Helsinki Pride 2018 took place at the end of June and this year the event was more visible than ever in the Finnish capital city. Some 100 000 people marched along in the parade, which was a record high number of attendees. Also for the first time ever, the Finnish broadcaster Yle sent a live footage in television and streamed the event online in Yle Arena.
Saara Aalto ain’t scared no more – Pride is about love, joy and dance
As a musical star, the Pride was joined by the most approriate person you could imagine: Saara Aalto, Finland’s Eurovision star in 2018 and LGBT rights defender. Saara had her own colourful truck in the parade, full of dancing people. She was interviewed just before the parade took off and told that this is her fourth year in Helsinki Pride.
After Eurovision, Saara has been touring in Britain with Steps and the boyband Blue (Eurovision UK 2011) and that way, she got feedback from the audience about her new songs on the Wild wild wonderland album. Saara has just won the “Singer of the Year” award at the QX gala in Finland, and she will continue touring in Finland and other countries (including Denmark) during the autumn.
Saara mentioned that it never was particularly difficult to bring out her sexual orientation. She has been lucky to have a family who accepts her and does not think she is too ‘different’. Just after saying this, Saara’s ESC song “Monsters” started to play in the background, filling the whole Senate Square. Saara starts to mimic to the song and then laughs at herself. “Every time I hear this song, I start to make the show!”
Saara has participated in many Pride events worldwide. “I’m so grateful to all the people in my life who have given me the opportunity to become who I am,” she said. “Love is the most important thing!”
Watch the Helsinki Pride 2018 broadcast (Yle Arena)
Three Eurovision divas on the stage
After the Pride parade and the traditional outdoor Party in the Park in Kaivopuisto, evening entertainment went on at the seaside event area Hernesaarenranta. The first artist to perform was the pop singer Zühlke, known for her participation in UMK (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) 2017 with the sultry “Perfect villain”.
Later on during the evening, Saara Aalto and another big Eurovision legend, trans pop icon Dana International, performed to the joyful audience. Twenty years after her Eurovision victory with “Diva”, which changed the contest forever (and for better!), Dana International performed in her own extravagant way for Helsinki Pride.
Read more: 20 Years after her Eurovision victory: Dana International headlines Helsinki Pride 2018
For Saara, it was her first gig in Finland after Eurovision, and she performed all her three UMK songs as well as a few other new songs from her new album.
More Eurovision-related artists performed during the Pride week
As the Pride is traditionally a great time to spot Eurovision artists, this year and this city was no different. The night club Hercules hosted a Pride week party with Baccara (Luxembourg 1978) – with one original member, Mayte Mateos. The night club also held the Eurovision Fanclub Night 41st Edition with CatCat (Finland 1994) and DJ Ohrmeister.
The party in the Kaivopuisto park had a fun and flamboyant opening number by Nisa Soraya, the lady who had participated in the Finnish preselections in 1981. Two recent UMK contestants could also be seen during the Pride. The UMK 2016 singer Lieminen also appeared at the park show. The glittery avantgarde foursome Club La Persé (UMK 2017) performed at the opening party in the beginning of the Pride week.