Home / News / “Da Da Dam” – meet Finland’s Paradise Oskar on ESC Radio, exclusive interview

“Da Da Dam” – meet Finland’s Paradise Oskar on ESC Radio, exclusive interview

In Finland‘s national final for Eurovision 2011 held on 12th February, 20-year-old Paradise Oskar fascinated the tele- voters with his simple but enticing Da Da Dam . 47% of the incoming votes secured him the much sought-after ticket to Düsseldorf.

Paradise Oskar will perform his self-penned song in the 1st semi-final on 10th May, at starting position #10. It’s Finland’s 45th entry to the Eurovision Song Contest since the country first participated in 1961.

If you missed our interview broadcast today at 15:00 CEST, you can listen to the  interview here: [audio:https://www.escradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Paradise-Oskar-Finland-interviewed-by-Matthias-Petermann.mp3|titles=Paradise Oskar (Finland) – interviewed by Matthias Petermann] Read more and check out the video clip…

In Finland‘s national final for Eurovision 2011, held on 12th February, 20-year-old Paradise Oskar fascinated the tele- voters with his simple but enticing Da Da Dam . 47% of the incoming votes secured him the much sought-after ticket to Düsseldorf.

Paradise Oskar will perform his self-penned song in the 1st semi-final on 10th May, at starting position #10. It’s Finland’s 45th entry to the Eurovision Song Contest since the country first participated in 1961.

[audio:https://www.escradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Paradise-Oskar-Finland-interviewed-by-Matthias-Petermann.mp3|titles=Paradise Oskar (Finland) – interviewed by Matthias Petermann]

Check out the video clip:

BIOGRAPHY

Paradise Oskar is a mask, behind which we find the 20-year-old singer/songwriter Axel Ehnström from Helsinki.

Axel couldn’t sing before he learned to walk and he wasn’t a five-year old Mozart reciter, but he has always been willing to learn things. This characteristic landed him to study music at the Pop & Jazz Conservatory in Helsinki last autumn.

Axel already took an interest to music when he entered school and soon his own melodies were ringing in his head. Songwriting was more and more prominent in Axel’s life and he wanted to bring his songs for others to hear. But first he had to get a stage name. He found that in Astrid Lindgren’s fairytale – an old vagabond, who made his living playing the accordion.

Last summer during improvisation, he quickly came up with a melody and wrote the partly sarcastic lyrics about people’s indifference.  He decided to send his shoebox budgeted demo to the Eurovision contest, which was open to all. His only wish was to get feedback from his music.

A few weeks later The Finnish Broadcasting Company contacted him, but the e-mail was a total surprise to Axel.  The jury had picked “Da Da Dam” straight to the Eurovision qualification contest.

After his initial bewilderment, Axel started to put the finishing touch to the song. The well-known composer/arranger/producer guru Leri Leskinen came to his assistance. “Da Da Dam” was first performed publicly at the end of November and started to conquer the masses.

Paradise Oskar’s first performance on a live TV broadcast in January paved the way; he won his qualification round and got more and more fans.

Before the final qualification, even the status of a favorite didn’t make this young man nervous. Paradise Oskar sang his way irresistibly and irrevocably to the hearts of the Finns. In the final of the Finnish Eurovision qualification, “Da Da Dam” scored almost fifty per cent of all the phone and text message votes.

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One comment

  1. martti heikkilä

    very nice song good luck Paradise Oskar

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