photo: Mikko Malmivaara
Folk music, pop, opera
Vilma Jää is a musician, singer, composer, fiddler and researcher who works in the fields of folk music, pop music and opera.
Vilma Jää released her second album, Loitsui ja taikoi (Spells and Magic) (Lördag / Jäähile Records), in May 2026. The album received widespread critical acclaim. In its five-star review, Finland’s leading newspaper Helsingin sanomat wrote that it is “an album that honours the forgotten roots of our people, and one for which we can be grateful to Jää.”
Also in May 2026, Manalan mailla, written by Vilma Jää, Jurek and Teemu Brunila and performed by Jää, was released as part of the trailer of Remedy Entertainment’s upcoming video game Control Resonant. Created for the game, which is due for release in September 2026, the song has sparked a global reaction among the gaming community and has been streamed over 4 million times in just three months.
The folk singing techniques that Vilma Jää has become known for can be heard not only in her solo music, but also in Kaija Saariaho’s final opera, Innocence. Jää’s distinctive vocal style, as well as the role of the deceased girl Markéta, which was composed specifically for her, have received acclaim from media around the world. In April 2026, Jää made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in the role of Markéta. The New York Times praised her performance and published an extensive feature on Jää and her distinctive vocal techniques.
Jää’s debut album, Kosto (Revenge) (Jäähile Records 2023), won the Ethno Album of the Year award at the Emma Gala and the Folk Music Album of the Year award at the Eläköön FOLK! Gala in 2024. The album was also nominated for the 2024 Teosto Award. In January 2026, Kalevalaisten Naisten Liitto presented Jää with the Elsa Heporauta Award in recognition of her work in renewing and reinterpreting Finno-Ugric folklore. In 2024, Vilma Jää was named Helsinki’s Artist of the Year.
YleX selected Jää for its Breakthrough Artists of 2023 list. In January 2022, a panel of music experts selected Jää’s song Saatanan saalistaja (Fucking Predator) among the 100 best songs in the world in a survey conducted by Helsingin Sanomat.
Jää has co-composed the score for Alli Haapasalo’s feature film Kerro kaikille (Tell Everyone) with Kalle Vainio. The film will be released in Finnish cinemas on 9 October 2026. Jää also wrote and performed the film’s closing-credits song, Tuittupää. As a composer, Jää has worked across film music, video game music, choral music, and piano music. Together with Laura Maria Rinta, she also composed the music for the audio essay Karjalan piirakat.
In 2021, Vilma Jää graduated with a Master of Music from the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. Her research focuses on Finnish and Karelian herding call traditions, and she is developing a graphic notation system to capture as much of this unique musical genre as possible. Her research has been supported by the Niilo Helander Foundation and the Finnish Arts Promotion Centre.
Folk music, pop, opera
Vilma Jää is a musician, singer, composer, fiddler and researcher who works in the fields of folk music, pop music and opera.
Vilma Jää released her second album, Loitsui ja taikoi (Spells and Magic) (Lördag / Jäähile Records), in May 2026. The album received widespread critical acclaim. In its five-star review, Finland’s leading newspaper Helsingin sanomat wrote that it is “an album that honours the forgotten roots of our people, and one for which we can be grateful to Jää.”
Also in May 2026, Manalan mailla, written by Vilma Jää, Jurek and Teemu Brunila and performed by Jää, was released as part of the trailer of Remedy Entertainment’s upcoming video game Control Resonant. Created for the game, which is due for release in September 2026, the song has sparked a global reaction among the gaming community and has been streamed over 4 million times in just three months.
The folk singing techniques that Vilma Jää has become known for can be heard not only in her solo music, but also in Kaija Saariaho’s final opera, InnocenceJää’s distinctive vocal style, as well as the role of the deceased girl Markéta, which was composed specifically for her, have received acclaim from media around the world. In April 2026, Jää made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in the role of Markéta. The New York Times praised her performance and published an extensive feature on Jää and her distinctive vocal techniques.
Jää’s debut album, Kosto (Revenge) (Jäähile Records 2023), won the Ethno Album of the Year award at the Emma Gala and the Folk Music Album of the Year award at the Eläköön FOLK! Gala in 2024. The album was also nominated for the 2024 Teosto Award. In January 2026, Kalevalaisten Naisten Liitto presented Jää with the Elsa Heporauta Award in recognition of her work in renewing and reinterpreting Finno-Ugric folklore. In 2024, Vilma Jää was named Helsinki’s Artist of the Year.
YleX selected Jää for its Breakthrough Artists of 2023 list. In January 2022, a panel of music experts selected Jää’s song Saatanan saalistaja (Fucking Predator) among the 100 best songs in the world in a survey conducted by Helsingin Sanomat.
Jää has co-composed the score for Alli Haapasalo’s feature film Kerro kaikille (Tell Everyone) with Kalle Vainio. The film will be released in Finnish cinemas on 9 October 2026. Jää also wrote and performed the film’s closing-credits song, Tuittupää. As a composer, Jää has worked across film music, video game music, choral music, and piano music. Together with Laura Maria Rinta, she also composed the music for the audio essay Karjalan piirakat.
In 2021, Vilma Jää graduated with a Master of Music from the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. Her research focuses on Finnish and Karelian herding call traditions, and she is developing a graphic notation system to capture as much of this unique musical genre as possible. Her research has been supported by the Niilo Helander Foundation and the Finnish Arts Promotion Centre.