Irmeli Mäkelä
Finnish pop singer (1942–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hellä Muisto Irmeli Mäkelä (18 October 1942 – 15 March 2026), known professionally as Irmeli Mäkelä, was a Finnish pop singer.
18 October 1942
Irmeli Mäkelä | |
|---|---|
Mäkelä in 1962 | |
| Born | Hellä Muisto Irmeli Mäkelä 18 October 1942 Kotka, Finland |
| Died | 15 March 2026 (aged 83) Kotka, Finland |
| Occupation | Pop singer |
| Spouse | Johannes Liikanen |
Early life and career
Mäkelä was born in Kotka on 18 October 1942. At the age of 15, she began her pop singing career as a soloist in an orchestra after she competed at a local singing competition. In her twenties, she received a recording contract from the record company Helsinki.[1]
During her singing career, in 1959, Mäkelä collaborated with composer Erik Lindström, and sang the songs "Too Little Time" and "Taken by the Stream".[2] In the same year, she sang the Finnish language cover song "Kun Ohi Käyt". In 1963, she competed for Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest - although she won qualification with the song "Muistojeni laulu", the Finnish committee decided to send Laila Halme to Britain to perform it in her place.[3]
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Mäkelä retired her pop singing career in the late 1960s. After retiring as a pop singer, she performed as a mezzo-soprano, and opened a hair salon in Kotka.[4] In 1974, musicologist Seppo Heikinheimo of Helsingin Sanomat wrote a favorable review upon Mäkelä's Carmen title role performance.[5]
