Aki Sirkesalo Explained

Aki Sirkesalo
Birth Name:Aki Pekka Antero Sirkesalo
Birth Date:25 July 1962
Birth Place:Toijala, Finland
Death Place:Khao Lak, Thailand
Instrument:Vocals
Genre:Funk, soul, rock, pop
Occupation:Singer, musician, songwriter, broadcaster
Years Active:1984–2004
Label:Sony Music Entertainment

Aki Pekka Antero Sirkesalo (25 July 1962 – 26 December 2004) was a Finnish singer and broadcaster.

Career

Sirkesalo started his public career in 1984 as an announcer in the Finnish Broadcasting Company radio show Rockradio. In 1986, he formed a band called Giddyups and later a successful a cappella group Veeti and the Velvets. Sirkesalo released his first solo album Mielenrauhaa in 1995. He went on to make four more solo albums, the last of which, Sanasta miestä, was released posthumously in February 2005. Sirkesalo also hosted music-related TV shows for the Finnish Broadcasting Company.[1]

Death

Sirkesalo, aged 42, and his family (wife Johanna, aged 38, son Sampo, aged 8 and daughter Saana, aged 4) drowned after being struck by the tsunami during their vacation in Khao Lak, Thailand, in 2004.[2] They lie buried in Toijala.[3] Before his death, Sirkesalo lived with his family for the last few years of his life in Klaukkala, Nurmijärvi.[4]

His birth town Toijala memorized him by naming a street as Sirkesalontie. He had left a lot of unpublished music and lyrics before his death, which has been recorded by various artistes.

Solo albums

YearTitleChart
FIN
1995Mielenrauhaa5
1996Aika3
1998Kissanelämää5
2001Enkeleitä onko heitä5
2002Halutuimmat9
2005Sanasta miestä1
200630 unohtumatonta laulua31
2009The Essential Aki Sirkesalo

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mattila. Ilkka. Muistot – Aki Sirkesalo. Helsingin Sanomat. August 29, 2013.
  2. Web site: Aki Sirkesalo. heavenslie.com.
  3. Web site: Rantalainen. Tiia. Aki Sirkesalon vanhemmat: "Oman lapsen kuolemaa ei voi unohtaa koskaan". Iltalehti. August 29, 2013.
  4. Web site: Vuorela. Arvo. Tsunamissa kuolleen Aki Sirkesalon jäljiltä löytyi levyttämätöntä musiikkia – Se päätyy Suomen tunnetuimman äänen soololevylle. YLE. August 25, 2017. August 19, 2019. fi.