Markoolio

Biography

Marko Kristian Lehtosalo (born 1 January 1975), better known as Markoolio, is a Swedish-Finnish singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, and comedian. His stage name Markoolio is a portmanteau of his first name Marko and the stage name of the American rapper Coolio.

Biography

Lehtosalo was born in Lahti, Finland. When Lehtosalo was six months old, his family migrated from Finland to Sweden where he grew up completing primary and secondary school in the small Stockholm suburb of Orminge. Following the completion of his compulsory military service as a coastal ranger sniper in Ekenäs, Finland, he returned to Sweden. There, he was allegedly discovered by producers when rapping on a commuter train in Stockholm; however, this story has been revealed to be a fabrication.
Markoolio is known in particular for his humorous songs dealing with partying, drinking, and girls such as "Sommar och sol×Sommar och sol1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Sommar och sol (radio version)3:142Sommar och sol (Hip hop mix)4:093Sommar och sol (lång version)4:09" ("Summer and sun"), "Vi drar till fjällen×Vi drar till fjällen1 March 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Vi drar till fjällen3:48224:e december7:28" ("We're headin' for the mountains") and "Sola och bada i Piña Colada×Sola och bada i Piña Colada1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Intro0:312Sola och bada i Piña Colada (Radio Mix)3:393Sola och bada i Piña Colada (Tio Piña Coladas Senare Remix)8:49" ("Sunbathing and swimming in Piña Colada"); his songs mocking contemporary life and phenomena such as "Åka pendeltåg×Åka pendeltåg1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Åka pendeltåg (radio version)2:432Åka pendeltåg (schnellzug fahren remix)3:303Åka pendeltåg (evolution remix)3:524Bira låten3:53" ("Riding the commuter train") and "Värsta schlagern" ("The goddam' Schlager [song]"); and songs relating to his native Finland such as "Drömmen om Finland×Drömmen Om Finland1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Drömmen Om Finland (Radio Version)3:362Drömmen Om Finland (Lång Version)4:293Balladen Om Finland3:294Drömmen Om Finland (Instrumental)3:34" (The dream of Finland) and "Jag orkar inte mer" (I can't take it anymore).
Markoolio has released nine studio albums, hosted and participated in numerous television and radio programs, and won several prizes and awards such as Male Artist of the Year at the Swedish Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2007. He is also the owner of a nightclub and the board member of British company Netgames Holdings which he reportedly owns 3.3 percent of. Markoolio was one of the hosts for Talang on TV4 in 2009. He also played the titular character of Doktor Mugg and starred as Tyke Mörbult in Hem till Midgård. Markoolio was formerly a contestant on Let's Dance 2013, a contest he subsequently won, dancing with Cecilia Ehrling.
On 19 November 2013, Markoolio tried to disrupt the sleep of the Portugal national football team ahead of the second leg of their World Cup play-off with Sweden. He started a "private concert" at 7:15 a.m. in front of the Portuguese team's hotel.