Selma Savolainen
vocalist and composer
About
Selma Savolainen is a vocalist and composer based in Helsinki, who effortlessly combines Finnish folk sounds with jazz and alt singer-songwriter styles. Recently awarded with the Rising Talent Prize at the Pori Jazz Festival, she has been praised by the Helsingin Sanomat as a singer who is taking Finnish vocal jazz to new heights.
Her debut solo album 'Horror Vacui,' released by the renowned Whirlwind Recordings in May 2023, received the Emma Award, Finland's equivalent of the Grammy, for the best jazz album of the year in 2024. The album features some of the most sought-after musicians on the Finnish jazz scene – Max Zenger on clarinets, Tomi Nikku on trumpet, Toomas Keski-Säntti on piano, Eero Tikkanen on double bass and Okko Saastamoinen on drums.
'Horror Vacui' is a set of songs composed and arranged specifically for this sextet, exploring the fear of emptiness, renunciation and sudden discoveries. "By creating space for every musician's voice, we hope to find a place where loneliness does not exist," Savolainen says.
Savolainen is an alumnus of the Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead program and the Banff International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music. She was selected to participate in the Collaborative Creative Residency at the Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund by Composers Now, an organization led by Tania Leon. She has graduated from the Sibelius Academy and studied at the Conservatory of Paris.
Savolainen tours frequently with the bands Selma Juudit Alessandra, Signe, Mikko Sarvanne Garden and Mikko Innasen Uusi Kvintetti. Her virtuosic yet emotive singing has been heard in EFG London Jazz Festival, Apollo Theater, Getxo Jazz Festival and We Jazz Festival i.a. Her compositions for Signe were nominated for the Teosto award in 2020 and she has worked as an artistic producer and arranger on the albums and concerts of the folk music duo Akkajee and Pykäri and Karina, the Finnish indie pop acts.
”There is an astonishing boldness in her lyrics and in the way she performs, a new kind of female perspective, which reminds of Chris Kraus.”
Music
Video
Press Photos
Tour
02/08/2025 Karjalasta Urjalaan...Merja Mäki & Vuokko Hovatta Pentinkulman päivät, Urjala
16/08/2025 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui WeeGee, Espoo
17/09/2025 Mikko Innasen uusi kvintetti G Livelab Helsinki
18/09/2025 Mikko Innasen uusi kvintetti G Livelab Tampere
19/09/2025 Mikko Innasen uusi kvintetti Åbo Svenska Teater, Turku
26/09/2025 Selma & Eero Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki
p a s t
12/04/2025 with Aki Rissanen & Steven Kamperman Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki
13/04/2025 with Aki Rissanen & Steven Kamperman Rajamäki
14/04/2025 with Aki Rissanen & Steven Kamperman jaZZanti, Hakasalmen huvila
17/10/2024 Headwater Melbourne Fringe, Abbotsford Convent
18/10/2024 Headwater Melbourne Fringe, Abbotsford Convent
19/10/2024 Headwater Melbourne Fringe, Abbotsford Convent
28/09/2024 Signe Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki
27/09/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui 12 Points Festival, G Livelab Tampere
27/09/2024 Selma Savolainen & Toomas Keski-Säntti Pääkirjasto Metso, Tampere
26/09/2024 Mikko Innanen + EBB + Selma Savolainen Louhisali, Espoo
19/09/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden G Livelab Tampere
14/09/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Suistoklubi, Hämeenlinna
06/09/2024 Selma Savolainen & Toomas Keski-Säntti Kamarikesä, Hvitträsk
21/08/2024 Hana with Max & Okko Bar Tÿpo, Helsinki
18/08/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Tenalji Von Fersen, Helsinki
11/08/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Flow Festival, Helsinki
04/08/2024 Signe Kokonainen-festivaali, Janakkala
29/07/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Jazz-Espa, Helsinki
18/07/2024 Selma Savolainen in the shade Pori Jazz
12/07/2024 Signe Pori Jazz
11/07/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Musiikkitalon terassi, Helsinki
13/06/2024 Eläköön Hietsu is Happening! Hietsun Paviljonki, Helsinki
17/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Temppeliaukion kirkko, Helsinki
15/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Rio, Oulu
14/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Koutasali, Kajaani
12/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Topeliussali, Sipoo
11/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Logomo, Turku
10/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Vanha123, Porvoo
08/05/2024 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Näyttämö, Joensuu
24/04/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui April Jazz, Espoo
21/04/2024 Bracelets Michelberger, Berlin
19/04/2024 Bracelets Sputnik, Paderborn
18/04/2024 Bracelets Teilchen & Beschleunige, Münster
17/04/2024 Bracelets Galerie Hunold, Greven
09/04/2024 Hana Tenho Restobar, Helsinki
05/04/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Tallinn Music Week, Estonia
06/03/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Turku Jazz Festival
14/02/2024 Valentine's Day Jazz Hotel AX, Helsinki
08/02/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Malmitalo, Helsinki
31/01/2024 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Sellosali, Espoo
21/01/2024 Talven uneen vaipuen w/ Signe Saksalainen kirkko, Helsinki
07/12/2023 Selma Savolainen/Arto Ikävalko/
Joonas Tuuri/Ville Luukkonen Manala Afterwork Jazz, Helsinki
02/12/2023 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Amos Anderson Hem, Helsinki
27/10/2023 Hana meets EAT THE FROG Münsterland Festival, Germany
10/10/2023 Signe G Livelab, Tampere
08/10/2023 Signe Tenho Restobar, Helsinki
06/10/2023 Signe EMMA, April Jazz Club
29/09/2023 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Porvoo Jazz Festival
30/08/2023 Signe Kerava Jazz
11/08/2023 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Flow Festival, Helsinki
03/08/2023 Mikko Innasen uusi kvintetti Jazz-Espa, Helsinki
31/07/2023 Signe Jazz-Espa, Helsinki
29/07/2023 Selman ja Bunuelin Luxus-orkesteri Raahen Rantajatsit
28/07/2023 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Raahen Rantajatsit
16/07/2023 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Mitäs Mitäs Mitäs, Urjala
14/06/2023 Signe Validi Karkia, Pori
29/05/2023 Signe JaZZanti, Helsinki
24/05/2023 Imaginary Ladies Cité International Des Arts, Paris
03/05/2023 with Aki Rissanen & Steven Kamperman Cité International Des Arts, Paris
18/04/2023 Crystal sound project Conservatoire Maurice Ravel, Paris
31/03/2023 Signe feat. Mila Laine Flame Jazz, Turku
21/02/2023 Moon On Fire JaZZanti — Oodi-library, Helsinki
18/02/2023 Moon On Fire Jazz For Kids, Espoo
09/01/2023 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Ääniwalli, Helsinki
08/01/2023 Mikko Sarvanne Garden Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki
04/12/2022 Selma Savolainen & Jyväskylä Big Band Siltasali, Jyväskylä
02/12/2022 Mikko Sarvanne Garden EMMA, Espoo
04/11/2022 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Telakka, Tampere Jazz Happening
27/10/2022 Tölöläb Kalliosali, Helsinki
06/10/2022 Archipélagos JAZZMI Milano, Italy
03/09/2022 Mikko Innasen Uusi Kvintetti Loviisan Sibeliuspäivät, Loviisa
12/08/2022 Signe Tuusulan taiteiden yö, Tuusula
09/08/2022 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Kesän nuoret taiteilijat, Helsinki
05/08/2022 Selma ja Eero Kuusiluoto, Helsinki
23/07/2022 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Korpo Sea Jazz
23/07/2022 Portside Jazz Korpo Sea Jazz
22/07/2022 Selma ja Eero Korpo Sea Jazz
21/07/2022 Signe Runosaari, Naantali
20/07/2022 Signe Kirkkopuiston terassi, Turku
14/07/2022 Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui Poriljonki, Pori Jazz
01/07/2022 Archipélagos Bermeo Jazz Festival, Spain
29/06/2022 Archipélagos Getxo Jazz Festival, Spain
04/06/2022 Selma Juudit Alessandra Hard Rock House, Helsinki
28/05/2022 Crystal sound project Sofia Live Club, Bulgaria
26/04/2022 Signe Kivi, Tampere
21/04/2022 Signe Vaba Lava, Tallinn
07/12/2021 Horror Vacui Ravintola Laulumiehet, Helsinki
03/12/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra WeeGee, Espoo
02/12/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Ravintola Poppari, Jyväskylä
01/12/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Kulttuurikellari, Savonlinna
30/11/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Hygge Bro, Kuopio
29/11/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Kiteesali, Kitee
19/11/2021 Signe (a l b u m r e l e a s e) Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki
11/11/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Raahesali, Raahe
10/11/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Voimala 1889, Oulu
09/11/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Kerubin sali, Joensuu
08/11/2021 Selma Juudit Alessandra Kulttuuritalo Marita, Outokumpu
05/08/2021 Signe Elojazz, Oulu
31/07/2021 Elifantree with friends Raahen rantajatsit, Raahe
31/07/2021 Eero Tikkanen & Selma Savolainen Raahen rantajatsit, Raahe
30/07/2021 Signe Raahen rantajatsit, Raahe
05/02/2021 Mikko Innanen F60.8 + Musica Nova Helsinki
Selma Savolainen&Juha Rautio
30/10/2020 Selma Juudit Alessandra Telakka, Tampere Jazz Happening, Tampere
21/10/2020 Signe Louhisali, VocalEspoo, Espoo
13/10/2020 MINE Malmitalo, Helsinki
09/10/2020 Selma Juudit Alessandra Bar Ö, Turku
26/09/2020 Signe Porvoo Jazz Festival, Helsinki
19/09/2020 Sointi Jazz Orchestra 'Kapina' Kapsäkki, Helsinki
04/02/2020 Signe Glivelab, Tampere
03/02/2020 Selma Savolainen & Arttu Takalo duo Koko Jazz Club, Helsinki
30/01/2020 Signe + Selma Juudit Alessandra Sibafest, Helsinki
28/01/2020 Garden Sibafest, Helsinki
26/01/2020 Selma Juudit Alessandra Tenho, Helsinki
17/01/2020 Lesley Mok Quartet Scholes Street Studio, Brooklyn
Bookings and other inquiries
selmajasavolainen(a)gmail.com
+358-40 160 28 98