Sound Waves and Side Projects: The Story of STEREO
When people talk about Haloo Helsinki!, they usually picture stadium-filling pop-rock anthems, massive festival stages, and the distinct vocal delivery of Elli Haloo. However, during the band’s well-deserved hiatus in 2018–2019, two of its core creative pillars decided to channel their energy into something entirely different.
Guitarists, songwriters, and long-time collaborators Leo Hakanen and Jere Marttila stepped away from standard guitar-driven arrangements to form STEREO (stylized as STEREO), a high-energy Finnish electronic dance music (EDM) and producer duo.
Breaking the Mold: From Stadium Rock to Club Beats
For Hakanen and Marttila, STEREO was born out of a long-simmering desire to experiment with electronic soundscapes, heavy bass drops, and modern club production. Having spent years writing massive pop-rock hooks, the duo wanted a sandbox where they could merge electronic dance music, dubstep elements, and rhythmic hip-hop beats with catchy Finnish toplines.
Rather than working quietly behind a mixing desk, the pair stepped into the spotlight as a dynamic DJ-producer duo, proving that their musical instincts extended far beyond traditional band formats.
An All-Star Collaborative Approach
What made STEREO’s 2019 run particularly fascinating was their collaborative spirit. Instead of sticking to a single permanent vocalist, Hakanen and Marttila treated STEREO as a revolving door for some of Finland’s most prominent musical talent. Each single featured a different guest artist, bridging the gap between electronic production and mainstream Finnish pop, rap, and rock.
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