finnish edition of talent scouting show Popstars
, where she was selected as fourth member of the girls' group Gimmel
. However, after less than a month she quit from the group and embarked on a solo career.
Jonna was successful in her solo career, but wanted to start singing in English but her record label Sony BMG did not support her proposal to now focus on English-language songs. As a result, the contract ended. Jonna decided to move to Los Angeles
to start working on her English-language album and find new influences for her music. After a stay of one and a half years in Los Angeles, she returned to Finland.
Back in Finland, in December 2010 Jonna released her first independently produced song Puppets. On the 14th of January 2011 she participated with Puppets to the first semifinal for the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
. She released her second single "Simple life" from her upcoming album in June 2011 and during the summer of 2011 she is playing the female lead part in a summer theater production called "Rölli ja Metsänhenki" (The troll and the forest Spirit) in Joensuu, Finland.
Jonna has previously been in the musical "Hair" (2003) and "Grease" (2002–2003) and "Hello Dolly!" (2000) and she was hosting a TV-show called "Voice out!" on TV2 (Finnish national TV) in 2004. She has worked as a backup dancer for a dance artist called K-System and performed as a dancer in show dance groups "Step up" (2001–2002) and "Cat people" (1996–2001). She has won 3 Finnish championships with show dance and hip hop group formations and was the best female solo dancer in the Disco and show dance competition in 2002.
Jonna has worked as a dance teacher since 1996 in such dance schools as "Pohjois-Karjalan tanssiopisto" and "Helsingin tanssiopisto". She has been making dance choreographies to her music videos such as "Tyytyväinen" ("Pleased"), "Kaikki talossa" ("All in the house"), and "Puppets".
Jonna has written all the lyrics and melodies to her songs. She has worked with such song writers as Jim Holvay (The Buckinghams
), Miika Colliander (Husky Rescue
), Nikki Forova and Jukka Immonen.
Jonna became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the end of 2003.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. She has released three albums, over ten singles and several music videos. Her latest release is the song Simple life, in June 2011.
She became known in 2002 for her participation to the Finnish edition of talent scouting show Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
, where she was selected as fourth member of the girls' group Gimmel
Gimmel (music group)
Gimmel was a Finnish girl group.In the Spring of 2002, a Popstars competition was held in Finland to find members to form a pop band. 454 young women participated in the singing trials. 25 girls made it to the final selection round. Members of the first Popstars band in Finland were Jenni...
. However, after less than a month she quit from the group and embarked on a solo career.
Jonna was successful in her solo career, but wanted to start singing in English but her record label Sony BMG did not support her proposal to now focus on English-language songs. As a result, the contract ended. Jonna decided to move to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to start working on her English-language album and find new influences for her music. After a stay of one and a half years in Los Angeles, she returned to Finland.
Back in Finland, in December 2010 Jonna released her first independently produced song Puppets. On the 14th of January 2011 she participated with Puppets to the first semifinal for the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
. She released her second single "Simple life" from her upcoming album in June 2011 and during the summer of 2011 she is playing the female lead part in a summer theater production called "Rölli ja Metsänhenki" (The troll and the forest Spirit) in Joensuu, Finland.
Jonna has previously been in the musical "Hair" (2003) and "Grease" (2002–2003) and "Hello Dolly!" (2000) and she was hosting a TV-show called "Voice out!" on TV2 (Finnish national TV) in 2004. She has worked as a backup dancer for a dance artist called K-System and performed as a dancer in show dance groups "Step up" (2001–2002) and "Cat people" (1996–2001). She has won 3 Finnish championships with show dance and hip hop group formations and was the best female solo dancer in the Disco and show dance competition in 2002.
Jonna has worked as a dance teacher since 1996 in such dance schools as "Pohjois-Karjalan tanssiopisto" and "Helsingin tanssiopisto". She has been making dance choreographies to her music videos such as "Tyytyväinen" ("Pleased"), "Kaikki talossa" ("All in the house"), and "Puppets".
Jonna has written all the lyrics and melodies to her songs. She has worked with such song writers as Jim Holvay (The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams are an American Sunshine Pop band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top selling acts of 1967. The band dissolved in 1970 but reformed in 1980 and continue to tour throughout the United States....
), Miika Colliander (Husky Rescue
Husky Rescue
-History:The band was formed by Marko Nyberg, who began composing under the name in 2002, wanting to create cinematic music influenced by film, photography and painting. When recording the debut album Country Falls, Nyberg recorded around 20 musicians and singers for use on the album—each of...
), Nikki Forova and Jukka Immonen.
Jonna became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the end of 2003.
Sources
- Feb. 17, 2009 Mormon Times article on Pirinen
- http://mormonartist.net/issue-3/jonna-pirinen/Mormon TimesMormon TimesMormon Times was a website and newspaper insert containing news and information for and about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . According to mormontimes.com, it has moved back to Deseret News....
interview with Pirinen] - Jonna's website