HELSINKI, Finalnd (www.yle.fi/eurovision) - With a record number of over 500 musical entries and at least one contribution in the second national language of the nation, the task of the Finnish jury of the Eurovision Song Contest is destined to be as difficult as it will be interesting. Though some might see the outcome of the jury's decision as politically important for the country's linguistic minorities, including the Swedish-speaking minority making up six percent of the country's population, Gunnar K. A. Njelsson is convinced that the eyes of the jury will be focused on the quality of music and lyrics, whatever the language.
"In principle, I could have submitted a song in Finnish, English, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish. I am fluent in each of these languages. But for me the principles of our Finnish constitution and the preservation of our linguistic identity as a nation with two official languages came first this year. We can be international and yet still appreciate our history and who we are" says Njelsson. Gunnar K. A. Njelsson also admits that the song he contributed was "born in Swedish". The unique circumstances surrounding the submission are rendered even more intriguing when composer Njelsson divulges the fact that he is a member of the Irish
Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and of the International High IQ Society based in New York, NY.
For reasons related to the rules of the Eurovision song competition, the composer declines to give any detailed information relating to the song, including performing artists, themes or even musical style. "Though I'm not at liberty to divulge that information until the beginning of next month, I can promise that this song will be moving, have integrity, be of high quality and very non-conventional in the Eurovision context" Njelsson hints, while confirming that he has united pop and classical artists in the production of the new ballad. When asked about alternative release plans for his new ballad, Njelsson affirms that given the nature of the composition, getting it published should not be particularly problematic. "This song is one of the best I have ever composed and the lyrics, perhaps the most profound I have ever written. Therefore, I am not thinking so much about publication per se, but about where and under which circumstances I wish to publish and present the new song", he states.
"I know that over five hundred submissions were received by the Finnish jury. That's a lot of music and a lot of creativity. The competition is intense and one might be tempted to dance to the perceived drumbeat of the market. That's not my style. For me, music is an art of the soul. If lyrics are not honest and from the heart, listeners will pick this up immediately. I chose to follow the dictates of my inner voice on this one" Njelsson states. In this case as previously Gunnar K. A. Njelsson has attempted to exemplify what he refers to as the 'return to emotional depth and mature craftsmanship in music'.
When asked which artists he would feel comfortable writing for, Njelsson quickly replies: "Arja Saijonmaa, Eva Dahlgren,
Carly Simon and Siv Malmqvist". He views them as serious artists who understand music and lyrics while being willing to convey messages about real life and varied themes.
The names of those composers going on to the semi-finals will be released on the 1st of November 2004 and the names of the artists who will perform the songs are to be released in December 2004. For more information on the Finnish competition, please refer to their website at
https://www.yle.fi/eurovision.
Gunnar K. A. Njelsson was discovered as a composer in 2003 by Mr. Maki Kolehmainen, prolific pop-composer and the former founder and leader of Finnish superstar band Aikakone (Time Machine). Since then the two have sought appropriate channels for Njelsson's meticulous arrangements, many of which are said to be indicative of the influence of composers like Bacharach, Mancini and Rachmaninov. Njelsson's styles range from Latin and Fusion to European Ballads and dramatic film music. He is also a writer nominated for several prizes and has received numerous literary scholarships.
