Saara Aalto Biography: Awards, Net Worth, Song Contests, Husband, Ethnicity, Albums, Age

Saara Aalto is a Finnish singer-songwriter, voice actress, and one of the country’s most internationally recognized musical talents.

Best known for representing Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with “Monsters” (2nd place in the national selection, 25th in the grand final) and for finishing as runner-up on the UK’s The X Factor in 2018, she has built a devoted global fanbase through her powerful vocals, theatrical performances, and open advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights.

Profile

• Full Name: Saara Sofia Aalto
• Stage Name: Saara Aalto
• Born: 2, May 1987
• Age: 38 years old
• Birthplace: Oulunsalo, Oulu, Finland
• Nationality: Finnish
• Occupation: Singer-Songwriter, Voice Actress, Musical Theatre Performer
• Height: 1.63 m
• Parents: Taina Aalto and Markus Aalto
• Siblings: Suvi Aalto, Samu Aalto
• Spouse: Meri Sopanen (m. 2020)
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $4 million to $6 million

Early Life and Education

Saara Sofia Aalto was born on 2 May 1987 in Oulunsalo, now part of Oulu, northern Finland, to Taina and Markus Aalto. She grew up with an older sister, Suvi, and a younger brother, Samu, in a musical family—her mother is a music teacher and her father an art teacher.

A child prodigy, she wrote her first song at age five and studied classical piano and voice at the Sibelius Academy’s youth department from age 11. She later graduated with a music degree from Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.

She is of Finnish ethnicity and was raised in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, though she has since distanced herself from organized religion.

Career

Saara Aalto first gained national attention at age 11 when she won the Kotka Maritime Festival children’s song contest in 1998 with her self-written song.

Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s she released several independent albums in Finland and competed twice in the Finnish Eurovision selection (2011 and 2016).

Her international breakthrough came in 2016 when she finished second on The Voice of Finland, followed by representing Finland at Eurovision 2018 and then becoming the runner-up on The X Factor UK the same year under Simon Cowell’s mentorship.

The exposure launched her career in the UK and Asia, particularly in China, where she toured extensively.

Parallel to her pop career, Aalto has become Disney’s go-to Finnish singing voice for Elsa (Frozen 1 & 2, Once Upon a Snowman) and Anna in select songs.

She has also starred in Finnish musical theatre productions (Wicked, Evita) and released multiple studio albums, with her most successful being Wild Wild Wonderland (2018).

Her distinctive blend of pop, musical theatre, and cinematic vocals has earned her a loyal international following.

Saara Aalto continues to tour worldwide, record new music, and work as a voice actress while actively supporting LGBTQ+ causes.

Her journey from child prodigy to Eurovision and X Factor star has made her one of Finland’s most visible and inspiring musical exports.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @saaraaalto
• Facebook Handle: Saara Aalto
• Twitter Handle: @saaraaalto

Personal Life

Saara Aalto married her longtime partner and manager Meri Sopanen in April 2020 in an intimate ceremony that was live-streamed due to the pandemic.

The couple had been together since 2013 and got engaged in 2016. Aalto came out publicly as a lesbian in 2013 and has since become a prominent LGBTQ+ role model in Finland. She and Meri divide their time between Helsinki and London.

Discography

• Blessed with Love (2007)
• Enkeleitä – Angels (2008)
• Tonight (with Teemu Roivainen, 2013)
• Wild Wild Wonderland (2018)
• Fairytale – Joulun taikaa (2019)

Net Worth

Saara Aalto has an estimated net worth of $4 million to $6 million. Her income streams include international touring, royalties from Disney’s Frozen franchise in Finland, album and single sales, musical theatre contracts, television appearances, and brand partnerships.