Songfacts®:

• Jere Pöyhönen, known by his stage name Käärijä, is a Finnish singer-songwriter renowned for his unique style and relentless energy. With his tongue-waggling dance routine, signature pudding bowl haircut, and eye-catching inflatable green sleeves, he truly stands out from the crowd.
  
  The name "Käärijä" is not just a random choice; it carries a clever wordplay in multiple languages. Derived from the Finnish verb "kääriä," meaning "to wrap," it symbolizes both his success in the music industry, as if wrapping himself in prosperity, and his playful twist on the word "rapper," which sounds like "wrapper" in English.
  
  Pöyhönen released his music independently until 2017, when he was signed to the record label Monsp Records. He dropped his debut album, Fantastista, in 2020.
• In January 2023, Käärijä won Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, with his song "Cha Cha Cha." He penned the lyrics in 30 minutes while watching ice hockey with his two producers, Aleksi Nurmi and Johannes Naukkarinen. They recorded it the next day at the studio. It was only when they listened back to it afterwards that they recognized its potential as a Eurovision song.
• "Cha Cha Cha" soared to great heights at Eurovision 2023, securing an impressive second-place finish. The song resonated strongly with the viewers, garnering 376 points and clinching the top spot in the public vote. Additionally, the song impressed the jury, earning fourth place with 150 points.
  
  A fusion of industrial metal, trancecore and hyperpop, "Cha Cha Cha" divides into two distinctive halves. "We wanted to do something new, something crazy," Käärijä told the BBC. "Two songs inside one song. Something people won't expect - and when that second part comes in, it's mind blowing! What's happening now?!"
  
  "A lot of people have compared it to K-pop," the Finn added, "but for me, it's party metal."
• Käärijä and his producers channeled the influence of German rock legends Rammstein, an inspiration so profound that he's etched their iconic logo onto his chest. Sharing his creative process, Käärijä revealed his admiration for the band, saying, "Before diving into the song, we'd listen to Rammstein, watching their gripping music videos. When I unleash my powerful vocals at the song's outset, I aim to channel the essence of Till Lindemann."
• Lyrically, the song encapsulates the universal desire to escape the monotony of everyday life and immerse oneself in the liberating embrace of music and movement. "'Cha Cha Cha,' for me, it's all about freedom," said Käärijä. "Every day of life, we all have problems. Hard things happen, bad things happen. And when the weekend comes, people want to forget all those sad things. And many times they drink a piña colada and get the courage to go to the dancefloor."
• The production switches on the bridge when the heavy electric guitars step aside, making way for a more melodic and uplifting atmosphere. "When the song's register changes, it represents the moment the character of the song gets a bit drunk after some piña coladas," Käärijä explained to Eurovision World. "At that point, he is free and wants to go to the dancefloor because he cares about nothing else and isn't afraid of anything. Whereas when the song starts, he sounds a bit upset."
• In the week after the Eurovision Song Contest, "Cha Cha Cha" landed on the UK Singles Chart at #6, becoming the first-ever entirely Finnish-language song to enter the tally.