Keiino

KEiiNO (/ˈkeɪnoʊ/ KAY-noh, Norwegian: [kæɪˈnoː]; is a Norwegian band consisting of Sámi rapper Fred Buljo and singers Alexandra Rotan and Tom Hugo. The group was created in late 2018 in order to participate in Melodi Grand Prix 2019; they won the competition and were thus selected to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, where they finished in sixth place and first in the public vote.^[1]

KEiiNO
KEiiNO at Cologne Pride 2019 (left to right: Alexandra, Tom Hugo, Fred)
Background information
Origin	Norway
Genres	Electropop dance-pop joik Sámi folk
Years active	2018–present
Members	Tom Hugo Fred Buljo Alexandra Rotan
Website	keiino.com

Background and career

The group was established in the late summer of 2018 when Tom Hugo and his husband, Alex Olsson, began writing "Spirit in the Sky", a song inspired by historical struggles for equality. They later joined Sámi rapper and joiker Fred-René Buljo and singer Alexandra Rotan. The group name Keiino was inspired by the name of Buljo's home town Kautokeino (Northern Sami: Guovdageaidnu). The last part -geaidnu translates to the 'way' or 'road', which Buljo said "represents the road that brought us together" in an interview with TV 2.^[2] In an interview with the Kven-minority-centered media Ruijan Kaiku, Fred Buljo discussed his Kven/Finnish ancestry, and that they had worked with a Finnish producer, and thus landed on the name keino, the Kven variant of North Sami geaidnu 'way'.^[3] Alexandra Rotan explained that they each had their own career before Keiino, but it was Keiino that showed them the way to success.^[3]

As a result of winning Melodi Grand Prix 2019, the group represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "Spirit in the Sky". In the second semi-final held on 16 May 2019, they qualified to the final. At the finals, their entry received the highest points from the televoting with a total of 291 points, although combined with their lesser score from the jury groups they finished in sixth place, with 331 points. Following Eurovision, the group was appointed by the Sámi Parliament of Norway as ambassadors for the UN Year of Indigenous Languages.^[4]

On 8 May 2020, the group released their debut studio album, Okta. The album peaked at number 30 on the Norwegian chart. Okta was re-issued twice, first as a Norway-only deluxe CD in October 2021, and later as Okta (Guokte) on 24 February 2022.

On 11 January 2021, it was announced that Keiino would participate in the Melodi Grand Prix 2021 final with the pre-qualified song "Monument". The song was released at midnight on 15 January 2021 with the group's debut performance of the song during the first heat of Melodi Grand Prix 2021 on 16 January 2021. The song reached the top four in the final on 20 February 2021, eventually reaching the gold duel, but lost to Tix's "Fallen Angel".^[5]

Keiino embarked on an Australian tour in early 2022, which included performances at the Australian national final and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.^[6] During the tour, Rotan was admitted to hospital due to an infected koala scratch.^[7]

They took part in Melodi Grand Prix 2024 with the song "Damdiggida".^[8] Advancing from their semi-final, they ultimately finished in second place to Gåte's "Ulveham".^[9]

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums, with selected details

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		NOR [10]	UK Down. [11]
Okta	Released: 8 May 2020[12] Label: Hugoworld AS Formats: Physical, digital download, streaming	30	63

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected details

Title	EP details
Midnight Marina	Released: 23 June 2023 Label: Hugoworld AS Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles

As lead artist

Title	Year	Peak chart positions								Certifications	Album or EP
		NOR [13]	AUT [14]	BEL (FL) Tip [15]	IRE [16]	NLD [17]	SWE [18]	SWI [19]	UK [20]
"Spirit in the Sky"	2019	1	61	19	84	55	33	7	61	IFPI NOR: 3× Platinum[21]	Okta
"Shallow"		—	—	—	—	—	—[A]	—	—	IFPI NOR: Platinum[21]	Non-album single
"Praying"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Okta
"Vill ha dig"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Dancing in the Smoke"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Okta
"Colours"	2020	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Black Leather" (featuring Charlotte Qamaniq)		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Would I Lie" (featuring Electric Fields)		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Transarctic Lover" (with Sordal)		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Okta (Deluxe)
"A Winter's Night"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Monument"	2021	7	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	IFPI NOR: Platinum[21]	Okta (Deluxe)
"Unbreakable"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	IFPI NOR: Gold[21]
"Drivers License"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Summer of My Life"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Okta (Deluxe)
"Mellom Bakkar og Berg" (with Kautobahn)		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Addjas"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Okta (Deluxe)
"End of Time (Taste of Heaven)"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Venus"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"A New Beginning"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"On a Night Like This"	2022	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
"Mother of the Night"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Nights of Thunder"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Alt du kan se"	2023	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Midnight Marina
"The Sun Always Shines on TV"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Ritma"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Get Up"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
"Insomnia"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Damdiggida"	2024	14	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Hero, Baby"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Disco"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Say It Like That"[23]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Northern Boy"[24]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Midnight Gloria"[25]	2025	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Halo"[26]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Unstoppable"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist

Title	Year	Album or EP
"A New Beginning" (Peder Elias featuring Keiino)	2022	Love & Loneliness

Awards and nominations

Award	Year	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Spellemannprisen	2019	Song of the Year	"Spirit in the Sky"	Nominated	[27]
ESC Radio Awards		Best Group	Keiino	Won	[28]
Sami Music Awards [no]	2020	Open Class		Won	[29]
		Producer of the Year		Won

Notes

1. "Shallow" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number 12 on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.^[22]