Signmark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Signmark
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Signmark performing at the Night of the Arts festival 2009 in Helsinki.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marko Vuoriheimo |
| Born | 26 June 1978 |
| Origin | Helsinki, Finland |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer |
| Instruments | rapping |
| Years active | 2004– |
| Labels | Warner |
| Associated acts | MC mahtotapa, DJ sulava |
Marko Vilhelm Vuoriheimo, known as Signmark, is a famous Finnish hip hop artist. He was born on June 26, 1978, in Helsinki. What makes Signmark special is that he is deaf. He performs his music using sign language.
Signmark believes that deaf people are not disabled. Instead, he sees them as a group with their own language and culture. His music often shares important messages about deaf culture and rights. He calls his music "party hip hop that takes a stand."
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Signmark's Early Life and Music Style
Signmark has been signing poetry and music since he was a child. Even before he started making his own songs in 2004, he loved to sign. Christmas carols were some of the first songs he learned to perform this way.
When Signmark performs, he makes his signs "rhyme." This means he uses hand shapes and movements that look similar. The bass sound in the music is very important to him. It helps him feel the beat and time his signs perfectly. His facial expressions also add a lot to his performance. He often improvises, which means he makes up parts of his performance on the spot.
First Album and Important Messages
Signmark's first album was simply called Signmark. It came out on November 29, 2006. This album was special because it included a CD with the music and a DVD with signed music videos.
The album had eight songs. Many of these songs talked about the history and rights of the Finnish signing community. His early songs used a free-form signing style. Even though the vocal versions of the songs rhymed, his signed versions did not always. Signmark wanted to add more rhyming signed lyrics to his future albums.
Eurovision Song Contest Journey
In 2009, Signmark competed to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. This is a huge international music competition.
On January 23, 2009, Signmark won his qualifying round. He performed the song Speakerbox with Osmo Ikonen. They received 46.5% of the votes, showing how popular they were! In the finals on January 31, Signmark came in second place. Waldo's People won, but Signmark still got 41.2% of the votes.
Signing with a Major Record Label
In May 2009, the original Signmark group broke up. After this, Signmark signed a record deal with Warner Music. This was a very big deal! He became the first deaf person to sign a recording contract with a major international record company. This showed how much his unique music was valued.
Film and Music Releases
Signmark has also been involved in film. He appeared in Marko's Diary in 2018.
He has released several albums over the years:
- Signmark (2006)
- Breaking The Rules (2010)
- Silent Shout (2014)
- Deam Awake (2018)
See also
In Spanish: Signmark para niños
