Katri Helena’s career would not have continued this long without her manager partner Tommi Liimatai. Arguments have not been avoided during the relationship either.
Katri Helena knows that the last moments of her more than 60-year singing career are at hand. The singer herself says that it is more about the end of a life mission than the end of a career.
– I would never have thought that my last years as a singer would be such a mess. But it’s nice like this, says Katri Helena with a smile.
Katri Helena, 78, does not yet reveal the exact date for the end of her career, but the plan has been made. He announced in the fall of 2023 that the coming festival summer will be “the last one” for him. He will also experience every gig venue now for the last time. There will be concerts in both Finland and Sweden. In autumn, Katri Helena will also be seen for the first time in Helsinki at Tavastia.
Katri Helena is waiting for the time when she can take it easy, go to see theater performances and concerts and enjoy a new kind of everyday life after her life’s work. Inka Soveri
However, after this year’s gigs, something is still coming.
– I have been thinking about quitting for a long time and the decision is mine. I hope I will continue to work for the time I have left. Then, when I’ve done my last concert, everything is accomplished.
As a child, Katri Helena had two dreams: a nanny and a pop singer.
– Through my mission in life I have been able to sing Ikelma and through my own children I have been able to take care of children. I have always wanted to stick to the fact that I take care of my family and be there for them.
Katri Helena relaxes in the countryside with household chores, open water swimming and crafts. Inka Soveri
With the end of her life mission, Katri Helena’s everyday life frees up time for everything else. However, this does not scare her, because Katri Helena believes that the empty space will always be filled with something. Katri Helena is also completely ready to leave the public spotlight.
– I believe that momentarily it will certainly feel really sad when the last ones are drawn. Then comes freedom and I have time to go see others, Katri Helena opens.
Word watcher
One significant factor in the fact that Katri Helena’s career has continued until the 2020s is her manager and spouse Tommi Liimatainen.
Katri Helena has enough words of praise for her spouse.
– We have traveled together for 15 years now. Tommi is an absolutely great guy and manager. His imagination is endless and he always has ideas.
According to Katri Helena, the secret of a long relationship lies in working together. Inka Soveri
Katri Helena admits that there have also been problems in the relationship.
– I’m such a girl from the old alliance. Now it’s social media time and you have to be filming Tiktok videos all the time. It has become a bit of a chore for us and Tommi.
Arguing is not pleasant in Katri Helena’s opinion, but it has to be done sometimes.
– I’ve had to really argue with Tommi, because I can’t be fooled either way. I really say yes, and sometimes we’ve had a pretty tight situation.
– After being together for so long, we know that we will survive. But sometimes there are sparks between us other than physically, says Katri Helena.
Have you ever thought of going in different directions?
– I don’t know if they are things that have gone that far, but there have been some hiccups. Yes, we have enough sense in our heads that we are not going to walk away from this. If things get bad, we stop for a while and then see how to proceed.
Katri Helena describes Tommi as “Napoleon” several times, because Tommi has plans for every moment.
– The troops should act exactly as he wants. If that doesn’t happen, there will be explosions, Katri Helena describes with a laugh.
Time helps
Katri Helena’s autobiography published last year has also created certain challenges for the relationship between Katri Helena and Tommi.
– Tommi has endured a lot because of my biography. I told things about my own life in the book. However, Tommi is such a macho man that they made him quite tight. At that point, I couldn’t say anything to him other than: “I hope you can handle all this.”
According to Katri Helena, Tommi heats up easily from zero to one hundred. Time is the best medicine for agreeing on blocks of words. Inka Soveri
Katri Helena was absolutely sure that she wanted to publish her biography. He still stands behind things.
– It was exactly the right time. Things are now in books and covers, they will remain in history. I have always believed that time teaches us all. If Tommi doesn’t immediately understand everything in my book, I have to give him time.
– Life is here and now. It doesn’t matter what I have done 20 or 40 years ago, We are in this life together now. The past should not have an effect, because those things have been lived and put into the package already days ago.
Tommi has also not particularly wanted to talk to Katri Helena about her past. Katri Helena believes that time helps in many things.
– No matter how much we walk next to each other, in the end we each live our own lives. You have to make your own decisions and be responsible for them. The other cannot do or even say what should be done.
A considerate man
Katri Helena describes herself as a “free soul” in relationships.
– I have my own boundaries, but in this regard we haven’t had to name those boundaries. Respect and acceptance of the other creates in itself the right boundaries for the relationship.
At Tommi, Katri Helena particularly appreciates his thoughtfulness.
– When I had a lot of work last fall and I was quite tired at times, I went to the store twice throughout the fall. Tommi brought us the food either ready or so that I could use different ingredients to cook for us.
– Tommi is a really great guy. Even if he is Napoleon and explodes, I do know what his deep nature is. He is a good person, Katri Helena gently concludes.
Katri Helena and Tommi don’t really draw a line between work and relationship. – Yes, that border has already gone haywire, Katri Helena laughs. Inka Soveri
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