ION INDIE MAGAZINE April 2016, Volume 23 | Page 50

Interview with

MINNA ORA
Of THE RACK DOLL

By Kat Zee
KZ: Hello, Minna, how are you today? Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview for ION Indie Magazine.
MO: Thank you for asking! I feel great today.
KZ: Now let's talk about your new album “Hot City”—which was released in 2015. Did you put a lot of effort into this album?
Can you share your favorite--or funniest--moments during the making of this album?
MO: We started working on “Hot City” in 2013, and our purpose was to make it ready in spring of 2014, but unfortunately, I
got sick with breast cancer in the autumn of 2013, so that was the reason why we could’t get “Hot City” ready earlier than last
spring. When I got sick, it was a big shock for me, but little by little, I started to record some stuff again in my own studio with
other members of the band. It was like a therapy for me to work on this album when I was going through the cancer treatment.
Every day and every moment with The Rack Doll and “Hot City” was like heaven to me! I thought I’d might die from this cancer,
and that´s why I enjoyed every moment I got with this project. And the other musicians in The Rack Doll were so nice to me,
and they understood if I said that now we have to stop and continue tomorrow. But I did it and now I am healthy again...and I
feel better than ever! I made big changes in my life--eating, exercising and mental conditioning--and that´s why I am healthy
again. And a big thanks to my great friends too!
KZ: Could you tell something more about your music career before The Rack Doll? How about your beginning with THE
ACOUSTIC LADY and singing with HURRIGANES?
MO: KARI ORA and I had a band in 1990, whose name was SUZY GANG. REMU AALTONEN--who was Hurriganes’
singer/drummer--joined us on some Hurriganes gigs, and that was the start of the collaboration with Remu. Hurriganes was
one of the most famous bands in 1970-1980 here in Finland. That was also the reason why we added some Hurriganes songs
to The Rack Dolls’ “Hot City” album. Acoustic Lady was formed after we ended with Suzy Gang in 1997. After that, we have
appeared at hundreds of gigs here in Finland with Acoustic Lady. There is only me and my husband Kari Ora--who also plays
guitar in The Rack Doll. We were in France playing some great gigs a few years ago. That was a great tour!
KZ: You are the only woman in the band. How do you get along with guys in the band?