Mustik Motel is thrilled to welcome Viive to our artist roster! These talented artists have been crafting an imaginary soundtrack for a non-existent movie, and we can’t wait to share their debut album with the world soon! Below our announcement, the band introduces themselves.

“Viive” is a collaborative project between keyboardist/vocalist Riikka Suutari and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Antti Niiranen. The idea for this jazz collaboration began in 2021 and has been evolving ever since.

The duo got to know each other 10 years ago while studying at the same high school in Ii, Northern Ostrobothnia. Through the years, their deep friendship has allowed them to freely explore rhythms and sounds without a predetermined goal, ultimately leading to a joint creation.

From playing indie cover songs in a small town to exploring the tickling sensations of jazz, the duo has had time to find a shared vision and sound, which eventually led to “Viive”.

“We would describe ourselves as storytellers, using soundscapes to convey different narratives. Our music blends 21st-century jazz with influences from Neo-soul, contemporary jazz, and Finnish progressive weirdness.”

-Riikka & Antti

While working on the first collaborative album, in 2023 Antti released his solo debut EP, “Kielletty Puutarha” under the artist name “Anastus”, followed by a collaborative single with Riikka (“Usva Emilia”) called “Näkyjä”.

“Looking back, I think the solo EP release was a necessary step towards our Viive debut. After working on our album so closely and for so long, taking some time away from the project helped me return to it with a fresh perspective and full of energy. Now I’m really happy how our debut album turned out.”

-Antti