Mika Karhumaa

Mika Karhumaa (born 28 September 1972) is a Finnish artist manager, copyright and contract specialist in the music industry, music business management lecturer, and author. He is best known for his trilogy, The Essence of the Music Business, a methodical book series about the international music business. His latest work, The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists and Managers, was published in 2022, with a second edition released in March 2024. His recent writings focus on online presence and its relationship to artificial intelligence, a subject he continuously explores alongside his other work.
Karhumaa is the owner of Re-Member Agency, which provides strategic music business management services across a wide range of genres to meet the evolving needs of the industry. He has managed or co-managed artists such as Winterborn, Celesty, Delta Enigma, IRENE, Gentle Savage, Chronoform, Melba Culp, Annika Nord, Jennifer Porter, Jack McConnell, Rylos, and Hanna-Maaria Tuomela.
His career as a manager began with the band Base Project, and his international breakthrough came in 2005 when he was introduced to Winterborn while working at Helsinki Records. Since then, he has built a reputation for managing artists in various genres and guiding their careers to international success.
Karhumaa has a longstanding affiliation with Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, where he is actively involved in music business management education. He also lectures as a guest at various other universities, sharing his expertise widely and regularly collaborates on course planning. Additionally, he engages in international discussions and participates in the development of educational programs.
==Early life and education==
Mika Karhumaa was born on 28 September 1972 to Seppo and Terttu in Seinäjoki, Finland, where he lived until 1992. During his teenage years, he played bass guitar in several local bands and was also a baseball player and coach.
In 1995, he enrolled at the University of Turku to study law, inspired by John Grisham's The Firm. Although music remained a strong interest, he chose to pursue a legal education.
==Career==
Karhumaa began his career in 1994 as a bass guitar teacher at Turku Pop Rock Jazz School. He worked for Finn-Power intermittently from 1997 to 1999. In 2000, he founded Re-Member Agency, where he continues to work as a strategic music business manager.
His first managerial role was with the band Base Project. His career gained international recognition in 2005 when he was introduced to Winterborn while working at Helsinki Records. This marked the beginning of his journey in managing bands with a global reach. He went on to manage other prominent acts, including Celesty and Melba Culp.
He began lecturing at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in 2004 and has led music business management studies within the university's cultural manager program since 2019. Karhumaa has also been a guest lecturer at institutions such as the Sibelius Academy and Arcada University, frequently collaborating on course planning and participating in the development of educational programs.
==Books==
* 
* 
* 
* 
==Personal life==
Fluent in English, Swedish, Finnish, and Italian, Karhumaa has a keen interest in languages. He enjoys outdoor activities such as jogging, playing tennis whenever possible, and staying active in nature. His lecturing engagements take him around the world, allowing him to connect with diverse cultures. Like many Finns, he is an avid ice hockey fan, following the NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
==References==
==External links==
* Official Website
* 
* 
* 
* Mika Karhumaa on Amazon
Category:1972 births
Category:Finnish writers
Category:Finnish professors
Category:Music managers
Category:University of Turku alumni