Suomi sounds: Get your fix of Finland’s finest

By Karl Batterbee

The Nordic region has rightfully earned a reputation for exporting more than its fair share of pop music to the rest of the world. But one country’s music scene that is often overshadowed by that of its Nordic neighbours is Finland.

That is not to say that the famously down-to-earth Finnish folk would be in any way bothered by not having a spotlight shone on their music industry. The Finnish pop scene is objectively insular; on any given day you can check out the Daily Top 50 chart on Spotify Finland and see that the entire list is almost exclusively made up of Finnish artists singing in the Finnish language. It is a commitment to homegrown talent that you just do not see in any other Nordic nation. And that is really quite admirable.

Finnish radio mirrors the pattern seen on streaming. Rather than force-feed its listeners the homogenised hits that the rest of the world is passively consuming, it amplifies the voices of its own musicians. This has resulted in a thriving music industry that births big volumes of new talent annually. By not having to compete with many international popstars, Finnish artists are plentiful and popular. And in recent years in particular, the pop genre has shot into something of an imperial phase, quality wise.

Scan Magazine profiles some of the artists behind the new crop of hits, so that you can welcome some fresh Finnish favourites onto your playlists.

Minttu

A relative newcomer on the scene, Minttu made her debut in 2025 with a string of catchy pop tunes before going stratospheric in the first week of January this year thanks to the release of Everest. The song is a textbook example of why Minttu has proved to be so popular; it’s got a melody that packs all the might of Everest itself!

In May, Minttu released her debut album Maailma On Mun, which shot straight to number 1 in Finland. If you are a fan of Tate McRae’s style of pop, then imagine that paired with the inimitable art of Nordic melody writing. Yep, Minttu is that good.

Listen to: Kaikki On Mahollist

Photo: Felix Bardy and Aaron Sirainen

Erika Vikman

There are not many artists who can lay claim to tearing up the Eurovision Song Contest stage two years in a row, but then there are not many artists like Erika Vikman. The queen of camp whipped audiences into a frenzy while performing ICH KOMME at the 2025 Contest by climbing atop a giant microphone prop that then rocketed across the Eurovision stage in a flurry of fireworks. The impact was so great, Erika was invited to the 2026 Grand Final to perform a medley of Contest classics with other Eurovision icons (including her fellow Finns Lordi), cementing her place in the pop history books.

To capitalise on her newfound notoriety across the globe, Erika is now releasing music in English. Her lyrics playfully court controversy with something of an ecclesiastical edge, with biblical-themed bops such as FATHER (I Will Never Confess) and Adam & Steve.

Listen to: Ruoska

Photo: Ada Pakarinen

Benjamin

Personality goes a long way in pop music, and this chap has got bags of it to go around! Despite still being in his 20s, Benjamin has been releasing music for over a decade now, understandably exploring various styles and sounds along the way. But in recent years he has landed on something that really fits: Big! Gay! Pop!

The buoyant Benjamin has found his footing with high-energy hits paired with outrageously over-the-top lyrics. Tongue firmly in cheek, those songs have found a huge audience, too. On his recent summer tour of Finland, he proved just how astute he is; dressing himself and his dancers in zeitgeist-straddling ice-hockey apparel, Heated Rivalry style!

Listen to: Tommi (Seksipommi)

Photo: Press image

Isac Elliot

There is no one doing it quite like Isac Elliot. Billed as Finland’s answer to Justin Bieber when he released his debut single in 2013 (aged just 12), he has been able to make the transition from child star to superstar rather seamlessly. Now, he is a pioneering force in Finnish trap music; a status that was cemented earlier this year with the release of his sixth album Mansion Music, his most blockbuster LP to date. On it, he sings of flying by private jet and staying at the Four Seasons, amongst other more down-to-earth sentiments, of course. But in the case of Isac Elliot, it never sounds crass… That boy has earned those trips!

Just this summer, Isac made Finnish music history by being the first artist to have 11 consecutive Spotify Finland Number 1s, including ten within the space of a year. The sky is the limit for him, seemingly. And he is not getting there in economy class!

Listen to: Reissumies

Suomi sounds: Get your fix of Finland’s finest

Robin.
Shot in Studio Kontrol Z, Helsinki in Jan 2026.
Styling Eero Böök. Grooming Miia Ollula.
Photographer Juha Mustonen. Instagram @juha_mustonen
www.juhamustonen.com

Robin Packalen

Throughout a 14-year career, Robin Packalen has maintained his position as being one of Finland’s most successful artists. His music has been streamed just shy of over 600 million times on streaming services, and five of his seven studio albums have debuted at Number 1 on Finland’s official album chart. Robin has also received numerous accolades throughout his career, including four Emma Awards and one MTV EMA Award.

Currently, the artist is dividing his time between opening the latest chapter of his solo career in Finland and touring the world as a live vocalist with the Norwegian superstar DJ Alan Walker. For the former, he has followed up a bunch of catchy pop tracks in Finnish with Running Through My Head, a rock-fuelled reinterpretation of t.A.T.u’s seminal All The Things She Said.

Listen to: Tuut Tuut Tuut

Photo: Press image

Nelli Matula

This is the girl behind the most played song on Finnish radio in 2025. Hitaammin Hautaan was the hit in question and it ended up being her biggest to date, bypassing even the streaming numbers of her breakthrough from 2016, Lemmikki.

Ten years on and Nelli has earned the reputation of being the showgirl of Finnish pop, and it is not just because of her fondness for feathers! Her shows are all-encompassing entertainment affairs that allow her to show off her dancing abilities just as much as her vocal prowess. Following her phenomenal 2025, Nelli is now working on her third album.

Listen to: Mun Vuoro Luovuttaa

Photo: Vilma Norokorpi

KUUMAA

These boys are currently riding the heady wave of album number five and showing no signs of slowing down just yet. The trio, who started out making a more indie-flavoured brand of electronica, did not take long before grabbing the attention of Finnish radio and, subsequently, its listeners. In total, KUUMAA have picked up seven Emma Award wins, the Finnish equivalent of the Grammys.

The breakout batch of hits from their 2023 album, Hyvikset ja Pahikset, really sent the band into overdrive. Demand for their music, as well as the live shows to promote it, has been such that the group has released a new album every year since! In November, the boys will celebrate their tenth anniversary as a group with a huge show at the Finnish capital’s largest venue, Veikkaus Arena.

Listen to: Valoa Varten

Want more? Check out these Finnish favourites released in 2026:

Aliisa Syrjä – Sen Piti Olla Minä

Ida – 112

OLGA – Shotit

Roosa – Kultakehykset

Vesta – Helmi

Norae – Hit Me Baby…

Kaija Koo – Latu On Auki

Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin