Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I was always the flamboyant one and the one who wanted to be really bubbly and wanted to perform in a big way, but it's not very typical in Finland.
One small decision, for me to get on a flight from Finland to the U.K. - I had no idea how that one small thing could just change my whole life forever.
We want it to be sunny. Something small and intimate because my work is so public. That would be good for me, but my partner wants to have a big wedding.
That's been my goal since I was a child and saw the Spice Girls on TV: I was like, I want to wear those fancy outfits and sing my heart out on a big stage.
They haven't had 'The X Factor' in Finland for ten years. But because I was on it and it was such a hit, they decided to bring it back and have me as a judge.
I think Sia is a pretty good reference for me because her way of 'singing and the way she composes the melodies and writes the lyrics is very similar to what I've always done.
This song is by Bjork called 'Oh So Quiet' and it's really different. I'll be screaming and just having fun on stage. It's really, really different but I'm very excited to do that number.
The thing is, Finland is such a small country. It only has a population of five million, which is half of London. There's nothing there. I just had to get out. The U.K. is the perfect place to come.
I was on 'X Factor' the day after the Brexit vote. People voted for Brexit. But the public also voted for me, they wanted me to be there and part of the music industry. I haven't felt any bad effects.
I can be a bit serious because I'm always focused on my work, but when Meri's around I feel so relaxed. My body and soul are like, 'Ah, OK, everything is fine.' I know I am meant to be with her. It feels right.
I think it's mainly the language barrier and the cultural barrier, but of course also my songs, they have been very serious and melancholic, and so maybe people need to see more of my bubbly side and my personality.
The world is full of negativity and scary news, terrible things happening. And then we have Eurovision, which is like the whole of Europe and the whole world just comes together, and celebrates love and everybody supports everybody.
When I came here, I was a little bit different and in Finland people didn't really accept me, and then I came here and I saw Honey G doing so well and I thought 'British people are so great, they accept Honey G as she is, so maybe they'll accept me as well.'
I don't want to sing about going to a party with friends, I want to sing meaningful songs that can inspire people and I think Sia's songs are really deep. 'Chandelier' is about young girls who think they have to please others to be loved and that really touched me.
I was in 'The Voice of Finland' in 2012 and my girlfriend - fiancee now - watched the show, liked me a lot and sent me a fan message through Facebook. She wrote, 'I have never, ever sent a message like this to anybody, but I just had this intuition that I have to send this to you.'
The staging for 'Monsters' is all about me getting free. In the beginning I'm like tied, in a dark place... until I am scared no more, and I'm taking the lead of my life, I'm being the queen of my life, I'm ruling the world! In the end I'm taking a risk, but I'm taking the leap of faith.
I talked with labels and they wouldn't help with my international career. They said, 'Saara, if you're in Finland you just have to sing in Finnish.' That led to this situation where I felt very lonely. I was really sad and still I was doing gigs all the time. I'd go onstage crying but I was still trying to sing.