Sanna Pietiänen

[ WWW.FINPOP.NET ]

THE FINNISH POP CULTURE PORTAL

Music
Interview : Sanna Pietiäinen

When and how did you decide to become a musician / singer?
When I was about eleven I knew that I'll be musician. Those days I studied piano and flute.

Was this choice difficult to make?
No, because it's music that I've always loved most.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have always listened all styles of music from classical music to ethno music.
When I was a kid I loved Leonid Bernsteins 'West Side Story' and music of Kate Bush.
I have always listened jazz singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Thormé.
Also I like much Edith Piaf, Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston.

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
+ Finns are shy but friendly people. It's nice to sing to them and talk whith them.
- This is a big country to drive aroud when I'm working.
- Too small population of people in whole country: It's hard to sell your reccords. It's hard to get much people to the conserts and dancing places.

How could you qualify your style of music?
Oh, it's hard. My albums are mostly Finnish style pop-music. But when I'm working at the dancing places and halls I sing lots of styles from rock to Latin. And in the concerts my style can be musicals, chansons, ballads, jazz and so on..

Have you ever considered the possibilty to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
I think my style is a bit changing all the time. It's 'living in the time' if you understand.

What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
Mostly love of course

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
It depends what kind of day and feelings I have had...

Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
The main work of mine is going around Finnish dancing halls and dance restaurants and sing when people are dancing. I have concerts and shows, too. I love to sing live!

What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
Everykind of music! It's important to listen everything to get a good musical understanding.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
Oh, I think the next question will be ' what's the meaning of the life'....

Internet is something interesting for musicians because it gives them the opportunity to touch a larger audience but it is also a threat for them (regarding the copyrights). What is your opinion regarding this medium?
I don't like the idea if somebody just gets freely my music from internet. It takes lots of money to make music in the studio and make an album.
The piratism can easily kill Finnish music production.

Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Yes, I have small home studio for making my demos.

What are your actual and future projects?
I have reccorded one album of Finnish tangos with mr M.A. Numminen. The album will come out in Germany next year 2003.
I have also planned my own cd- album that'll be published next autumn 2003. To that album I have composed right now.

Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2002