Kariina

Kariina Áila
Kariina performing at the Sangashámman Amphitheater in 2018.
Born	(1985-11-21) November 21, 1985 Nuortihámman, Alriika
Citizenship	Alriika
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress

Kariina Áila (born November 21, 1985), known simply by her stage name Kariina is a Alriikan singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Nuortihámman, Áila performed multiple lead roles in her high school's musical productions and pursued the same at the Alriikan Institute of the Arts in Sangashámman. She pursued her career in theatre in the city until competing in a local song contest in 2007, placing second, and inspiring her to pursue a career in music. A year later she released her self-written and independently published debut studio album titled Talk to Me in Alriika.

Kariina's breakthrough came in 2012 when her single "In My Way" achieved significant mainstream success and was the best-selling single of that year, reaching number one in Alriika, Kustlân, Juznia, Mascylla, Navack, Crylante, Ainhar, Crethia, Vidoria, and Cuirpthe, resulting in her being signed to a worldwide record deal with Cloudberry Global. Her second studio album, Yeah, was released later in the year, and would mark her greater shift into mainstream pop music and would reach number one in Alriika and reach the top ten in Kustlân and Mascylla. In 2013, Kariina would make a stage debut as Juva in the the Alriikan National Theatrical production of On Wise Women. In 2015, Kariina would release her third album, Your Type. It was noted for its heavy synth beats and over the top dance pop qualities, and the songs Escape and Hijacked topping the charts in 5 countries. In 2016, Áila would perform in the television series Our Demons and perform as a voice actress for the animated series The Giver. Her fourth studio album, Vigil, was released on the 6th of July, 2019, and includes the hit singles Blurry Eyes and Whispering.

Life and career

1985-2006: Early life and career beginnings

Kariina Áila was born on November 21, 1985 in Nuortihámman, Alriika to Mikku and Linne Áila, the second of three children. She is of Alriikan and Nausikaan descent, and has an older brother, Ánton, and a younger sister, Niná. She attended Diehtosiida Bavi, a public secondary school. She pursued an early passion for theatre and performative arts, appearing in several student productions as well as one local theatre production. Both of her parents were former teachers, and she considered also going into music education, applying to a number of music-related programs in the country, though was accepted in the Alriikan Institute of the Arts for her theatrical abilities, where she was one of only 15 female students to enter the program. After graduating from the school, she took up several minimum wage jobs in the city, serving as a barista and pastry chef, writing songs for the open mic night at the coffee shop she worked at. Despite the wages, Kariina describes this time of her life as one of the happiest, saying it "gave her the inspiration and the energy to be her best."

2007-2014:In My Way and Yeah

In 2007, Kariina was encouraged and convinced to audition for a local song contest called Lávlladáistaleapmi (Song Battle) by her drama professor and finished in second place. Kariina described this moment as the best outcome, stating that at the time she "didn't feel like signing a binding contract with a corporate entity like LávlaMAXX" but appreciated "all the notoriety that came with it." She released In My Way on the coattails of the competition, catching the attention of manager Karl Lindbárdni, who signed Kariina to a management deal with Cloudberry Global that year. The single earned the title of "Song of the Summer" from various critics and topped the charts for nine weeks in many countries. It was the best-selling single of 2012 in several countries, prompting her second studio album, Yeah which saw success as well. She was considered the "Rising Star" of pop music worldwide.

2015-2017: Your Type

Kariina released one of the lead singles of her third albm, Really, in March 2015, accompanied by a music video in which Alriikan Director Ola Savlos lip-synced the song, where it topped the charts in Alriika and reached number 8 and 10 in Kustlân and Mascylla, respectively. The album, titled Your Type, became a smash hit, highlighting a shift from mainstream pop to a more mature audience and featured the hits Escape and Hijacked.

2018-present: Vigil

Her new album, Vigil, was released on the 6th of July, 2019, and includes the hit singles Blurry Eyes and Whispering. The deluxe album released a month later included the hit singles released prior Come Alive and Making Love to Myself.