Finlandia Foundation Performer of the Year: Ruut

Finlandia Foundation National proudly presents Ruut DeMeo (artist name, Ruut), a Finnish-born, multidisciplinary artist whose work as a musician, author, and educator celebrates the transformative power of creativity and cultural heritage. Known for two decades in Baltimore as the city’s beloved “piano girl,” she has released nine independent albums and performed internationally. Ruut comes from an artistic lineage: her grandfather, Aulis Sa linen, is Finland’s most celebrated living opera composer. She has built a unique and authentic body of work and is deeply influenced by Finnish oral storytelling traditions and the shamanistic worldview of her ancestors. Ruut has served for three years as president of the Finlandia Foundation Baltimore Area chapter, where she has built community through concerts and cultural programming. She also co-wrote a 2025 National Sauna Week theme song in collaboration with Ida Metsberg, FFN’s 2023 Performer of the Year. Ruut’s upcoming album, Motherland, is a musical journey into Finnish mythology and heritage, bridging past and present through song. Closely tied to her forthcoming novel, which reimagines the world and characters of the Kalevala, the project embodies her lifelong vision: that creativity is not only an act of expression, but of renewal—a way to connect, to remember, and to shape the human experience. Sunday, October 4th | 3pm | free (donations to the Finlandia Foundation will be accepted on-site) For more about Ruut, visit: ruutartist.com For information about FFN: FinlandiaFoundation.org