Lauri YlönenEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

Rock stars in their homeland of Finland since their first album, Peep, went Gold when they were just 16 years old, The Rasmus have built a legacy that stretches across 11 albums. Their music and engaging approach to life have won them legions of fans the world over, but it was with last years chart topping release, Weirdo, that things came full circle for the band. Weirdo was a blast back to the roots of The Rasmus, tapping into the psyche of the underdog which has been the band's hallmark throughout. Underdogs, outcasts, and perceived weirdo's themselves, The Rasmus have stood up for the underdogs their whole career, even when the band became far from that themselves. The fact their have never set foot in Australia has not been lost on them or their fans. It is something that will be remedied later this month, as The Rasmus touch down in this country for three select shows. Frontman Lauri Ylönen joined HEAVY to talk more. We start by asking if he is packed and ready to go. "No," he laughed. "I always pack like one hour before I leave, so I'm pretty used to doing that. But yeah, it's exciting. You know, the first time can always happen once. And now, after a couple of decades, we are coming over to play there, which is kind of sad that it didn't happen before. But, you know, it's happening now, and we're happy. We're going to play quite intimate shows in these rather small clubs, so I'm expecting that to be really good. We've been playing this tour with this album for three months now, and the band is in really good shap,e and we're having an incredible feeling within the band, and now hitting smaller clubs… it's gonna be really intense. And it's going to be really interesting to finally meet these fans that have been writing and contacting us on social media for years and years. It's going to be so emotional." In the full interview, Lauri spoke more about the tour and what to expect. Reflecting on the band's three-decade journey, he noted that themes of individuality and feeling like a "weirdo" remain central to their music. Lauri also mentioned the positive reception of their latest album, "Weirdo," and confirmed plans to enter the studio for new music after the tour, aiming to evolve while remaining true to their roots and more. Fri, Jan 30: The Triffid, Brisbane Sat, Jan 31: Manning Bar, Sydney Sun, Feb 1: Max Watts, Melbourne Tix: https://thephoenix.au/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support .

George Dionne interviews vocalist LAURI YLONEN of THE RASMUS about their latest album WEIRDO. The album is out now through Better Noise Music. “When we got on that stage [in Ukraine], it was pure joy. People were so happy that they had something else to think about for that one hour…the day before…there was a bombing.” - Lauri Ylonen Highlights include: -Discussion of the new album -Writing & recording with Desmond Child & Marti Frederiksen -Being labeled a weirdo -Social media’s impact on self-esteem -Stories behind the singles -Creating more than just the music -Performing at the Atlas Festival in Ukraine -Live performance plans -New guitarist Emilia Suhonen’s impact -The origins of the band’s name -And much, much more! *Photo credit Venla Shalin

Rock stars at the age of 16, Finnish warriors The Rasmus have weathered the inevitable trappings of early success to morph into one of the world's leading rock outfits. Known for their musically dark atmospheres, The Rasmus have also managed to connect on a deeper level with a plethora of music lovers who can relate to the band's genuine feelings of despair. Once labelled as outcasts, or 'weirdos' if you will, The Rasmus have always embraced their perceived differences and championed the cause of the underdog; the downtrodden. The 'weirdos'. Which is why the title of The Rasmus' new album - out on September 12 - is both confronting and comforting. Weirdo, the 11th album from The Rasmus, deals with feelings of inadequacy and discontent, reinforcing the fact that it is okay to be different. Okay to walk your own path. And okay to be on the outside. Weirdo comes after an extensive promotional lead-in, which started with the album's lead single Rest In Pieces, which debuted last October. More singles followed with Creatures Of Chaos, Break These Chains, and Love Is A Bitch, each track further exploring what is no longer a sensitive subject for vocalist Lauri Ylönen. With the album out tomorrow, HEAVY caught up with Ylönen to dive deeper into Weirdo. "I'm feeling excited," he smiled. "A little bit nervous, still, after all these years. We've been putting a lot of emotion and a lot of time into this album for the last two or three years, and it's finally going to be released. It's a bit nerve-racking to let it go. But so far it's been a really good response, and the fans have been liking the new, little heavier sound. It's a strong album." We read back an earlier quote from Ylönen, which said, "I find it comforting that our 11th album is pretty much the same message as our first album released in 1996" and ask him to elaborate. "It is maybe the main message of the band," he measured. "Just be yourself, no matter what. I think that's always been a struggle for me, but as I've grown up, I've been able to find my soulmates; people like me have come to me because it was almost like an invitation. To dress up like that, to put makeup on like that, do my hair like that, especially back in the days when there was no social media and that kind of easy access to people. You had to send messages out there, like, please find me." In the full interview, Lauri shared insights into the personal nature of the lyrics on Weirdo, including a ballad dedicated to his son, and discussed the album's overarching message of authenticity. Lauri also reflected on the band's musical evolution, comparing their discography to a diary of life experiences, and highlighted a collaboration with Lee Jennings on the title track of the new album. We spoke more about the importance placed on fitting in with society, finding your own path and surrounding yourself with positivity. Talk also turned to next year's debut tour of Australia and what to expect, and more. Order your copy of Weirdo here: https://therasmus.lnk.to/weirdoalbum Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support .

Brand new episode out now EP 187 Setting The Tone presents it’s The Rasmus special. I recently had the chance to sit down with Lauri Ylönen to discuss the bands brand new album Weirdo out on the 12 September 2025 plans for the rest of 2025 and looking behind the curtain on the career of The Rasmus Pre order Weirdo https://therasmus.lnk.to/weirdoalbum Watch the video for Love is a Bitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7JZc7CxRFg The Rasmus Online https://www.instagram.com https://www.facebook.com/therasmusofficial https://www.youtube.com/user/RasmusOfficial https://open.spotify.com/artist/76ptJV8617638xrpeoUtzl?si=VgQ3fl3NRjKEx00y0AHxSw&nd=1&dlsi=8de020a088284a0e Thank you once again to Lauri for his time and of course Valeria over the Duff press You can find this episode and previous episodes from Setting The Tone in the below links https://linktr.ee/SettingTheTone Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6Jj9SsrXxve44839dptihN https://podcasts.apple.com/.../setting-the-tone/id1499390718 Google https://podcasts.google.com/?q=setting+the+tone podbean https://Settingthetone2.podbean.com #TheRasmus #Weirdo #SettingTheTone #Podcast #Finland

Join us for an exclusive podcast episode featuring Lauri, the charismatic frontman of The Rasmus, as he delves into the creative journey behind their latest track, “Love Is A Bitch.” This electrifying song is a standout from their highly anticipated 11th studio album, “WEIRDO,” which is set to drop on 12 September. Lauri shares insights […]