Islaja or Merja Kokkonen is a singer-songwriter and musician from Helsinki, Finland. Besides her solo career, she is a member of free improv and psych folk bands Avarus, Kemialliset Ystävät, and the trio Hertta Lussu Ässä. She has been compared to Björk, Syd Barrett, and Nico. Her music is notably psychedelic and very intimate using a large variety of instruments.

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