Arja Petra Maria Gavalas, known professionally as Kiki, is a Finnish singer-songwriter. She participated in UMK 2026.
Background
Kiki was born to a Greek father and Finnish mother in Vantaa. Her brother, , is a rapper.
Career
In her twenties, she started her music career by meeting her producer Jimi Pääkallo through her brother, Lukas Leon. With Pääkallo she released her debut single "666" in 2021. "666" placed 8th on Finnish single charts and in 2022, she was named as one of the YleX breakthrough artists. In 2023, she released her first album, Intuitio. A track on Intuitio "Jos sul ei oo mua", featured Finnish artists Bess and F.
In 2026, Kiki was announced as a participant for UMK that year with the song "Rakkaudenkipee" ("Lovesick"). In the final, she placed seventh with a total of 42 points.
Style and influences Kiki has named artists like Doja Cat, Rihanna, Jenni Vartiainen, Rosalía, Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson as influences and role models for her music. She has also cited that her inspiration comes from multiple genres like Latin music, trap and R&B, along with her Greek and Finnish roots.
Discography
Singles • "666" (2021)
• "Rakkaudenkipee" (2026)
Albums • Intuitio (2023)
References