Kwan singer Mariko Pajalahti recalls her New York years in Roope Salminen’s Kolme käännepohtaa podcast.
Mariko Pajalahti gained popularity from the ranks of the band Kwan. Pasi Liesimaa
Vocalist Mariko Pajalahti45, recounts his darkest moment Roope Salminen hosted by Three turning points podcast in the episode released on Wednesday.
At the beginning of the 2000s, Pajalahti had achieved great success in the Kwan band. After his days in the band, Pajalahti moved to New York to pursue even greater stardom.
In the United States, everything changed. Pajalahti roasted the work and listened to the visions of different producers. Stardom was far from reality.
– I ran out of mass. I was completely burnt out, Pajalahti recalls in the podcast.
– At some point, it turned into a fight for survival. It was unconsciously great and extremely generous, but also extremely heavy and consuming three years, Pajalahti talks about his years in New York.
Pajalahti ran out of money at the end of the year. The singer reveals that he was rich during Kwan’s peak years.
– I really felt that I had money to spend, Pajalahti says.
Kwan in Finland’s Eurovision qualifiers in 2009. Stefan Moberg
Salminen asks Pajalahti’s darkest moment.
– I am an extremely sensitive person, and I have atopy. When my stress cycles go too hard, my skin can’t stay on anymore. The stress was so bad and I had to press dune all the time to pay the rent. I had no money for food, but the rent had to be paid, Pajalahti answers.
Stress led to a cycle of insomnia.
– I slept ten hours a week. I had sleeping pills and sedatives and everything. I just didn’t turn off.
At his worst, Pajalahti stayed awake for four days straight, fell asleep for a few hours and stayed awake again.
Kwan returned to the stage last summer. Pasi Liesimaa
Kwan, who was active in the years 2001–2006, is known for his hit songs, among other things Shine, Tainted Love and Unconditional Love. The band formed by Pajalahti and Tidjân Ba made a return to the concert stages in the summer of 2024.
After his New York years, Pajalahti trained as a yoga instructor.