Irya

Main photo
Irya - photo: Jeremy Kyejo
Photographer
Jeremy Kyejo

Introduction

Irya is singer-composer-producer based in Helsinki, whose musical home is Cuba.

The artist's second EP Bienvenido a mi corazón (2022) is music built on Afro-Cuban styles, where you tune in to the frequency of love. The album's vintage sound and more special instruments, such as marimbula and sundrum, take the listener to a space where time and place fade and language boundaries are not recognized.

Irya's debut (Visual) EP 5OLAS was released in March 2021 and e.g. Sveriges Radio and Radio Helsinki have put songs on the radio. Since then, Irya has collaborated with two Cuban artists Daymé Arocena and Barbaro el Urbano Vargas.

"My story is multilingualism, staying in one emotional state and an ancient source of power - repetition. In the songs, we swing in polyrhythms, hang on to the past, look for magic in everyday life and, of course, love all the time," says Irya.

On stage with Irya are pianist Helena Kallas and percussionist Jani Lehtioksa, known from the band Bomba Buena.

Irya aka Matilda Peltonen - vocals, clave
Helena Kallas - piano, vocals
Jani Lehtioksa - percussions

Technical information

1h-1.5h set, pa-system required.

Music genres