Mariko Pajalahti and Tidjân Ba of the band Kwan grew up in the public eye. Now they tell how the constant exposure wore them out.
Mariko Pajalahti still remembers how he walks along Simonkatu. We are living in the beginning of the 21st century. Two young men meet the musician.
– See? Is that Virpi in there? one of the men says.
Virpi was a character played by Mariko Encrypted Lives – series, in which he acted for a while.
– It was the first moment that, huh huh, some complete stranger knows my face, Mariko recalls.
Mariko Pajalahti had time to charm Finns in the Salatut elämat series before she became a well-known musician. Pasi Liesimaa
Shortly after her role, Mariko emerged from the group Kwan, where she performed together with Tidjân Ba. The duo’s first album Dynasty was released in the spring of 2001. The energetic duo convinced the listeners and the record sold platinum. Mariko and Tidjân soon got used to seeing their faces on television and on magazine covers.
– We grew into adulthood together in a really strong public eye. In those ten years, there were so many things that there was no capacity to handle, Mariko says.
– We have grown up together. We were such puppies when it all started, Tidjân Ba updates.
Tidjân Ba has always loved acting. He met Mariko through his theater hobby. Pasi Liesimaa
Great popularity also had its flip side.
– I’m really blue-eyed. I trust all people that everyone wants the best for each other. Many times there were situations where those people don’t want to know me, but they want the person who sways on stage or on TV, Mariko reflects.
Mariko Pajalahti and Tidjân Ba were the faces of the Kwan band. The wild popularity started in the early 2000s. Sampo Rautamaa
The publicity was exhausting
To outsiders, the artist’s career may seem glamorous, but Mariko and Tidjân have seen the reality very closely.
– Mariko and I took care of the promotion, we had things to do in the studio all the time and on top of that there were gigs. We were together practically all the time, Tidjân enumerates.
In the late 2000s, the fire continues in Kwan began to die down. The group came to a crossroads where no one really knew what to do. There were even talks about making a fifth album, which in the end was just talk.
– Kwan was his whole life. We lived in the tour bus and hung out most of the time in the gang. Everything was related to Kwan, Mariko recalls.
This is what the Kwan duo looked like in 2002. ESA PYYSALO
Constant exposure tired the musician.
– It felt like everyone recognized me all the time. The gang thinks they know who we are, even though they have a narrow slice of us, Mariko reflects.
– Especially when you’re tired and want to be alone. If you feel that you have failed in your private life, then you don’t want others to follow your morning run.
Tidjân remembers how the intense band years had taxed his motivation.
– This work cannot be done if there is no flame, he continues.
– Although I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I burned out.
Mariko felt that the publicity was taxing her endurance. The hard pace of work, in turn, exhausted Tidjân. Pasi Liesimaa
When Kwan was put on hiatus, Mariko focused on her own solo album and moved to the United States. Tidjân returned to acting.
Kwan made a brief return to Yle We Want More program in 2014. The band did not make a major comeback, instead they decided to take a proper break.
– It was such a moment that now we need to take a breath, says Mariko.
Back to the stage
However, returning to the public was not a given. Tidjân admits that a visit a couple of years ago Just life – program awakened a missing spark.
– We had super good energy and really fun on set. That was the initial spark that now let’s do this properly.
Mariko and Tidjân have noticed how they have both grown as people. However, the sense of humor and energy have remained the same. Pasi Liesimaa
As the cameras were filming, Mariko noticed that the energy between the two had remained the same after years of break. Both musicians have also seen a change in each other.
– You have found inner peace, Tidjân looks at Mariko and smiles.
In recent years, Tidjân has focused on his studies as a classroom teacher. The man considers the teaching profession to be his calling.
– Tidjân has found his own direction and what really interests him in the world. It has brightened his being. The work of a teacher brings you joy and you really know that you are useful and needed in the world, Mariko answers.
The two are not stressing about the upcoming autumn concert tour for no reason. The experience was gained from last summer’s festival tour.
Kwan will go on tour in the fall, the first concert of which will be heard in Tavastia. Pasi Liesimaa
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