YleXPop festival announces star-studded free event with Lauri Haav headlining

Finnish public broadcaster Yle’s annual YleXPop festival will bring together some of Finland’s biggest pop acts for a free outdoor event on **30 May** in Vantaa, as part of the expanded **Yle Summer Festival** celebrating Yle’s 100th anniversary.

The lineup includes chart-topping artist **Lauri Haav**, modern Finnish rapper **Ares**, ethereal folk-pop duo **Emma & Matilda**, dance-pop act **Komiat**, rising star **Minttu**, and internationally acclaimed show performer **Erika Vikman**. The event will be broadcast live on **YleX radio, Yle TV2, and Yle Areena** from **16:00 to 23:00**, hosted by YleX presenters **Aino “Aikku” Silkelä** and **Melina “Mellu” Mäkelä**.

Lauri Haav aims for stadium shows amid record success

**Lauri Haav**, 28, a genre-blending artist known for his emotional depth, will perform at the peak of his popularity. The multi-award-winning musician—who took home **Artist of the Year** at this year’s Emma Gala and won the public vote for the second consecutive year—recently released the single *Perhonen* (Butterfly), a tribute to his late mother.

*”When my mother died, a butterfly always appeared—even at the funeral,”* Haav told Yle’s *Kulttuuricocktail*. *”It reminds me she’s still here. There’s hope in that, especially after a long winter.”* His upcoming fourth album, *No Haav No Laav*, continues his tradition of deeply personal songwriting, following past hits like *Missä oot nyt?* (Where Are You Now?), which explored his strained relationship with his father.

Haav has also spoken openly about his struggles with **OCD** and past school bullying—even admitting in his Emma Gala acceptance speech that he was once a bully himself. *”I’ve grown enough as an artist to take a stand beyond just music,”* he said. *”I wanted to be honest. It would’ve felt fake not to admit my own role.”*

His rising fame is evident: two back-to-back sold-out arena shows in Tampere later this year, with the first selling out in minutes. While he’s vocal about his ambition to one day headline a **stadium concert**, he insists the timing must be right. *”Of course I want to, but what comes after? I don’t know yet. I’ll do it when the moment feels right.”*

Three-day festival expands with free concerts for all ages

The **Yle Summer Festival** (29–31 May) at **Tikkurila Sports Park** now spans three days, offering free, all-ages, and alcohol-free programming. Highlights include:

– **Friday 29 May**: *Radio Suomi’s Summer Concert* (18:30) featuring **Arttu Wiskari, Olavi Uusivirta, and Ilta**, broadcast live on **Yle TV1, Radio Suomi, and Areena**. Earlier, the *Let’s Play Pikku Kakkonen* concert (16:00) offers family-friendly entertainment with beloved children’s characters.
– **Sunday 31 May**: A classical finale with the **Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO)**, conducted by **Nicolas Collon** and starring 13-year-old violinist **Lilja Haatainen**. The program includes works by **Bizet, Grieg, Rossini, and Saint-Saëns**.

All events are free, with no age restrictions or alcohol sales.