From darkness to light - Jenny Räisänen releases her second album "The Sun Between The Shadows"

- February 28, 2025

Jenny Raisanen The Sun Between the Shadows

Jenny Räisänen (Photo credit: Juhani Konttinen)

Do you ever feel like the weight of what is happening in the world is too much to carry? Do you ever find yourself questioning about where humanity is lead? Do you ever see the seeds of injustice and suffering growing around you? I bet your answer is yes. Sometimes these feelings can be crushing, but if we look more carefully we still can spot the glimpses of light - sometimes small, sometimes bigger - among the darkness. This is the message of "The Light Between The Shadows", the second album by Jenny Räisänen, a Finnish singer-songwriter living in Ireland. This excellent 10-track album drives listeners in a deep journey into feelings of sadness, melancholy and isolation of individual and societal challenges, while providing heartfelt messages of hope and light at the end. Jenny has been able to musically convey inner emotions that sometimes it's difficult to describe, while inducing goosebumps in the listeners with wonderful instrumentals and stunning vocals and harmonies.

While Jenny's first solo album was folk-pop, in her second album she began to experiment more boldly with electronic sounds and let her inspiration and creativity shape the sonic vibes of each song. The result is cinematic indie pop, combining organic and electronic sounds. The album features various genres that Jenny has been able to combine in a unique way, while preserving a common denominator. "Stand up for the weaker and fight against injustice in the world" is the statement that is the driving force to search for the sun between the shadows and defines the musical expression of the album. Her sound is mostly dark and melancholic, but features also her desire to convey hope and empowerment to the listeners, providing a must-listen sonic experience.

The album starts with the darker side, an almost "end of the world" vibe. The first song "Underneath", bring us to a time when humanity have destroyed almost everything. The only place where still is life is underground, but no one is safe even there. I especially love the electronic beats and the masterful use of her voice. "What I've Done" takes listeners to the dark side of the human brain. That crushing feeling that haunts us when we realize what we’ve done. There’s sadness and melancholy, but also the possibility of change, underlined by the musical change from the previous song. Then Jenny goes back in time and tell stories and flashes from situations that have been along the way before "the end". "I Don't Have A Clue" is a driving rock song about the feeling of longing and the uncertainty of whether the object of longing even exists, featuring again a sudden music change that makes it danceable. "In A Vacuum", an emotional song about feeling isolation and desire to connect with others, features a stunning piano melody and a captivating rhythm. The next songs "The Rain Is Not Far" and "Sorry" explore the individual challenges between uncertainty and domestic violence, with haunting sounds and harmonies, while the song "Breathe" reminds us that sometimes the most important thing is just breathing. Its calm and soft tempo creates a soothing and safe atmosphere to overcome heavy feelings. "The Past Doesn't Exist Anymore" is an ode to women who don't let themselves be brought down. It's empowering women all over the world to stay fearless and to stand up and overcome challenges, while giving hope and helping strengthen self-confidence. "The Spark" is an uplifting and groovy song glorifies friendship and the people who help us through the dark moments. This is the happiest and most positive song on the album, followed by "Wonder", that reminds us to remember all the little things in the world that make life beautiful, featuring excellent strings.

A strong element that has remained is the emotional expression and reflective approach to the lyrics that Jenny's music is known for. She sings all the vocal parts and plays the keyboards and electronic soundscapes, while working closely with Juhani Konttinen, responsible for the guitars and the mix, and Eilidh Pope, who plays the violin in two songs.

Jenny Räisänen performed in bands and groups in Finland for around 20 years before moving to Ireland, where she began writing music in English and embarked on a solo career. Her solo indie folk pop debut album "Tell Me The Story Again" was released in November 2023. Jenny has completed a bachelor's degree in music pedagogy (2019) and has been teaching students of all ages for 10 years. In Fall 2022, she graduated with First Class Honors with an MA in Songwriting from the University of Limerick, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. Jenny also teaches voice at the Academy.

Jenny's YouTube Channel has had a remarkable growth in the last year, going from zero to 6.6k subscribers and receiving 56k views for her music videos. One of the most successful videos is Breathe, which was released on August 23rd and has since received around 10k views and 1.8k likes.

Connect with her through the links below!