Biography

The singer, pianist, and composer Maja Mannila's second album Seasons is a multifaceted entity. It explores the seasons as well as the periods and phases brought about by life.

In Maja Mannila's music, central themes include musical, spiritual, and physical freedom. Her English-language songs seamlessly blend R&B, soul, jazz, and pop. "I include jazz in my genres, especially because my music involves improvisation, for example, in the form of solos. However, on my new album, pop elements are more pronounced – I would say this marks the beginning of my poppier era," explains the artist.

A common thread in Mannila's music includes straightforward lyrics, concealing important and profound messages. With the new album, Mannila has expanded her lyrics into a more abstract direction, and a completely new addition to the album is the inclusion of spoken word.

Preceding singles from the new album include 5 Days in May, Seasons, Cheap Wine, and the latest release on October 10th, Take the Leap. The focus track of the album is Your World, a dance-inviting song representing the poppier side of the record. "One of my biggest influences is the band Dirty Loops and especially their singer Jonah Nilsson. I wanted to make this song a kind of tribute to their music. As in their songs, lyrics don't always have to be the most important thing," Mannila explains.

Over the past few years, Maja Mannila has risen to the forefront of Finnish jazz vocalists. Her debut album, Up & Down, was released in 2022 and received praise among domestic media. The artist aims for international performances both with her trio and as a solo artist. "I write my songs in English because I want to share my music globally. It also feels too personal if I try to write lyrics in my mother tongue, which is Swedish," says Mannila, who comes from a bilingual family.

In the Maja Mannila trio, she collaborates with Severi Sorjonen (drums) and Johannes Granroth (bass).

Mannila's parents, Johanna Almark and Kaarle Mannila, are both versatile musicians, and Mannila has acquired most of her musical knowledge and skill from her home. "My siblings are also musicians, and two of them perform on this album: Mirjam, 19, on the violin, and Emil, 14, on vocals!" Mannila reveals.

Tracklist

1. Ode to the Self
2. Take the Leap 
3. 5 Days in May
4. Seasons 
5. Your World 
6. Golden 
7. Cheap Wine 
8. Tears of Silk, Hugs of Velvet 
9. Light Up 
10. Change