Ultra Bra
| Ultra Bra | |
|---|---|
 Ultra Bra at a concert in Helsinki (2012) |
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| General information | |
| Genre (s) | pop |
| founding | 1994, 2012 |
| resolution | 2001, 2012 |
| Founding members | |
| Kerkko Koskinen | |
singing |
Olli Virtaperko |
| former members | |
singing |
Anna Tulusto (until 1998) |
singing |
Vuokko Hovatta |
singing |
Terhi Kokkonen |
singing |
Arto Talme |
| Antti Lehtinen | |
| Jan Pethmann | |
| Joel Melasniemi | |
| Tommi Saarikivi | |
| Kari Pelttari | |
| Ilmari Pohjola | |
| Marko Portin | |
Ultra Bra (Swedish for “very good” ) was a Finnish pop group. It was founded in 1994 by Olli Virtaperko and released a total of four studio albums, some of which were very successful, until it was dissolved in 2001. Like almost all Finnish-speaking bands, she was only successful within the country's borders. In 2012 the band reunited for a concert.
history
In 1994 , Olli Virtaperko heard about a political song contest through a friend and decided to take part. His friend Kerkko Koskinen wrote several songs, and together they recruited a group of singers and musicians. The group won the competition straight away with the contribution Ampukaa komissaarit, nuo hullut koirat (In German, for example, shoot the commissioners, these crazy dogs!, Where commissioners here refers to the European Commission ).
In the summer of 1995, the group released their first single, Houkutusten kiihottava maku ( The stimulating taste of temptation ). During the recording of this single, the band came up with their eventual name Ultra Bra , which not only describes a brassiere but also means “very good” in Swedish . During this time there was still a high fluctuation among the members, which should only change into a recognizable band structure towards the end of the year.
In 1996 the first album, Vapaaherran elämää ( The life of a baron ) was released. During this time, the band built their reputation as a live band and then continued to expand. 1997 saw the release of the second album, Kroketti ( Croquet ), which should be their greatest success. Overall, the album stayed in the Finnish top 40 for 91 weeks, including 34 weeks in the top 10, and was the second most successful album in Finland after Keskiviikko by Leevi & The Leavings according to chart points . Also three of the greatest single hits , Sinä lähdit pois ( You have left ), Savanni nukahtaa ( The savannah is lying down ) and Minä suojelen sinua kaikelta ( I will protect you above all ) come from this album. Sinä lähdit pois in particular has become the main distinguishing feature of the group.
In 1998 and later again in 2000, Ultra Bra competed in the Finnish preliminary round for the Eurovision Song Contest , but both times failed to qualify for the finals. They also contributed a song to the soundtrack of the Finnish film Levottomat .
The third album, Kalifornia ( California ) even reached number 1 in the Finnish sales charts in 1999, where it was able to stay for over half a year. Before the release of their fourth and last studio album Vesireittejä (roughly: waterways ) in 2001, the media interest was then sufficiently great that it sat at number 1 in the charts in the first week and immediately achieved gold status . Ultra Bra, however, had already decided when recording this album to go on a concert tour with it for about a year and then break up the band in order to be able to devote themselves to other things. In 2001 they released another compilation of great successes, some rarities and some new songs Sinä päivänä kun synnyin ( On the day I was born ), which again reached number 1 in the charts. After a last concert on October 20, 2001, the band broke up.
On January 24, 2012, Koskinen announced that Ultra Bra would perform a concert on January 30, 2012. The concert, which was sold out within a very short time, took place as part of the Kokoaan suurempi Suomi 2012 event and supported Pekka Haavisto's presidential campaign .
style
music
With up to 13 members in the meantime, including three singers and two singers, as well as several additional background voices from the instrumentalists, many of the songs in the group have a special focus on elements such as polyphonic singing, canon-like passages or the alternating chant of several narrators (groups). This, in connection with the instrumentation, which is still rich for pop music, earned the band the reputation of sounding like musical songs, both as praise and as an accusation .
Texts
In terms of text, Ultra Bra offers not only songs, but mostly classical content ( Sinä lähdit pois as her best-known piece, for example, describes the end of a relationship), also unusual and, above all, repeatedly clear political statements ( Ken Saro-Wiwa on kuollut , in German Ken Saro-Wiwa is dead , is, among other things, a blatant charge against Shell for having a hand in it). In view of the founding history and the fact that Anni Sinnemäki (Mrs. Kerkko Koskinens), a member of parliament of the Finnish Green Federation, is responsible for a large part of the lyrics, and that the singer Anna Tulusto also quit in 1998 to move into parliament for them, it is hardly surprising .
Later projects
Many of the band members continue to make music. Koskinen has released two albums as a solo artist; Kokkonen, Melasniemi, Lehtinen and Saarikivi formed the band Scandinavian Music Group , which released three albums. Hovatta, Lehtinen, Virtaperko, Pohjola and Pethman are also musically active in new projects or established bands.
Discography
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Chart positions Explanation of the data |
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Albums
- 1996 Vapaaherran elämää ( The life of a baron )
- 1997 Kroketti ( Croquet )
- 1999 California ( California )
- 2000 Vesireittejä ( waterways )
- 2001 Sinä päivänä kun synnyin ( Best Of the day I was born )
Singles
- 1995 Houkutusten kiihottava maku ( The stimulating taste of temptation )
- 1996 Ken Saro-Wiwa on kuollut ( Ken Saro-Wiwa is dead )
- 1996 Kahdeksanvuotiaana ( At the age of eight )
- 1997 Sinä lähdit pois ( You left )
- 1997 Minä suojelen sinua kaikelta ( I will protect you from everything )
- 1998 Savanni nukahtaa ( The savannah goes to rest )
- 1998 Tyttöjen välisestä ystävyydestä ( About the friendship between girls )
- 1999 Hei kuule Suomi ( Hei Finland, listen up )
- 1999 Ilmiöitä ( characters )
- 2000 Heikko Valo ( weak light )
- 2000 Kaikki on hetken tässä ( At this moment everything is here )
- 2000 Villiviini ( wild wine )
- 2000 Rubikin kuutio ( Rubik's Cube )
more publishments
- 2001 Kaikki laulut (songbook)
- 2001 Ultra Bra: Videot 1996-2001 (music videos and recordings)
Individual evidence
- ↑ finnishcharts.com: Chart trend Kroketti (accessed on June 11, 2008)
- ↑ in the meantime Kroketti has fallen back to 4th place.
- ↑ finnishcharts.com: Most successful albums on the Finnish market (accessed June 11, 2008)
- ↑ Helsingin Sanomat : Ultra Bra palaa lavalle Haaviston tukikonsertissa
- ↑ Chart sources: FI
- ↑ Music Sales Awards: FI