KAJ’s Eurovision success has sent waves of excitement through their home village of Vörå in western Finland. Known for its peaceful countryside and a tight-knit Swedish-speaking community, Vörå has suddenly found itself in the spotlight, and local pride has been soaring.
A large roadside billboard of KAJ welcomes drivers as they enter Vörå, where people are smiling and there’s a renewed energy in the air. [Editor’s note: Vörå also has a Finnish-language name: Vöyri.]
According to resident Päivi Torkkula, KAJ ’s success has become a symbol of what’s possible, even from a small village. And it’s not just about music — it’s also about identity and belonging.
“KAJ has inspired young people and boosted their self-esteem,” she says. “They believe that they can do something big, that you don’t have to come from a big city: even in Vörå, you can become a star.”
See what the people of Vörå think about their hometown.
Video: Erika Benke/ThisisFINLAND.fi
The buzz has reached beyond borders. Mayor Jan Finne says businesses are taking a fresh look at Vörå, seeing it as a place with creative energy and cultural potential.
“We’ve had inquiries from businesses and families about moving to Vörå,” he says. “Before KAJ, people were waiting for opportunities to come here: now they are thinking about founding new businesses.”
This suggest a big change in attitudes in Vorä, which – like many rural areas in Finland – has been facing demographic and economic challenges in recent years, including young people moving away to cities.
Now the mayor hopes that KAJ’s success might just help Vorä buck that trend – and some young people agree.
Since KAJ put Vörå on the map, says 16-year old Linus Back, “Now I’m prouder of being from Vörå. I think I will stay in Vörå all my life. I belong here.”
Video: Erika Benke/ThisisFINLAND.fi
By Erika Benke, September 2025
