Samu Aleksi Haber (born 2 April 1976) is a Finnish singer, songwriter, television music competition judge and entrepreneur. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and frontman of the rock band Sunrise Avenue. In 2022, the band went on an indefinite hiatus, allowing Haber to focus on his solo career. As a solo artist, Haber sings in both Finnish and English.
Early life Haber's father's family is from Germany, but his family has always lived in Finland. He has one sister, Sanna (born 23 January 1978) and one brother, Santtu (born 29 January 1989).
Career Sunrise Avenue Haber established the band Sunrise in 1992 with his friend Jan Hohenthal. Hohenthal left the band in 2002 as he wanted to focus on his solo career. In 2002, Haber changed the band name to Sunrise Avenue. Between 2002 and 2005, Haber visited 102 record companies and agents trying to find a label for Sunrise Avenue's music. The first album was made with financial help from Haber's friend Mikko Virtala, who sold his house to pay the studio costs.
Haber's band Sunrise Avenue released five studio albums, the first three selling more than 3 million albums and 2 million singles worldwide. Haber was Sunrise Avenue's main songwriter and he wrote all the band's songs either alone or with a producer and co-writer. The band's last international hit "Hollywood Hills" was written by Haber alone.
Collaborations, television Haber is working as co-manager for new Finnish bands and artists together with the CoMusic Management. Haber owned studio Sonic Kitchen with producers Jukka Backlund and Aku Sinivalo from 2007 to 2010.
Haber was a coach on the German talent competition The Voice of Germany in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2024. In 2020, Haber teamed up with Rea Garvey for a duo coaching team. The winners of the 2017, 2020, and 2024 seasons were members of his team, making him the winning coach for his latter three seasons.
Haber presented Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2023, Finland's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
Solo career Haber's first single "Enkelten kaupunki" (in English "City of Angels") was released in the end of 2020. Haber has also written solo songs including: "Täältä tullaan" (2021), "Sä" (2022) and "Sata vuotta sitten" (2022). Haber's first solo album Pelastetaan maailma was released on 30 September 2022.
As a solo artist, Haber visited the Finnish television program Vain elämää season 6 (2017) and season 10 (2019). Some of the songs featured in Vain elämää Haber performed with original lyrics and other songs Haber wrote to a new and updated form. He also made singles out of those songs.
Updated songs (single releases)
2017 (Vain elämää, season 6): "Hiljaisuus" orig. Irina "Joutsenlaulu" orig. Yö "Onnellinen", orig. Robin Packalen (prev. Robin) "Perjantai 13." orig. Nikke Ankara "Satuprinsessa" orig. Tiktak "Kerran" orig. Laura Voutilainen
2019 (Vain elämää, season 10): "Ikuinen vappu" orig. JVG "Hanuri" orig. Antti Tuisku "Vanha sydän" orig. Erin "Tequila" orig. Vesala "Tuulettaa" orig. Elastinen "Hyvä ihminen" orig. Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus
Personal life Haber is an ice hockey fanatic and his favourite team is Helsingfors IFK. Haber played ice hockey in until the age of 14 as defence-man attending tournaments also in Canada and the United States. Haber's other hobbies are kettle bell training and jogging.
Haber's military status is Finnish Navy Sergeant.
Discography
Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions FIN GER AUT SWI Pelastetaan maailma Released: 30 September 2022 Label: Capitol Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 1 — — 53 Me Free My Way Released: 4 October 2024 Label: Polydor Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 21 4 4 9 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Live albums + List of live albums Title Details Me Free My Way – Live from European Tour Released: 13 December 2024 Label: Polydor Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Singles As lead artist + List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album FIN "Joutsenlaulu" 2017 — Vain elämää – kausi 6(soundtrack singles) "Satuprinsessa" 19 "Onnellinen" — "Hiljaisuus" — "Perjantai 13." — "Kerran" — "Heroes" 2018 — "Hanuri" 2019 7 Vain elämää – kausi 10(soundtrack singles) "Tequila" — "Ikuinen vappu" 8 "Ei kukaan tuu sulta tuntumaan" — "Vanha sydän" — "Tuulettaa" — "Hyvä ihminen" — "Enkelten kaupunki" 2021 16 Pelastetaan maailma "Täältä tullaan" 20 "Sä" 2022 10 "Kuunnellaan vaan taivasta" — "Sata vuotta sitten" — Pelastetaan maailma "Sä et tiedä elämästä mitään" — "Hometown Gang" — The Grump: In Search of an Escort (soundtrack) "Purjeissa" 2023 10 rowspan="3" "Raketilla Aurinkoon" — "Monenmoista" — "Gimme Your Hand" 2024 — Me Free My Way "Paha päivä" — "Me Free My Way" — Me Free My Way "Dancing with a Broken Heart" — "Hideaway" — "Who Do I" — "Hollywood Heels" — "The Vehicle" — "Kauan eläköön rakkaus" 2025 — rowspan="4" "23" — "Karkki" — "Good Boy" — "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album GER AUT SWI "No Matter What They Say" 2012 54 68 — Animal Kingdom "35" 2015 — — — Kim Herold "A Hundred Years" 2016 — — — Gratitude "Tarpeeks täydellinen" — — — Elastinen Feat. "Sä saat mut palasiksi" 2019 — — — 00740 "Someone Better" 2020 30 — 3 rowspan="2" "Hollywood Hills" 2025 — — — "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Filmography Year Title Role 2022 The Grump: In Search of an Escort Otto
References
External links
Samu Haber Sunrise Avenue webpage Comusic Productions