Lauri Ylönen (born 23 April 1979, Helsinki) is the frontman of the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus.
Early days
Ylönen was born and grew up in Helsinki. He learned to play the piano when he was five years old, and later learned to play guitar and drums. When Ylönen was eight years old, he met Eero Heinonen (the bassist of The Rasmus) and they became close friends during the school year. Ylönen's older sister, Hanna, said that he should try to sing as well. He tried and decided to continue with that, and still remains the lead vocalist of The Rasmus.
When he and Heinonen started at Suutarila high school in the early 1990s, they met Pauli Rantasalmi and later Janne Heiskanen. Ylönen initiated the project of The Rasmus (then called just "Rasmus") in 1994, along with Eero Heinonen (bass) Pauli Rantasalmi (guitar), and Janne Heiskanen (drums). First, they called themselves Trashmosh, then Antilla, and at last Rasmus. They played their very first show before the winter break in school, 1994. They played songs with a style of rock and funk. Ylönen became the lead singer, composer and songwriter of the band. He quit school because the band took too much of his time.
In 1998, after having released three albums, Janne Heiskanen left and Aki Hakala became The Rasmus' new drummer. In the same year, the band's former manager Teja Kotilainen left their current record label, Warner Music Finland. The band signed to Playground Music Scandinavia soon
