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Okra Playground
Okra Playground is a modern Helsinki-based ensemble which extracts its essence from archaic echoes of old Finnish tradition. With the differing musical backgrounds of the groups six professional musicians the band is able to combine ancient archaic melodies with modern riffs and groovy basslines.
The musicians of this groundbreaking group are well known in the fields of folk- and popmusic – both in Finland and abroad. You can hear them in bands like Malmö, Rönsy, Hohka, Siba Folk Big Band and Folk'Avant.
Okra Playground’s tunes and songs are a great example of mixing rootsy instrumental performances with striking melodies and witty lyrics to build up a stunning symbiosis of acoustic and electric music.
Wow!!! ❤️🔥✨ We are the winners of the Songlines Music Awards 2023 in the Europe category for our album ITKU!!! ❤️🔥✨
We are so happy and honoured for this recognition! Thank you so much!
”Fifteen years of awards and we’re still only scratching the surface of the amazing music and culture that’s out there when you really go looking for it. This year’s selection feels like a bunch of friends old and new who are all ambassadors of sorts, whether that’s for their country, their region, or for musical ingenuity in general…
…Okra Playground are a Finnish prog-folk six-piece showing how the Nordic countries are at the cutting-edge.”
We have been making music together in this band for over ten years now and worked really hard to get our music in to the world and for the people to hear and experience. This kind of recognition proves that playing music that is based in the Finnish folk music or singing in a Finnish language is no obsticle for reaching audiences all over the world ❤️🌍
Thank you for the Songlines jury! Big thanks to our record label Nordic Notes and management Saura Booking Agency for believing in us and our music! Super thanks to Sami Zimmermann and Samuli Volanto for working with us on this album! And biggest thanks goes to our listeners in all over the world! Thank you and keep on listening! ❤️🙏
We are so happy and honoured for this recognition! Thank you so much!
”Fifteen years of awards and we’re still only scratching the surface of the amazing music and culture that’s out there when you really go looking for it. This year’s selection feels like a bunch of friends old and new who are all ambassadors of sorts, whether that’s for their country, their region, or for musical ingenuity in general…
…Okra Playground are a Finnish prog-folk six-piece showing how the Nordic countries are at the cutting-edge.”
We have been making music together in this band for over ten years now and worked really hard to get our music in to the world and for the people to hear and experience. This kind of recognition proves that playing music that is based in the Finnish folk music or singing in a Finnish language is no obsticle for reaching audiences all over the world ❤️🌍
Thank you for the Songlines jury! Big thanks to our record label Nordic Notes and management Saura Booking Agency for believing in us and our music! Super thanks to Sami Zimmermann and Samuli Volanto for working with us on this album! And biggest thanks goes to our listeners in all over the world! Thank you and keep on listening! ❤️🙏
Four states, 3,5 weeks, 28 concerts, so many delicious milk shakes, disc golf, mini golf, pool, darts, so many different and beautiful landscapes, real hot springs, long drives and many many bad jokes on the way. Our second tour in USA was super 💜🌸
Thank you all the hosts (Blake in Fairmont, Minnesota, Terry in Hot Springs, South Dakota, Justin and Chandell in Minot, North Dakota), Katie and Emma from Arts Midwest, Nina from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, all the schools we visited, the amazing audiences we had in our concerts and all the great people we met on the way. You made us feel so welcome! We hope to come back someday 💜
And super big thanks to wondeful and talented Maija Pokela who substituted Essi on this tour. And big thanks to our sound engineer Mika Jokela! You both are pure gold! 💜💜
We have been back home for few weeks now (some more than others) and just been loving and enjoying this spring we are having here in Finland now 💜🌸
Love to all,
Päivi, Maija, Essi, Veikko, Sami, Oskari and Maija and Mika
Thank you all the hosts (Blake in Fairmont, Minnesota, Terry in Hot Springs, South Dakota, Justin and Chandell in Minot, North Dakota), Katie and Emma from Arts Midwest, Nina from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, all the schools we visited, the amazing audiences we had in our concerts and all the great people we met on the way. You made us feel so welcome! We hope to come back someday 💜
And super big thanks to wondeful and talented Maija Pokela who substituted Essi on this tour. And big thanks to our sound engineer Mika Jokela! You both are pure gold! 💜💜
We have been back home for few weeks now (some more than others) and just been loving and enjoying this spring we are having here in Finland now 💜🌸
Love to all,
Päivi, Maija, Essi, Veikko, Sami, Oskari and Maija and Mika
We are very happy and honoured to be nominated in the Europe category of the Songlines Music Awards 2023! 🔥❤️
Thank you all who voted for us ❤️🙏 This is so exiting and means so much to us!!! The winners will be announced in the June 2023 issue which will be out on 12th of May.
#songlines #songlinesmusicawards2023 #nomination #okraplayground #itku #electrofolk #nordicnotes
Thank you all who voted for us ❤️🙏 This is so exiting and means so much to us!!! The winners will be announced in the June 2023 issue which will be out on 12th of May.
#songlines #songlinesmusicawards2023 #nomination #okraplayground #itku #electrofolk #nordicnotes
Hot Springs, South Dakota was just beautiful! 💛☀️✨
Amazing community, warm and sunny weather, great hosts, real hot springs, wonderful workshops with all ages and full house at the main concert!
Thank you all who took care of us last week (especially Terry 💜) and who came to listen us!
Now we are already in Minot, North Dakota and will start our last week in the US tomorrow! Still going strong!
Amazing community, warm and sunny weather, great hosts, real hot springs, wonderful workshops with all ages and full house at the main concert!
Thank you all who took care of us last week (especially Terry 💜) and who came to listen us!
Now we are already in Minot, North Dakota and will start our last week in the US tomorrow! Still going strong!
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Alte Wurzeln und frische Früchte aus Finnland