Aksel Kankaanranta

Finnish singer
Aksel
Birth nameAksel Kankaanranta
Born (1998-01-28) 28 January 1998 (age 26)
Turku, Finland
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2017–present
Musical artist

Aksel Kankaanranta (born 28 January 1998)[1] is a Finnish singer. He was due to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam with the song "Looking Back", before the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In 2017, he finished second in The Voice of Finland.[3] He was born in Turku.

Eurovision Song Contest

Aksel Kankaanranta was scheduled to represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam with the song "Looking Back" after winning the Finnish national selection Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, but then on 18 March, it was cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Later that month, the Finnish national broadcaster, Yle, announced they would not internally select Aksel, and he would have to participate in UMK 2021. In episode 2 of Eurovision Home Concerts, Kankaanranta confirmed that he would audition for the 2021 edition of the national selection.

Aksel participated in the national selection for Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with his song "Hurt". This time, he finished 5th in the final.

Kankaanranta announced the Finnish jury votes at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album or EP
FIN
[4][5]
"Looking Back" 2020 25 Non-album singles
"Muista kuka oot" 30
"Hurt" 2021 100
"Sydän paareilla" —
"Vielä sä löydät mun luo" 2022 —
"Ilman sua" 2023 —
"Mad World"
(with Akras) 		—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album or EP
FIN
[6]
"Jättiläinen"
(Pyhimys featuring Aksel Kankaanranta) 		2018 16 Tapa poika
"Kaupunki ei tiedä mun nimee"
(Prinssi Rohkea ja Erämaan Rotat featuring Aksel Kankaanranta) 		2019 — Yhä unessa
"Matkustaja"
(Ahti featuring Aksel Kankaanranta) 		2021 11 Non-album single
"Joka päivä ja joka ikinen yö"
(Heikki Kuula featuring Aksel Kankaanranta) 		2023 — 0 tykkää tästä
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

  1. ^ Jokihaara, Teea (2 April 2020). "Aksel Kankaanrannan viisukevät vaihtui viulunsoittoon". ts.fi (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Finland: Aksel Kankaanranta wins UMK 2020 with "Looking Back"". wiwibloggs. 7 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Aksel Kankaanrannan koskettava Looking Back -biisi kehottaa elämään hetkessä". yle.fi. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Suomen virallinen lista – Artistit: Aksel Kankaanranta" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Suomen virallinen lista – Artistit: Aksel" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  6. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Finland:
    • "Jättiläinen": "Listat – Musiikkituottajat: Singlet 50/2018" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
    • "Matkustaja": "Listat – Musiikkituottajat: Singlet 39/2021" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman
with "Look Away"
 Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest
2020 (cancelled) 		Succeeded by
Blind Channel
with "Dark Side"
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ParticipationArtistsSongs
  • "Aava"
  • "Addicted to You"
  • "Aina mun pitää"
  • "Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus"
  • "Aurinko laskee länteen"
  • "Blackbird"
  • "Bye Bye Baby"
  • "Cha Cha Cha"
  • "Da Da Dam"
  • "Dark Side"
  • "La dolce vita"
  • "Eläköön elämä"
  • "Fantasiaa"
  • "Fri?"
  • "Hard Rock Hallelujah"
  • "Hengaillaan"
  • "Huilumies"
  • "Hullu yö"
  • "Jezebel"
  • "Katson sineen taivaan"
  • "Keep Me Warm"
  • "Kuin silloin ennen"
  • "Kun kello käy"
  • "Laiskotellen"
  • "Lapponia"
  • "Leave Me Alone"
  • "A Little Bit"
  • "Look Away"
  • "Looking Back"
  • "Lose Control"
  • "Marry Me"
  • "Missä miehet ratsastaa"
  • "Monsters"
  • "Muistathan"
  • "Muistojeni laulu"
  • "När jag blundar"
  • "Nauravat silmät muistetaan"
  • "Never the End"
  • "Niin kaunis on taivas"
  • "No Rules!"
  • "Nuku pommiin"
  • "Old Man Fiddle"
  • "Playboy"
  • "Pump-Pump"
  • "Reggae OK"
  • "Sata salamaa"
  • "Sing It Away"
  • "Something Better"
  • "Takes 2 to Tango"
  • "Tie uuteen päivään"
  • "Tipi-tii"
  • "Tom Tom Tom"
  • "Tule luo"
  • "Työlki ellää"
  • "Valoa ikkunassa"
  • "Varjoon – suojaan"
  • "Why?"
  • "Yamma, yamma"
  • Note: Entries scored out signify where Finland did not compete
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