Värttinä are the crown jewel of the Finnish folk music scene. Their roots lie in the Karelia region of Finland, specifically in women’s vocal traditions. Värttinä’s trademark is razor-sharp harmonies sung by charismatic lead vocalists – the true stars of the group. The band began as a children’s project in the village of Rääkkylä, near the Russian border. Since their international breakthrough in 1991, Värttinä has toured globally, building a reputation as one of the most inventive ensembles on the world music scene.

The group originally started in 1983 as a girls’ vocal ensemble founded by sisters Sari and Mari Kaasinen from Rääkkylä – a village in Karelia, a southeastern region of Finland bordering Russia. They first rose to fame at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, where they were named Group of the Year in 1987 and released their debut album around that time. Despite various changes over the decades, the band has consistently maintained its artistic quality.

They have played thousands of concerts across dozens of countries, including major highlights such as performing at Rock in Rio for over 200,000 people. From the original lineup, only vocalist and composer Mari Kaasinen-Paaso and Lassi Logrén remain. The current live lineup includes vocalist and accordionist Susan Venhovaara and vocalist and flautist Karoliina Kantelinen. Supporting musicians and frequent co-authors include the aforementioned violinist and jouhikko player Lassi Logrén, guitarist Matti Laitinen, and new member percussionist Jukka Kyllönen.

Their phenomenal comeback this year was crowned by a top spot on the World Music Chart Europe (July 2025) with their new album Kyly. They now return to Slovakia with a brand-new show – and audiences can expect an energetic, magical performance.