Biography
Singer-songwriter and pop kantele diva, Ida Elina, is an international touring artist, the Internationalizer of the Year 2023, Evento Awards Performer of the Year, Kantele of the Year, and the winner of the 1st International Kantele Competition.
Trained as a classical musician Ida Elina discovered her unique way of playing her instrument by watching YouTube slap-guitar players and “now her popcovers have revolutionized the way we understand kantele music” (Helsingin Sanomat).
As a concert artist, Ida Elina has performed in over 20 countries, including concert tours in Japan, in Germany, Taiwan and in the USA. She has performed e.g. at Taiwan World Music Festival in 2023, Beijing Arts Festival and Shanghai International Indie Music Season event in 2020 and in Finland at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. For special events, Ida Elina has performed in the World Exhibition in Dubai in 2021. Ida Elina has numerous performances in various business events in Finland, Europe, Asia and North America. Ida Elina has become familiar to the finnish audience throughout her many tv appearances and performances at summer festivals.
Ida Elina has published 5 albums, Capital Letters (2022), Game of My Life (2018), Hello world (2015), Valoisaa Joulua Bright Christmas (2016) and Songs of Freedom (2012) including her original songs. Her original songs from the albums are also regularly aired on Finnish radios. Her latest release is Fearless, a collection of songs released to the Asian market by Wind Music Ltd in 2023.
In 2022 Ida Elina released her autobiography of her journey to Kantele artist (book in Finnish only).
A resident of Espoo albeit born and raised in Northern Ostrobothia, Oulainen, Ida Elina was educated at Sibelius-Academy and in Japan at the Hokkaido University of Education. She sings in several languages, including Mandarin, Japanese and French. Besides performing Ida Elina also teaches her percussive playing style to the kantele players in Finland and abroad in her master classes. She is a passionate runner and a multiple Oulainen City Champion in 800 meters.