Käärijä

Jere Mikael Pöyhönen, born on 21 October 1993, is a Finnish rapper, singer, and songwriter who performs under the stage name Käärijä. Raised in the Ruskeasanta neighbourhood of Vantaa, Greater Helsinki, he is the son of Mikko and Arja Pöyhönen. He developed an interest in music through playing the drums and began producing his own material in 2014. His stage name is derived from the Finnish phrase "kääriä rahaa," meaning "make a fast buck," which references his history with gambling. Prior to concentrating on his music career, Pöyhönen played ice hockey from 2009 to 2013.

Pöyhönen initially released his music independently before signing with the record label Monsp Records in 2017. Following his signing, he released the double single "Koppi tules" / "Nou roblem". In 2018, he put out an extended play titled Peliä, which was followed by his debut studio album, Fantastista, in 2020.

In January 2023, Pöyhönen was selected to participate in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2023, Finland's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. His entry "Cha Cha Cha," co-written with Aleksi Nurmi and Johannes Naukkarinen, won the competition with 539 points. Representing Finland in Liverpool, he won the first semi-final before placing second overall in the grand final with 526 points, while finishing first in the public vote with 376 points. The song topped music charts in Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Lithuania, reached the top ten in thirteen other countries, and became the first Finnish-language song to enter the top ten of the UK Singles Chart.

Käärijä's visual presentation originally featured a bowl cut and a yellow suit, though he eventually began performing shirtless due to heat on stage, incorporating the look into his image under the social media name "Paidaton Riehuja." He considers German group Rammstein a primary musical influence and has a tattoo of the band across his chest. His promotional catchphrase "it's crazy, it's party" became a notable internet meme and commercial slogan, inspiring a September 2023 single featuring Estonian rapper Tommy Cash. In addition, Finnish software company Zoan built a virtual replica of Helsinki's Senate Square featuring Käärijä inside the video game Fortnite.

Following his Eurovision success, Pöyhönen won the Best Nordic Act award at the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards. He released his second studio album, People's Champion, in November 2024. In 2026, he collaborated with Basshunter on the single "Ja eller nej," which entered the Finnish singles chart at number 12, and announced a third album titled Eurodisko following a performance at Veikkaus Arena. Pöyhönen also made appearance guest spots at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024 and 2025, performing a joint set and releasing the collaborative single "#eurodab" alongside Croatian artist Baby Lasagna.

Pöyhönen has been open regarding his medical history, having been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as a teenager. The condition resulted in emergency intestine removal surgery in 2014, leaving a stoma scar on his lower stomach that he discusses publicly to raise awareness and encourage health checkups.