Käärijä (real name Jere Pöyhönen, born on October 21, 1993 in Helsinki) is a Finnish rapper, singer and songwriter from Vantaa.

Early life
Jere Pöyhönen grew up in Ruskeasanta, a suburb of Vantaa near Helsinki. He played drums and hockey as a kid and started experimenting with music in his teens.
In 2014 he underwent emergency surgery due to ulcerative colitis, a turning point that he later spoke about publicly. His stage name, Käärijä, comes from a nickname given by a friend during gambling nights – “kääriä rahaa” roughly means “to roll in money.”

Career
Käärijä began releasing music around 2016–2017. His first double single, “Koppi tules / Nou roblem”, came out in 2017 through Monsp Records.
In 2018 he followed up with the EP Peliä, and in 2020 released his debut album Fantastista.
Musically, Käärijä blends rap, pop, electronic, punk and metal influences into something unpredictable and very Finnish. His work often crosses genre boundaries with humor, energy, and rawness.

Breakthrough: “Cha Cha Cha” and Eurovision 2023
In early 2023, Käärijä was selected to compete in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, Finland’s national Eurovision selection, with the song “Cha Cha Cha.”
At the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, he finished second overall with 526 points and won the public vote across Europe.
“Cha Cha Cha” became a viral hit, topping charts in Finland and entering the UK Top 10 – the first Finnish-language song ever to do so.

Style and stage persona
Käärijä is instantly recognizable for his green bolero jacket, bowl-cut hair and explosive stage presence. He often performs shirtless, leaning into a theatrical mix of absurdity and sincerity.
His image combines punk energy, self-irony and Finnish eccentricity. He’s been praised for being unapologetically himself, refusing to chase mainstream approval.

Impact
Following Eurovision, Käärijä became a national phenomenon. He represents both Finland’s party-loving side and a sense of vulnerability and authenticity rarely seen in pop.
He won Best Nordic Act at the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards and continued touring across Europe, gaining a passionate international fanbase.

Recent work and outlook
After ESC and a sold out Europe tour Käärijä released his album "People's Champion" alluding to achieving the most votes from the audience for his ESC performance. His live shows remain high-voltage, unpredictable, and personal – much like his music.

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