SMK24 • Announcements & Jury Applications [JURIES ANNOUNCED]

Burning Hearts is an indie pop duo formed by Henry Ojala and Jessika Rapo in 2006. Both came from different bands, Henry used to be the drummer of a band called Cats on Fire and Jessika was the vocalist of Le Futur Pompiste. Both grew up in Ostrobothnia, in the Swedish-speaking area of Finland, but it wasn't until the bands toured together that Henry and Jessika really got to know each other. They then moved to the south of the country and decided to form Burning Hearts.

Burning Hearts draws inspiration from many bands and artists, but their last album, Battlefields including their SMK song, "Folie à Deux", sound like something directly out of Florence Welch's discography.

Mirel Wagner is a Finnish folk and blues singer, who was born in Ethiopia, but raised in Espoo, where she still resides today. Having written songs since the age of 16, her first, self-titled, album was released in 2011 by a Finnish indie label. Although it was not a big commercial success, buzz eventually built up around her and she was signed by American label Sub Pop in 2014. Mirel has shown interest in NVSC before, as she was a Finnish jury member in the 23rd edition.

Mirel's SMK song, "Oak Tree", is a mellow folk ballad, with a dark message about human sacrifice and death.