Finland 1961: Laila Kinnunen

Finland joined the Eurovision Song Contest family in 1961 and was represanted by one of country's biggest stars, Laila Kinnunen also known as La Laila. Born in 1939 she spent her childhood as a war refugee in Sweden and returned to Finland only in 1949. Her career started by winning a talent show in 1955 and her first recording, a cover of Domenico Modugno's Lazzarella in 1957 was a smash hit.