The 2023 installment of the Eurovision Song Contest was graced by a melodic hyper-pop song that was so bopping it was unforgettable. Altogether, it was the people’s favorite, winning both the popular votes in the semifinal and the final. It goes without saying that the crazy party song was Käärijä’s “Cha Cha Cha” — the song that landed Finland the second spot in Europe’s most prestigious song contest.
Even a few days after Eurovision 2023 came to an end, people are still not over, not just his near win. But they’re also excited about the song that’s sweeping across Europe. Thanks to his feat at Eurovision, Käärijä gained world recognition. Needless to say, that has earned him more fans — some of them don’t even speak Finnish, to begin with. Below are 6 fun facts about Käärijä, perfect for his new and longtime listeners.
1. The Stage Name Käärijä Comes From the Finnish Verb Kääriä
The mononym may be as catchy as they come, but Käärijä is actually a stage name. His given name happens to be Jere Pöyhönen. For anyone who understands Finnish, it’s clear that his screen name is quite unique. As the story goes, he used to gamble, and there’s this Finnish phrase used to express a swift win – kääriä rahaa. Furthermore, the word kääriä translates to the verb “to wrap,” and the noun form for it is kääre.
This choice of words is genius because the wordplay translates quite well in English too. Käärija is a rapper, which sounds like the word “wrapper.” Needless to say, using “wrapper” as his rapper name is very clever on his part.
2. He’s Finland’s Only Entry in Eurovision Ever to Take Second-Place
Käärijä nearly winning the Eurovision will go down in the contest’s history as the most unforgettable almost win. However, it will also be remembered in Finnish history as it was their first near win so far. Looking at Finland’s track record so far, they participated a total of 56 times since 1961, with the 2023 entry being the 56th. Finland came last a few times but had a pretty monumental comeback when they won in 2006. Following that, their best result was sixth place in 2021 with Blind Channel’s “Dark Side”.
Finland hasn’t come fifth or higher — if no one is counting the 2006 win. This means Käärijä’s second place is a new achievement for Finland. It also makes Käärijä the only one to have placed Finland as a Eurovision runner-up.
3. Käärijä Is Inspired By the German Band, Rammstein
During the live performances, Käärijä was topless, but donned a neon-green bolero. Looking closely at his chest, his unique chest tattoo is visible – the Rammstein logo. That does not come as a surprise seeing as Käärijä is a fan of the band.
In an interview with ESC XTRA, the Finnish rapper revealed that Rammstein ignited his love for music and performing live. His admiration for the German band also parallels the message of his song “Cha Cha Cha”. He has seen them perform on multiple occasions and intends to see them once more this year.
4. Käärijä Has Been Open About His Gastrointestinal Disease
Aside the Rammstein logo tattooed on his chest, another noticeable feature on Käärijä’s body is an indent close to his navel. There’s an interesting story about it that traces way back to when he was a child. In a nutshell, it’s a remnant of a stoma he had before. It was caused by his ulcerative colitis, which was diagnosed in his early adulthood. The inflammation reached his large intestine, which required the said organ to be removed.
Despite not wanting to live with a stoma, he had no choice but to have one. Käärijä has long recovered from the disease and encourages people to get regular check ups. Altogether, he has been quite open about his experience.
5. He Has a Mysterious Yellow-Clad Doppelgänger, Häärijä
Bowl cut, topless, and with bright green bolero – that is what most people imagine when they think of Käärijä. That look has probably been the artist’s most iconic since he appeared in Eurovision. However, there’s someone out there who mimics the look, but his color of choice is yellow.
His name is Häärijä, Käärijä’s yellow-clad doppelgänger. The guy is practically identical to Käärijä —from the bowl cut to the beard and the posture. The only difference is that he wears yellow. Käärijä actually knows about Häärijä. However, there isn’t a whole lot that’s known about Häärijä’s identity.
Some speculate that he is Käärijä’s brother. Though, according to Käärijä, the yellow doppelgänger is a shadow of what he looked like earlier on in his career. For the most part, he wasn’t always topless and actually favored a yellow suit. The name “Häärijä” is presumed to have come from the Finnish verb “häiritä,” meaning “to disturb.”
6. His Eurovision Entry “Cha Cha Cha” Is a Chart Topping Hit
Following its Eurovision success, his song “Cha Cha Cha” topped a lot of charts worldwide. It peaked at number 1 in Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden. It also entered the top 10 spots in Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Israel, the United Kingdom, Austria, Ireland, Czechia, Switzerland, and New Zealand. That’s not all; the song also stayed on the top spot in Spotify’s Viral 50 for at least six days. “Cha Cha Cha” is also the first song in Finnish to enter the UK Singles Charts.
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