Jani Wickholm was the link between iskelma and old world pop rock

He came second I idolized in the first season in the fall of 2003 and received a huge attraction from the program at the beginning of his career. Wickholm’s debut album, released after the competition, sold over the platinum mark.

Jani Wickholm was not a beginner when she started the competition. He had been taking piano lessons since elementary school, switched to the guitar as a teenager and aimed determinedly towards a career as a musician. At the age of 26, he was the oldest of the contestants in the Idols final.

Tough were also Wickholm’s younger final opponents. About the winner of the season Hanna from Pakarisen became Finland’s Eurovision representative three years later, and came third Antti Tuisku ended his singing career in 2023 after sold-out stadium concerts as Finland’s biggest pop star.

Wickholm’s career also continued successfully after Idols, but over the years, like Tuisku and Pakarinen, he did not become a permanent name that would be seen Just life in the program.

More often, he had to tell in public about the adversities he faced in life.

Musically Wickholm had already chosen his style before the Idols success. In part, it was built on the cornerstones of Finnish rock like Kolmannen naina, but the expression was also influenced by 1990s American middle-of-the-road rock: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Bon Jovi.

To this, Wickholm added a dose of Finnish longing with his soft melancholic singing style.

Idols-after the final, the combination spoke well to the audience. Wickholm’s first five albums were released by the major label Sony. At first, the songs were composed by experienced professional composers, but gradually Wickholm’s own compositions also appeared on the records.

Commercial demand gradually waned, and Sony’s last release was a Christmas album with classic tunes.

Wickholm didn’t give up, but self-published two albums of new music.

He was dedicated to his career as an artist, even though his physical and mental health began to falter in many ways.

The former Idols-star’s life stages interested the media, and Wickholm spoke openly about his health concerns and financial predicament.

As an artist Jani Wickholm was the link between the old domestic hit and the Americana inherited from the country rock of the 1970s.

Before him, someone 30 years older had done the same Kari Tapiowho already became a legend of domestic pop music during his lifetime.

Wickholm sang in 2005 on his second album Timo Kiiskinen and Tommi Viksten’s the song he wrote Aluminum starswhich poetically describes loneliness.

Kari Tapio recorded the same song four years later, shortly before his death.

Wickholm was destined to be born in the age of TV stars.

Correction 23.6. at 9:40 p.m.: Kari Tapio was older than Wickholm, not younger, as was erroneously stated earlier in the text.