Janika Sillamaa

Biography

Janika Sillamaa is an Estonian singer and actress. Janika already performed from a very young age, in the musical theatre Colombina, founded by her mother Kaari Sillamaa, she played lead roles in many children’s musicals. In 1993 she performed at the Roskilde Rock Festival. At that time, she was a student in the pop-jazz department of the Georg Ots Music School in Tallinn. She was chosen to represent Estonia at Eurovision 1993. The song selected for Sillamaa to perform was “Muretut meelt ja südametuld”. Unfortunately, she did not qualify at the Kvalifikacija za Millstreet semi-final round. In 1992 Sillamaa played her first adult role in a stage musical: Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar”. Having recorded a few singles as a vocalist for rock group “the Names” since 1995, Sillamaa again participated in Eurolaul in 1998 bidding to represent Estonia at Eurovision with “Viimne valge kuu”. In 2000 Janika Sillamaa commenced studies at the Higher Drama School of Estonia. Only a matter of months before her graduation, however, a red card was shown for delicate reasons, possibly. Neither of the sides, nor the commission or the drop-out herself have yet agreed to reveal on the matter. Despite the controversy over the diploma she was never awarded, Janika has since directed stage plays on a regular basis. The 2000s also mark another turn to Janika Sillamaa’s career. Several lead roles of blockbuster musicals have come on her credit, such as “Aida”, “Chess”, “Miss Saigon” and “Cats”. In 2009, she formed a rock band, Famagusta, with friends and recorded a single, Rong, which she described as an anthem for women in their 30s.