Career
She first came to fame as a tango singer. Now her repertoire includes evergreens, iskelmä and Finnish popular. Her career began in 1982, when she had the opportunity to audition with Risto Oja-Lipasti"s band.
She made such a great impression that she was taken on tour immediately.
Within a few years she had made such an impression on the dancing public that she formed her own band Pajero with herself as solo singer. (Latva & Tuunainen p 254)
One of her fellow competitors was Aura Stenroth, the mother of 2007 Tango King Henri Stenroth.
(Nyman p 220)
Her first album was "Sellaiset silmät" (Eyes Like These) in 1992. Other albums followed in 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2011.
In 1999 she took part in the Sysyn sävel competition with "Kaukainen tähti" (Faraway Star).
(Latva & Tuunainen p 254)
In 2009 she took part in the Tangomarkkinat again, and came second to Amadeus Lundberg. (Ilkka 12072009)
Kaija is an enthusiastic dancer herself and maintains that danceability is a necessity when it comes to music (Latva & Tuunainen p 255).