MAURI DARK

Mauri Dark (b. 1978, Mauri Kosonen) is a Finnish singer-songwriter whose deep voice and acoustic baritone guitar guide the listener through atmospheric stories and darkly beautiful soundscapes. His intimate second solo album, Confessions To Strangers, is 100% pure Dark – stripped-down, human and timeless dark folk that resonates.

“Confessions To Strangers is a confessional album. I write songs from my inner world about subjects we all think about. For this album I wrote about life lessons for my daughter, love, happiness, following the heart, being a husband, childhood, the weight of memories, experiences that affect generations, death, bitterness, resilience, hope, beauty, brokenness, screen-o-holism, insomnia, the tyranny of early birds, God, spiritual loneliness, shedding my gothic skin, new beginnings, change, society’s expectations and its tendency to force us all into the same mold, and the healing power of music,” says Mauri Dark.



Confessions To Strangers (2027) follows in the footsteps of Mauri Dark’s internationally acclaimed autobiographical debut solo album, Dreams Of A Middle-Aged Man (2020). Dark’s deep, low voice and introspective lyrics are at the forefront, backed by his downtuned acoustic baritone guitar. Around them unfold sparse, cinematic soundscapes built mainly using acoustic instruments such as piano, pump organ, strings and glockenspiel, alongside electric guitar.


Mauri Dark wrote, arranged, performed, recorded and produced the album himself. As with his debut, the album was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, Amorphis, The 69 Eyes) and mastered by Vlado Meller (Metallica, Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash). The result is a warm, organic sound with a vintage feel.

Dark also explores life through the eyes of a husband and father. His life experience comes through in his music. The songs are not merely performed – they are lived through. The dark mood of the music is lightened by Dark’s characteristic sense of humor.

Dark started playing drums at the age of seven and grew up playing in bands from the age of 16. Before going solo, he made five albums and played around 200 shows with the metal duo Mystons as guitarist, vocalist and main songwriter. In total, he has made ten albums and played around 500 shows with various bands. Under his birth name, Mauri Kosonen, he is also an award-winning visual artist best known for his public art.