Finja Kejo Is Soundtracking the Chaos of Growing Up in a World That’s Falling Apart

Finja Kejo is 23 and already sounds like she’s lived a dozen different lives. The Bern-based artist has been in bands, played shows all over Switzerland, taught herself production and instruments and now? She’s dropped one of the most exciting debut EPs to come out of the Swiss alt-pop scene in a while.

Back when she was 17 she started her first band KEO—writing songs, singing lead and playing keys. Since then she’s lent her voice and pen to Alva Leaves and Teenage Songbook, racking up around 50 gigs and carving out a place in the country’s underground scene.

Now she’s solo—and it hits different.

In January 2025 Finja released 5, a 12-minute coming-of-age EP that feels like reading someone’s diary in slow motion. It’s experimental pop stitched together with R&B textures, off-kilter samples and layers of her own voice warped into something haunting and beautiful. It’s about jealousy that makes no sense. Advice from a friend that sticks. The weird balance of being sad and happy at the same time. It’s honest and strange and totally hers.

And yeah—she did it all herself.

She’s currently studying Sound Arts and picked up guitar, bass and production on her own so she could create exactly what she hears in her head. That need for creative control is clear in every second of 5. It’s lo-fi but intentional. Polished but personal. You can hear the hours of layering. You can feel the thought behind every sonic choice.

Her musical roots run deep too. Finja’s first piano teacher was visually impaired and taught her to understand music through pure listening—not just reading notes. That early experience shows. Her music isn’t over-explained. It’s felt.

Her influences span Saya Gray Frank Ocean Dijon Mk.Gee—the kind of artists who live in their own sonic space. Finja’s doing the same. It’s alternative. It’s textured. It’s raw in the right places and smooth in others. She’s not trying to fit into any mold—and that’s exactly what makes her stand out.

Finja Kejo is making music for people figuring it out in real time. If 5 is the intro, we can’t wait to see where she goes next...