Bands & projects
Vilma Jää
In Vilma Jää’s ethno-pop music, acoustic and electronic sounds intertwine, blending traditional folk instruments such as kantele, harmonium, hurdy-gurdy and fiddle with synthetic beats. She creates her music in collaboration with producer-composer Mikko Renfors, fusing Finno-Ugric singing traditions with pop aesthetics. Vilma Jää released her debut album Kosto (Revenge) in October 2023.
live band:
Pilvi Kekkonen, live electronics & backing vocals
Hanna Ryynänen, kantele
(occasionally backing vocalists)
photo: Oscar Jankes
photo: Kaarlo Autio
Jäine
Jäine is a new-generation runolaulu ensemble comprised of professional singers from the fields of folk and pop & jazz music. Founded by folk musician Vilma Jää, who specializes in traditional Ingrian ensemble runolaulu, the group performs Jää’s tradition-inspired compositions, showcasing the singers' technical mastery. Arrangements are crafted collaboratively, both in advance and spontaneously, as Jäine’s stunning harmonies arise from heterophony—improvised polyphony.
Members: Vilma Jää, Anne-Mari Pitkänen, Laura Maria Rinta and Noora Kauppila
former ensembles
mammantytöt!
2015–2019
Glitter & trad.!
Vilma Jää (née Jääskeläinen): voice, whistling, harmonium, fiddle, piano
Laura Maria Rinta (née Petäjä): voice, whistling, double bass, cello
Musta lammas
2016–2018
Irresistible grooves and delicious soundscapes, made by 23 voices
opera
Innocence
Kaija Saariaho
as Markéta (Student 1)
San Francisco Opera (2024)
Dutch National Opera (2023)
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London (2023)
Finnish National Opera (2022)
Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (2021)
photo: Jean-Louis Fernandez
Bands & projects
Vilma Jää
In Vilma Jää’s ethno-pop music, acoustic and electronic sounds intertwine, blending traditional folk instruments such as kantele, harmonium, hurdy-gurdy and fiddle with synthetic beats. She creates her music in collaboration with producer-composer Mikko Renfors, fusing Finno-Ugric singing traditions with pop aesthetics. Vilma Jää released her debut album Kosto (Revenge) in October 2023.
live band:
Pilvi Kekkonen, live electronics & backing vocals
Hanna Ryynänen, kantele
(occasionally backing vocalists)
Jäine
Jäine is a new-generation runolaulu ensemble comprised of professional singers from the fields of folk and pop & jazz music. Founded by folk musician Vilma Jää, who specializes in traditional Ingrian ensemble runolaulu, the group performs Jää’s tradition-inspired compositions, showcasing the singers' technical mastery. Arrangements are crafted collaboratively, both in advance and spontaneously, as Jäine’s stunning harmonies arise from heterophony—improvised polyphony.
Members: Vilma Jää, Anne-Mari Pitkänen, Laura Maria Rinta and Noora Kauppila
former ensembles
mammantytöt!
2015–2019
Glitter & trad.!
Vilma Jää (née Jääskeläinen): voice, whistling, harmonium, fiddle, piano
Laura Maria Rinta (née Petäjä): voice, whistling, double bass, cello
Musta lammas
2016–2018
Irresistible grooves and delicious soundscapes, made by 23 voices
opera
Innocence
Kaija Saariaho
as Markéta (Student 1)
San Francisco Opera (2024)
Dutch National Opera (2023)
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London (2023)
Finnish National Opera (2022)
Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (2021)