Ari Koivunen was the most popular male artist in Finland for a while – “I regretted participating in Idols many times”

Lost opportunity. So many have come Ari Koivunen to say.

If only he had played his chips differently and made smarter choices, he could be anywhere right now.

Koivunen won Finland I idolized of the third production season in April 2007. He collected 57 percent of the votes in the final broadcast and left behind Anna Abreun.

First album put together quickly Fuel for the Fire immediately jumped to the top of the charts and was number one for twelve weeks, selling nearly 70,000 copies.

For a moment At the time, Koivunen was Finland’s most popular male artist.

Just over a year later, he announced that he would end his solo career and join the metal band Amoral.

The choice seemed absurd. Why on earth did he want to abandon his successful career as a solo artist? Koivunen says he sees it differently.

What does success ultimately mean, he asks.

“In my opinion, music is not business but art. That’s why I don’t really feel like I’ve lost anything.”

Birch tree says she never dreamed of a career as a professional singer.

Basking in the limelight always felt a little uncomfortable, and he didn’t even really like his own singing voice.

“Singing is not something that gives me musical satisfaction,” Koivunen says and adds that his main dream was to play drums in a rock band.

He also participated in the Idols qualifiers, encouraged by his friends, “in full swing”. He didn’t think about it any more.

But the joke got out of hand. To his horror, Koivunen found that he survived one qualification after another and eventually won the entire competition.

“Yes, it was regretted many times. I wonder a couple of times a week if this could be here. He just didn’t dare to stop,” he admits.

“I still think that it was the wrong place for me. Such a series of funny coincidences.”

Also the publicity brought by the victory felt foreign, even absurd in parts, from the beginning.

Koivunen recalls the celebrity poll conducted by Iltapäivälehti, according to which he was the most famous person in all of Finland. In second place was Tarja Halonenthen President of the Republic of Finland.

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“But, for example, I wouldn’t find it humiliating that I would go to the cash register in Alepa for a dune. Quite a lot of so-called ordinary dunu are fucking more important than these rants of ours. In my eyes, musicians are today’s courtiers.”

The interview situations also felt unpleasant. In them, instead of music, Koivuse was asked about his private life and dating relationships.

And it was worse. Koivunen’s 12-year-old little sister had died in November of the previous year. A photo of the sister’s grave was published in Seiskä.

“It went so far… You shouldn’t do that,” he sighs.

Did you feel like an idol?

Koivunen bursts into laughter.

“I was an alcoholic young man who didn’t have life in his hands in any way. And when you add that kind of public turmoil, I was very far from a person worth admiring.”

Alcohol had played the main role in Koivunen’s life for several years. He suffered from sleep problems and various depressive symptoms, and he medicated his bad feelings by drinking. Three bottles of whiskey could be consumed on a night off.

Koivunen says that he has been to practically every one I idolized broadcast while drunk. The production team was aware of his tinkering. It still didn’t matter to the television viewers.

“It probably tells about how much was drunk in those days. It was the norm for me,” says Koivunen.

He says that he screwed up the cap in December 2009. At that time, the wall finally met.

Koivunen has completely given up alcohol. There may still be a few tentacles in connection with the sauna.

“I do not recommend this to anyone. I know this doesn’t work for all alcoholics.”

But does Koivunen miss anything from his crazy years? Even the financial benefits of stardom? At his peak, Koivunen earned more than 100,000 euros a year.

Koivunen shakes his head. He says he has never been interested in money or commercial success.

Idols– even the top income brought by drugs dwindled into tax arrears, bar nights and helping friends.

“It’s always been enough for me to have a roof over my head and food in the fridge.”

Money the pop star who tasted top success and rode the wave of popularity has found it difficult to return to ordinary life.

How is Koivunen’s side?

“I have thought about it every now and then. A lot of people probably think that when you’ve been ‘something’ and then you’re not anymore, it might make you bitter,” he answers.

“But, for example, I wouldn’t find it humiliating that I would go to the cash register in Alepa for a dune. Quite a lot of so-called ordinary dunu are fucking more important than these rants of ours. In my eyes, musicians are today’s courtiers.”

On Koivus also still has dreams related to music.

He hopes to find “some good poppoo” with whom he could start making music. Preferably as a drummer. However, he does not need popularity.

Koivunen describes his current rhythm of life as quite calm. Most of the time is spent jogging with the dog and playing billiards and frisbee golf.

In recent years, he has also done small-scale duo gigs with his best friend.

“That’s it,” he says.

Will it work?

Koivunen laughs. How would you say that in a positive light, he ponders.

“Barely.”

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

“Calm down and read philosophy.”

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