The music of Kuustonen is rooted deeply in Blues and singer-songwriter traditions. His first solo album was released as early as 1979, but it wasn’t until after Kuustonen and his friend Heikki Silvennoinen, a guitarist, started the band Q.Stone in the late 80s that his music became more popular. Soon the band was hosting a very special club in Café Metropol. This was the time when roots music was on the rise in Finland. The club was even given its own TV show, called 'Q-Klubi' (The Q-Club) , which was later followed by another music show, 'Q ja Tähdet' (Q and the Stars). The band made international contracts and toured around Europe with musicians like John Mayal and Philip Bailey. Three albums were recorded in English and released around the world.
The turning point of Kuustonen’s career came in 1991 with the release of his platinum-selling solo album 'Musta Jalokivi' (The Black Jewel). The track 'Taivas Varjele' (Let Heaven Protect) won an Emma award, and 'Kaktusviinaa' (Cactus Wine) and 'Enkelit Lentää Sun Uniin' (The Angels are Flying into Your Dreams) are considered timeless. It was time to give up the band Q.Stone.
In 1992 another one of Kuustonen’s albums, Abrakadabra, went platinum. The successful album were followed by the albums Aurora, 'Valon Valtakunta' (Kingdom of the Light), Siksak, Seepran Varjo (Shadow of the Zebra), Kaartamo Kettunen Kuustonen, and the double album 'Lauluja Linnunradan Laidalta - Parhaat 1991-1998' (Songs from the Edge of the Milky Way – the Best of 1991-1998). Kuustonen released his last studio album 'Atlantis' in 2000.
During the last fifteen years, in addition to singing and songwriting, Kuustonen has traveled in developing countries writing and producing material for magazines and newspapers as well as television and radio. Through his production company, Medicine Man Productions Oy, he has produced documentaries for television and helped NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) in spreading information about sustainable development. Worth mentioning are documentaries such as 'Kolme Ikkunaa Maailman Laidalle' (Three Windows to the Edge of the World), Bom Dia Mozambique, Veden Valtakunta (The Kingdom of Water), Laulun Synty (Birth of the Song) and Naisia Vuosituhannen Partaalla (Women at the Turn of the Century), which was a series of ten parts.
Together with Esa Kaartamo and Edu Kettunen, Kuustonen made three episodes of the series 'Laulava Sydän' (The Singing Heart), which were aired on TV2. EMI released the material as a double album with Medicine Man Productions. Similar cooperation lead to the release of Arttu Takalo’s and Janne Louhivuori’s solo albums.
Kuustonen was the first Finn to be nominated as a UN goodwill ambassador in 1998. The following year he was awarded the 'Kirkon rauhanpalkinto' (The Church’s Peace Prize).
Even though the new duties have largely replaced touring, making music still plays a vital role in Kuustonen’s life:
"It is impossible to separate the role of the musician from the other parts of my life. Somehow my work as a journalist, documentarist and a TV-producer is always connected to songwriting – after all, all these roles are part of one person. In regards to curiosity, I have been ‘dropped in the pot’ - and I am happy about that."
"I am not able to write political songs; instead I believe that the best music continues from where the explaining ends."
"I believe in idealism that is not based on illusions, and I simply want to learn something new. Sometimes my encounters lead to a song, other times to something completely different."
Aurora
Mikko Kuustonen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ja seitsemän pimeää majakkaa
tämä tuntematon - mentävä on
sielua piinaa ikävä loputon
refrain:
kauriin kääntöpiirin taa
kohti viimeistä rantaa
ja kivussa kantaa
refrain 2:
oi aurora - kaikkiko katoaa
oi aurora - etkö jättäisi vähän valoa
kun tuuli kääntyy koilliseen
aaltoihin lasken seppeleen
kristallisen maljani viimeisen
menneelle täytän ja kumoan sen
refrain
refrain 2
tähän pelossa kuljin
etsin syvääkin syvemmän haudan
rautakahlein arkkuun suljin
pyhän totuuden polttoraudan
refrain 2
The lyrics of Mikko Kuustonen's song "Aurora" depict a journey towards the unknown, a place of longing and endless pain. The seven treacherous seas and seven dark lighthouses symbolize the challenges that one must face along the way to reach a destination that is unknown but inevitable. The sorrowful and longing soul of the singer is evident in the way they describe the journey, which is full of despair and hopelessness. The refrain echoes their emotional state - they are headed towards the last shore beyond the Tropic of Capricorn where the tides take the man and carry him forward even as he bears the pain.
The second refrain appeals to Aurora, the goddess of dawn, that she should leave some light behind, as everything appears to be vanishing around the singer. The song then describes a ritualistic ceremony where the singer offers their final crystal chalice to the past and pours out its contents. The singer has walked in fear and has been searching for a deeper grave, and in the end, they choose to seal the truth into an iron coffin and burn it with a sacred iron to prevent it from spreading.
Line by Line Meaning
seitsemän merta kavalaa
There are seven treacherous seas
ja seitsemän pimeää majakkaa
And seven dark lighthouses
tämä tuntematon - mentävä on
This unknown is meant to be explored
sielua piinaa ikävä loputon
The endless longing torments the soul
refrain:
Chorus:
kauriin kääntöpiirin taa
Beyond the Tropic of Capricorn
kohti viimeistä rantaa
Towards the last shore
vuorovedet miestä kuljettaa
The tides carry the man
ja kivussa kantaa
And he carries pain
refrain 2:
Chorus 2:
oi aurora - kaikkiko katoaa
Oh Aurora - does everything disappear?
oi aurora - etkö jättäisi vähän valoa
Oh Aurora - wouldn't you leave a little bit of light?
kun tuuli kääntyy koilliseen
When the wind turns northeast
aaltoihin lasken seppeleen
I lay a wreath into the waves
kristallisen maljani viimeisen
My last crystal cup
menneelle täytän ja kumoan sen
I fill it for the past and pour it away
refrain
Chorus
refrain 2
Chorus 2
tähän pelossa kuljin
I have walked here in fear
etsin syvääkin syvemmän haudan
I searched for an even deeper grave
rautakahlein arkkuun suljin
I locked the coffin with iron chains
pyhän totuuden polttoraudan
The branding iron of the sacred truth
refrain 2
Chorus 2
Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pekkalattu6974
Mikko on tehnyt upeita kappaleita ja niitä on kiva kuunnella, tehty ammattitaidolla ja ovat hifi harrastajalle sulosointuja korville! Iso kiitos!
@chiriushannel1731
Ihana kapale🌹💕🙏🏼
@rolandhurtig1904
Mahtava kappale paras 😊😊
@janeknuuttilaguercio5092
Kiitos Paljon Mikko! 🙋♀️
@jaakkoholma8045
"Tähän pelossa kuljin, etsin syvääkin syvemmän haudan, rautakahlein arkkuun suljin pyhän totuuden polttoraudan." Tajuttoman vahvaa lyriikkaa.
@HeidiKarjalainen
Yiii,
@kaivarpukari6960
Upea biisi.
@marjahakkala7351
Aurora is something so wonderful. My sons daughter got her name.
@erikacristinabanuelosinsfr1408
Kiitos!
@iisKis
Mikko tässä, Moi.. enempää menemättä kliseisiin; 'Nää sanat ja sävelet menee suoraan sieluun..' <3 eikaissiinä.. =)