Tony Kakko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Kakko
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Tony Kakko performing with Sonata Arctica in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Toni Kristian Kakko |
| Born | 16 May 1975 Kemi, Finland |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Genres | Power metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 1996–present |
Tony Kakko, born Toni Kristian Kakko on May 16, 1975, is a talented musician, songwriter, and singer from Finland. He is best known as the lead singer and main songwriter for the band Sonata Arctica. He has been with the band since 1996.
Contents
Tony Kakko's Musical Journey
Tony Kakko was born in Kemi, Finland. He joined Sonata Arctica in 1996. Before that, he had studied keyboards for two years. He also sang at local festivals.
Early Days with Sonata Arctica
When Sonata Arctica first started, Tony played both keyboards and sang. After their first album came out, he decided to focus only on singing. This happened when Mikko Härkin joined the band to play keyboards.
Musical Inspirations
Tony Kakko has many musical influences. Some of the metal bands that inspired him include Stratovarius, Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Rhapsody of Fire, and Helloween. He also says that the season of winter inspires his music.
Singing Style
Tony's singing style is clear and often high-pitched. He sings in the tenor range. In later albums with Sonata, like The Days of Grays, he started to use some screams in his singing.
Guest Appearances and Other Projects
Tony Kakko has also worked with other bands and projects.
Working with Nightwish
In 2001, he was a guest singer for Nightwish. He sang on their song "Astral Romance." This song was on their EP called Over the Hills and Far Away. He also sang background vocals on the song "Over the Hills and Far Away." He performed a duet with Tarja Turunen on a live version of "Beauty and the Beast." You can see him performing this song on Nightwish's live DVD, From Wishes to Eternity.
Other Collaborations
Tony has lent his voice to many other bands. He sang on the song "Wasted Time" for Heavenly's album Virus. He also sang background vocals for Eternal Tears of Sorrow's album Before the Bleeding Sun. He was also featured on Epica's song "White Waters" from their album Design Your Universe.
Christmas Music and Cover Songs
Since 2006, Tony has been part of a Finnish metal music project called Raskasta Joulua. This project records and performs Christmas carols in a metal style. He is also part of Northern Kings. In this project, he sings classic cover songs from past decades. He performs with other singers like Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto, Marko Hietala, and Jarkko Ahola.
Recent Achievements
In July 2015, Tony Kakko was a special guest for Nightwish at the Rock in Rio festival. In December 2018, he received a special honor. He was awarded the title of Knight of The Order of The Lion of Finland. This is a very important award in Finland.
Tony Kakko's Music Albums
Here are some of the albums Tony Kakko has been a part of.
Sonata Arctica Albums
- Ecliptica – 1999
- Silence – 2001
- Winterheart's Guild – 2003
- Reckoning Night – 2004
- Unia – 2007
- The Days of Grays – 2009
- Stones Grow Her Name – 2012
- Pariah's Child – 2014
- The Ninth Hour – 2016
- Talviyö – 2019
- Clear Cold Beyond – 2024
Northern Kings Albums
- Reborn – 2007
- Rethroned – 2008
Guest Appearances on Albums
- Nightwish – Over the Hills and Far Away – 2001
- Nightwish – From Wishes to Eternity (DVD) – 2001
- Heavenly – Virus – 2006
- Eternal Tears of Sorrow – Before the Bleeding Sun – 2006
- Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Into the Light – 2007
- Apocalyptica – Live Vocalist (Finland and Japan) – 2008, 2009
- Elias Viljanen – Fire-Hearted – 2009
- Stratovarius – Polaris – 2009
- Epica – Design Your Universe – 2009
- Van Canto – "Hearted", on Tribe of Force – 2010
- Powerglove – Saturday Morning Apocalypse – 2010
- Avalon – "We Will Find a Way", on The Land of New Hope – 2013
- Tuomas Holopainen – Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge – 2014
- Vanishing point – "Circle of Fire" on Distant is the Sun – 2014
- Dark Sarah – "Light in You" on Behind The Black Veil – 2015
- Hevisaurus – "100" – 2019
- Lordi – "Rollercoaster" on Lordiversity – 2021
- Ancestry – "Darkest Day" on Transitions – 2021
- Jani Liimatainen – "All Dreams Are Born to Die" on My Father’s Son – 2022
See also
In Spanish: Tony Kakko para niños
