Irmeli Mäkelä-Liikanen, known as Irmeli Mäkelä, passed away on March 15. Her husband, Johannes Liikanen, confirmed her death to Yle, stating that she succumbed to a long-term illness in Kotka. Born in 1942 in Kotka, Mäkelä began her singing career at the age of 15 when she participated in a local singing competition. Her talent quickly gained national attention, leading her to perform as a soloist with various orchestras.

Mäkelä's big break came after she successfully auditioned for a Helsinki-based record label, resulting in a recording contract under her artist name, Irmeli Mäkelä. She became famous for her hits such as "Virran viemää," "Liian vähän aikaa," and "Sä oot mun tangoystäväin." Her contributions to Finnish music extended beyond recording; she also starred in the film "Iskelmäkeiju," which featured performances of well-known artists of the time.

In 1963, she participated in the Finnish preliminaries for the Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Muistojeni laulu". Although she won the preliminaries, Yleisradio ultimately decided to send another artist to compete in Eurovision. Mäkelä's legacy in Finnish pop music remains significant, marking her as an iconic figure in the entertainment industry during her lifetime.