Finland: Get to know Saara Aalto

Saara Aalto is this year’s Finnish representative and was actually chosen internally by Finnish national broadcaster YLE, to represent the country in this year’s Eurovision in Lisbon. Saara sang three candidate songs in a special national final and the winner was the song “Monsters” with which we will see her perform on stage in Lisbon.

Saara was born on 2 May 1987, she’s a singer, songwriter and actress and rose to fame when she came 2nd in the first season of “The voice of Finland in 2012.
Aalto also competed in the Finnish national selection to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest twice, with self-penned songs; first in 2011 with “Blessed with Love” and then in 2016 with “No Fear”, placing second both times.

“No Fear” from UMK 2016

Right after the Finnish national final, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2016, Saara’s next step was to try with The X Factor UK, where she eventually ended up, well, second again. However, this helped her gain some international recognition and  Aalto was the most googled person in Finland in 2016.
Tabloid newspaper Iltalehti readers voted Saara Aalto as Finnish person of the year 2016.
Following the show, she was signed to both Sony Music UK and Finland.
In June 2017, Aalto announced via social media that she will be a judge on season two of X Factor Suomi.

On 7 November 2017, it was announced that Aalto would represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. In February 2018, the Finnish broadcaster held a national final to select a song for Aalto. The Finnish public chose the song “Monsters”.

You can listen to the Finnish entry and watch the official video below

‘MONSTERS’ LYRICS

[Verse 1]
Closed my eyes, so I couldn’t see it
Felt so numb, but now I’m ready to feel it

[Pre-Chorus]
So tonight I’m making friends
With all the creatures that are hiding there under my bed

[Chorus]
I ain’t gonna hold on to these monsters anymore
Now I’m gonna let in all the light, tear down the walls
At my worst I found my army strong
All the demons are gone
You can try and scare me now, but I ain’t scared no more
I ain’t scared no more
(I ain’t, I ain’t, I ain’t scared no more)

[Verse 2]
It’s my life, I’m ready to lead it
I’m gonna roll the dice, you better believe it

[Pre-Chorus]
So tonight I’m making friends
With all the creatures that are hiding there under my bed

[Chorus]
I ain’t gonna hold on to these monsters anymore
Now I’m gonna let in all the light, tear down the walls
At my worst I found my army strong
All the demons are gone
You can try and scare me now, but I ain’t scared no more
(I ain’t, I ain’t, I ain’t scared no more)

[Bridge]
I ain’t scared no more
No, no, I ain’t scared, I ain’t scared

[Chorus]
I ain’t gonna hold on to these monsters anymore
Now I’m gonna let in all the light, tear down the walls
At my worst I found my army strong
All the demons are gone
You can try and scare me now, but I ain’t scared no more
(I ain’t, I ain’t, I ain’t scared no more)
I ain’t scared no more