Tom Tikka picked up the guitar at the tender age of six after hearing Paul Anka’s “Lonely Boy” in his father’s old Chevrolet. Soon afterwards, he began writing songs. Tom’s infatuation with music only deepened after his aunt’s husband Timo “Oippa” Oinonen introduced him to the concept of lead guitar and even more importantly to the music of such legendary groups as The Beatles and The Doors.
Tikka formed almost as many groups as he disbanded in his late teens and early twenties. Yet, when he finally signed his first recording contract on his 21st birthday, it was a solo deal and not a band effort. He recorded a three-song EP for Olarin Musiikki, a small indie label in Espoo (Finland), under the alias of Tom Spark. Unfortunately, the EP disappeared as quickly as it was released. Consequently, Tikka found himself in square one, without a band or a record deal.
Disappointed, Tom withdrew from music for a few years but began writing songs again once his brother Lappe Holopainen suggested that they form a songwriting team. Lappe had founded a group he was convinced would go far and he needed tunes for his new outfit. This group was Carmen Gray.
Carmen Gray was signed to Sony/BMG in 2005 and during the next nine years, they went on to record three albums and one EP. The group’s entire catalog (including such radio hits as “Lost In My Mind Again”, “Gates Of Loneliness” & “Life Can Be Beautiful”) was penned by Tom Tikka & Lappe Holopainen.
After Carmen Gray disbanded in 2013, Tikka formed his current group The Impersonators with poet Antti Autio. In 2017, The Impersonators signed with FBP, a German label based out of Frankfurt. Together with their producer Janne Saksa, the Josie Award-nominated The Impersonators have released tunes to rave reviews, considerable amount of radio attention and chart success. “Rodeo” rose to #1 on the International iTunes charts and “Scarlett Hell” to #9.
In April 2020, Tom began working with MTS Records and has released three critically-acclaimed EPs since as well as six iTunes hit singles, “Working Class Voodoo” (#99), “Driving Me Insane” (#2), “Jaded Mind” (#4), “That’s What Winston Churchill Said” (#3), “Heart’s On Fire” (#2) & “Doormat” (#1).
In 2021, Tom Tikka won an ISSA award for International Male Emerging Artist Of The Year. He has also been awarded four Josie-Award nominations. This year, the Josie Music Awards Event will take place on September 17 & 18 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
New album “This Is My Happy Face” comes out September 17, 2021.
