Hanna Ekola

Hanna Ekola
Ekola in 2010
Ekola in 2010
Background information
Born (1961-11-09) 9 November 1961
Kiikka, Finland
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • writer
Years active1990–present

Hanna Ekola-Salonen (née Heikkilä; born 9 November 1961) is a Finnish singer, songwriter and author, known for her 1990 hit "Villihevosia" composed by her brother Martti Heikkilä, and for her distinctive voice.[1][2][3]

Early life

Ekola was born in Kiikka on 9 November 1961. Her elder sister was singer and songwriter Saara Suvanto.[1]

Musical career

Ekola has performed both light and spiritual music and written Christian literature.[4] She performed with her husband Lido Salonen (1950–2008) and Virpi Salonen (Lahti). Ekola has continued to perform mainly in churches with Salonen even after her husband's death.[4]

Ekola is a theologian by training.[2][5] She has served as editor-in-chief of Finland's oldest Christian children's magazine, Vinki.[6] Since childhood, she has written songs with Martti Heikkilä and their sister Saara Suvanto, and some of the songs have ended up on solo albums, for example, the song "Huomisaamun aikaa" written by Heikkilä and Ekola can be found on Ekola's debut album. Ekola also collaborates with other songwriters, such as Kai Jämsä; some of the songs written by Jämsä and Ekola have ended up on other artists.[7] Ekola composed and wrote some of the songs on the album Luonnonlapset herself.[7][8]

Ekola's hit "Villihevosia" was the most played radio song of 1991, and the album sold gold and platinum records.[1] It was declared the most annoying hit in a Yle poll in 2015.[9] In 2011, the Päijät-Häme District Court heard a case in which a man accused of aggravated assault had stabbed another man who had sung Ekola's song "Villihevosia".[10]

Ekola has received several gold records and one platinum record for her albums and was awarded the Emma-gaala for New Female Soloist of the Year in 1991.[4][2] She has written 28 Christian books[11][12] and was awarded the Most Interesting Christian Book of the Year award in 1997.[2]

Ekola is also an entrepreneur.[13] She was granted an artist's pension in the beginning of 2022.[14]

Personal life

Ekola is a widow. Her husband was Juha "Lido" Salonen and Ekola has a son born in 1998.[15] Salonen died of cancer in 2008.[16] Ekola has since found a new man[17][18] and lives in Pusula.[1]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Hanna Ekola (Sonet, 1990)
  • Joutsentanssi (Polygram, 1992)
  • Luonnonlapset (Polygram, 1994)
  • Sateenkaari (Columbia, 1996)
  • Kiitos elämän lahjasta (Columbia, 1997)
  • Joulunaika (Columbia, 1998)
  • Enkelin siipien havinaa (Columbia, 2000)
  • Et ole yksin (Sley-kirjat, 2003)[19]
  • Lupaus (2006)
  • Aurinkotie (AXR Music, 2011)

Compilation albums

  • Villihevosia – 20 Hannan parasta (1995)
  • Villihevosia - 40 unohtumatonta laulua (2008)

Singles

  • Hento (2004)
  • Pelkää sydän maailmaa (2004)
  • Huomisen murheet (2007)
  • Kaipaus (2009)
  • Helmi (2010)
  • Joki vai silta (2013)
  • Nuorgam (2013)
  • Leskenlehti (2016)

References

  1. ^ a b c d Annukka Vakkuri (February 23, 2017). "Kirjan julkaissut laulaja Hanna Ekola: "Musiikki on edelleen pääjuttuni"" (in Finnish). Länsi-Uusimaa. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Seppo Pänkäläinen. "Hanna Ekola laulaa surusta" (in Finnish). KSML.fi – Keskisuomalainen. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  3. ^ "Onnea, menetystä ja toivoa" (in Finnish). Elvis ry. December 16, 2013. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Hanna Ekola ja Virpi Salo konsertoivat Imatrankosken kirkossa sunnuntaina" (in Finnish). Uutisvuoksi. Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  5. ^ "Hanna Ekola oppi läheisiä menetettyään arvostamaan tätä hetkeä: "En elä tulevaisuudessa"". www.apu.fi (in Finnish). October 13, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  6. ^ "Hanna Ekola: Edesmenneen puolison muisto auttaa jaksamaan". Studio55.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Sanna Korkee. "Hanna Ekola - Onnea, menetystä ja toivoa". Elvis ry. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  8. ^ "Hanna Ekola lauluntekijänä". Yle. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  9. ^ "Tämä on rakkain iskelmäinhokki" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  10. ^ "Puukottaja kimpaantui laulusta" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  11. ^ "Muistatko vielä Villihevosia-hitin? Se muutti Hanna Ekolan elämän täysin 30 vuotta sitten – tältä laulaja näyttää nykyään". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  12. ^ "60-vuotias | "Tuntui kuin olisin ollut Liisa ihmemaassa" – Iskelmähitti Villihevosia teki Hanna Ekolasta yhden 1990-luvun alun suosituimmista lavatähdistä" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. November 9, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  13. ^ "Hanna Ekola selviytyi raskaista vuosista yksinyrittäjänä ja yksinhuoltajana – "Kyllä siinä ajatteli vain, että ei näin voi käydä"". Yrittajat.fi (in Finnish). May 24, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  14. ^ "Taiteilijaeläke 63 taiteilijalle". Taiteen edistämiskeskus Taike. March 4, 2022. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  15. ^ "Viisi läheistään menettänyt Hanna Ekola: "Suru on muuttunut voimavaraksi"" (in Finnish). Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  16. ^ "Hanna Ekolan aviomies kuoli vain päivä syöpädiagnoosin jälkeen – suosikkilaulaja kertoo selviytymistarinansa" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. September 30, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  17. ^ "Surun jälkeen rakkaus on ihme - Seura.fi". Seura.fi (in Finnish). June 27, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  18. ^ "Laulaja Hanna Ekola vietti treffi-iltaa miesystävänsä kanssa – ei sulje pois avioliiton mahdollisuutta tulevaisuudessa" (in Finnish). Ilta Sanomat. January 26, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  19. ^ Tony Latva, Petri Tuunainen (2004). Iskelmän tähtitaivas. WSOY. p. 65. ISBN 951-0-27817-3.
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