The vocalist Pauliina May was born in Finland into a family where both parent had a singing career in music.   Music, art and especially television entertainment were always around and led both daughters of the family into performing arts.  Pauliina's father Erkki Pohjanheimo, is a TV director and a producer. Pauliina's sister Petriikka Pohjanheimo has graduated from the Theatre Academy of Finland and is working as a freelance actress in Finland

During her career vocalist Pauliina May has covered styles from jazz, salsa, latin-pop, pop, Argentinean tango up to Finnish lyrical and dancing music. She started her music/voice/vocal teaching studies at the Pop&Jazz Conservatory in Helsinki, Finland (1991-1996) and continued at the Rotterdams Conservatorium in Holland and graduated from it's Latin music department on 11.12.2000 with a degree 9/10. See videoclips!

Currently Pauliina May works as a vocal pedagoge at her own Pauliina May Vocal Studio.

During the years 2017-2022 Pauliina May worked as a vocal coach at the Codarts World Music Department, former Rotterdams Conservatorium specialising in teaching vocal students in Afro-Cuban music.

She speaks English, Spanish and Finnish fluently. She has a passable knowledge of Dutch, and she has studied as well with Portuguese and French.

Bachelor Degree 1986, Munkkivuori High school, Helsinki, Finland
Flamenco, Anneli Uronen Flamenco school, Helsinki, Finland
La Nueva Universidad De Granada, Spain; Spanish, Spanish Literature, culture & music/1988-1989
Flamenco, Escuela de Mariquilla, Granada, Spain 1988-1989
Pop/Jazz Conservatory Helsinki, Finland; Vocal training; Jazz/ teacher education in vocals during 1991-1996
Rotterdam's Conservatorium, Holland, Latin Department; 1996-2000. Vocal training & teaching, Afro Cuban music, Brazilian music and Jazz. Diploma 11.12.2000.
Study trip to Cuba, Conservatory of Santiago de Cuba, -98.

Pauliina May wins the second prize of the "Erasmus Jazz Prijs 2001" Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Pauliina May wins the second price of a jazz competition: Lady Summertime, Finland, 1993

TV In Finland, during 1990-96:
TV 1; Kapellimestarin Vieraat, solo vocalist
TV 1; Viikon musiikkivieras: Jazztiikerit
TV 1; Hei Mambo: with different salsa bands in Finland
TV 1; Sinun Tähtesi, Own Concert with Finnish lyrical music
MTV3; Levyraati,  HDTV program; Jazztiikerit

TV In Holland:
NPS; Het Klokhuis, about salsa music,
with Son Caribe -98
VPRO: Pakhuis, together with a percussionist Martin Verdonk 3.9.2001
In Curaçao: Azucaraba presentation -98.

RADIO:
Pauliina May has appeared in Finnish radio stations various times since her childhood.

In Holland Tros Sesjun (radio4, live)  with Azucaraba, March, 1999
In Holland Radio West, live concert of La Banda IrÉ from Den Haag, December, 2000

In Romania, Radio Romania (Societatea Romana de Radiodifuziune), as soloist of Radio Romania Big Band.
Broadcasted live 18.2.2006 (EBU).
See photogallery!
   

El Septeto de Finlandia

Pauliina May performed together with Izak Boom to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and President Ahtisaari.

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix thanking Pauliina May and Izak Boom for their performance. 13.3.2008 Photo © Arie Wapenaar, NL

AT THE NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL:
Pauliina played successfully together with her band Pauliina Y La Banda IrÉ at the famous North Sea Jazz Festival on July, 1999.


BIG BANDS:

INVITED GUEST VOCALIST WITH RADIO ROMANIA BIG BAND:
Directed by Jere Laukkanen.
EBU-concert in Bucharest on February 2006 (Societatea Romana de Radiodifuziune).
Broadcasted live 18.2.2006 (EBU-European Broadcasting Union).
See photogallery!

Radio Romania Big Band featuring Pauliina May, January, 2007

She was re-invited to perform with the Romanian Radio BB on January, 2007. The concert was broadcasted on the EBU-Euroradio satellite network to 21 countries.

INVITED GUEST VOCALIST WITH ESTONIAN DREAM BIG BAND:
Estonian Dream BB, Pauliina May performed as a guest vocalist with Estonian Dream Big Band in Tallinn on 21.6.2001 to over seven hundred guests.

INVITED GUEST VOCALIST WITH UMO BIG BAND:
UMO Jazz Orchestra BB, Pauliina May performed with UMO directed by Jere Laukkanen a succesful Afro-Cuban Concert on January 2002 

Pop/Jazz Conservatory Big Band,
Rotterdams Conservatory Big Band 
Settlemen Big Band



JAZZ:
Jazztiikerit, Pauliina's Bounce, Pauliina May Jazz Quintet

SALSA/SON IN FINLAND:
BlancoNegro, Con Sabor, El Septeto, Fiestecita, Grupo Aché, Sami y Su Conjunto, Los Gigantes, Salsa Caliente, Son Sabroson performing in Clubs, Festivals, and Helsinki Winter Carnaval - where she worked every year with different orchestras during 91-96.

SALSA/SON IN HOLLAND:
Azucaraba, Corazon Ardiente, Latin Feeling, Pauliina y La Banda IrÉ, Son Caribe, Salsa Masters Saoco in Dubrovnic!
In addition to this, she has performed as a guest vocalist with Lucas van Merwijk Cubop City BB, Rumbatá, Saoco,  Perfume de Salsa, Titia y su Rumbadamas.
Pauliina May is the lead singer of New Latin Sound.

ARGENTINEAN TANGO:
Rotterdam's Conservatoriums Grand Tango Orchestra, Otra
Tango Quintet: Locura Tanguera
Tango Extremo featuring Pauliina May
Listen to new demos



WORLD MUSIC:
Aina, a Finnish-Dutch project with texts of poet Eino Leino, Kalevala and Kanteletar
Bayuba Cante, AfroCuban Yoruba Music mixed with elements from Flamenco & Indian Music.



WITH FINNISH DANCING MUSIC:
Click here

OTHER PROJECTS:


"Let's Mambo" Show:
Pauliina May performed during the spring 2000
with a show "Let's Mambo" on Viking Line Cruising Boat
between Stockholm and Helsinki.

Produced by Ilkka "Danny" Lipsanen
   

CARIBBEAN TOUR:
A tour Together with a Salsa Band Azucaraba
in The Antillian Islands, May 1998; St.Maarten, Curaçao, Bonaire and Aruba, playing seven successful concerts during two weeks.
On that tour she also appeared in Curaçao radio and television.

NORTHERN TOUR:
Together with a son group El Septeto she was touring in Sweden and Norway in summer -93.