Päivitä Leino: Asa | Helena Sinervo | Jaakko Laitinen – Tall Ships Races Helsinki

The country's foremost poets, rappers and spoken word artists will take over the Espa Stage on 6 July 2024!

On Eino Leino Day on 6 July, The Espa Stage will feature the country’s foremost poets, spoken word artists, rappers and singer-songwriters at the Päivitä Leino event, which has become something of a tradition.

Performers on the Espa Stage include rapper Asa in performance with musician Tero Holopainen, poet Helena Sinervo, who has published 13 poetry collections, spoken word artist and stage poetry and community activist Emma Leppo and singer-songwriter Jaakko Laitinen together with accordionist Harri Kuusijärvi. The winner of the 2024 Eino Leino Prize will also be announced at the event. The event will be hosted by poet Harri Hertell.

The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. and end at around 4:45 p.m. The event is part of the Tall Ship Races programme and is organised by Eino Leinon Seura. A warm welcome to all!

SCHEDULE
at 3:00 p.m. Helena Sinervo
at 3:15 p.m. Emma Leppo
at 3:30 p.m. Jaakko Laitinen & Harri Kuusijärvi
at 3:50 p.m. Announcement of the winner of the Eino Leino Prize
at 4:10 p.m. Asa & Holtsu

EINO LEINO PRIZE
The Eino Leino Prize is a literature prize that has been awarded since 1956, the prize amount of which is EUR 5,200, donated by the Finnish Book Foundation. The winner of the 2024 prize will be announced on the Espa Stage.

ASA & HOLTSU
Asa is a rapper who has released 17 full-length albums. During his long career, he has received several accolades, such as the Teosto Prize together with his team in 2008. On the Espa Stage, Asa will be performing his rap lyrics with the accompaniment of musician Tero Holopainen.

HELENA SINERVO
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Helena Sinervo’s first poetry release, Lukemattomiin. She has published a total of 13 collections of poems, the latest of which is Merirequiem from 2022, and five novels, the latest of which was published this spring, titled Kirkasta ja välähtelevää. On the Espa Stage, Sinervo will be performing her poems.

EMMA LEPPO
Emma Leppo is a spoken word and stage poetry and community activist born and raised in Helsinki. In poetry and life, she is inspired by the rhythm that resonates through the body, comfort and noise, connections, movements and momentum. Nowadays, she organises, writes and studies in Turku.

JAAKKO LAITINEN & HARRI KUUSIJÄRVI
The prince of modern “rillumarei” (cheeky Finnish Schlager) Jaakko Laitinen and accordionist of the year 2023 Harri Kuusijärvi recently teamed up and recorded an album under the name Lehtojärven Hirvenpää. The self-titled 2019 debut album was nominated for the TEOSTO Prize, presenting a remarkable post-apocalyptic world drawing from Finnish and Argentine tango.

HARRI HERTELL
The host of the event Harri Hertell (born 1985) is an award-winning poet from Helsinki and a member of the Board of Eino Leinon Seura.