The winner of the Seinäjoki Tango Market's 2026 composition and lyrics competition has been chosen The heart finds its wayThe tango was composed by Lappeenranta-based musician Jarno Tourunen and the lyrics were written by Kiuruveti-based songwriter and veterinarian Annika Aakkula. Tourunen will perform together with his band Kanava, and the orchestra will release its winning song on Monday, July 13, 2026.
The winning tango will be heard for the first time on Saturday, July 11, during the live television broadcast of Tangomarkkinat. The song will be performed by the 2025 Tango King Veeti Tikkanen.
This year, a total of 145 new tangos were submitted to the competition organized by Tangomarkkinat and the Association for the Promotion of Tango and Entertainment Music. The jury evaluated all the competition pieces anonymously without knowing the authors.
The jury for the competition was chaired by musician, composer and producer Petri Somer. Other judges included 2012 Tango King Pekka Mikkola, 2022 Tango Queen Heta Halonen and Yle Radio Finland Music Director Johan Lindroos. The evaluation focused on the overall composition, lyrics and production, as well as how tango renews itself over time.
According to Somer, the winning song convinced with its sensitivity and strong atmosphere.
– Sydän polkussna finds its place as a winner with its subtle touch. The recognizable intro played on the accordion takes the thoughts to the streets of Argentina, spiced up with a Finnish twist. The combination of modern beat and tango and the forward rhythm create the foundation for a timeless interpretation, Somer describes.
The winning tango will have its premiere at the final of the Tangomarkkintan song competition, which can be followed on site in Seinäjoki as well as on Yle TV1 and Yle Areena.
The human touch was highlighted in the competition
The 2026 competition was marked by a sharp increase in the number of pieces produced with the help of artificial intelligence. According to Somer, the jury made a conscious decision to promote works that strongly reflect the creators' own voice and human touch.
– The starting point was to find the most diverse set of songs that truly embody human creativity and a personal touch, Somer says.
The competition is being supported by Teosto . According to CEO Risto Salminen, the continuous renewal of Finnish tango is important for domestic music culture.
– The new songs that emerged in the competition show that tango is strongly alive in this time and is constantly finding new forms. I hope that the winning song will reach a wide range of different audiences, says Salminen.
A common ground was quickly found
22-year-old Jarno Tourunen has been studying accordion for over 15 years. He currently performs with the dance orchestra Kanava and is studying classical accordion at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Tango music has been a genre close to Touruse for a long time, so winning the competition feels particularly meaningful.
Annika Aakkula, on the other hand, is known not only as a veterinarian but also as a songwriter , whose lyrics have been performed by, among others, Annika Eklund, Heidi Pakarinen, Saija Tuupanen and Heta Halonen . Inspired by her hobby of dancing, songwriting became an important part of her life about ten years ago.
Tourunen and Aakkula met last fall when Tourunen asked Aakkula to translate lyrics for his band Kanava. The collaboration deepened early this year when Tourunen sent Aakkula new compositions to listen to. Among these was the later winner, Sydän polkunsa töötä.
According to Aakkula, the song's lyrics originated from a single sentence.
– The rhythm and atmosphere of Jarno's composition spoke to me immediately. The story of the text was built around the idea that "water seeks its own path" . The essence of the lyrics is that by listening to your heart, you find your place in life, says Aakkula.
According to Tourunen, the song combines elements of traditional and modern tango.
– The melody is intentionally quite simple, so that there is also room for the lyrics. We wanted to include a touch of Argentine atmosphere in the arrangement, he says.
The Seinäjoki Tango Market will be held from July 8 to 11, 2026. The event will culminate with the crowning of the new tango kings on Saturday evening.
Photos: Kasper Pesonen, Henna Kokkonen