‘Have You Heard of Kalevauva.fi Yet?’ Modern Folklore, Humour, and Gender in the Lyrics of the Finnish Folk Troubadour Duo Kalevauva.fi

Abstract

This article explores the lyrics of the Finnish folk duo Kalevauva.fi. The duo uses extracts from online forums and other social media. We argue that this method of song-writing is a prime example of modern folklore as it reflects the collective, anonymous creativity of people and is reminiscent of the compilation of the Finnish national epic Kalevala. The humour in the lyrics is used to create a sense of community and discuss taboos. It rises from incongruity, for example by mismatch between melodies and lyrical content. We relate the lyrics to internet memes, and examine stereotypical and alternative representations of Finnish men. We place Kalevauva.fi in the context of the Kalevala process as well as contemporary music making.