my journey with magic
Hi! I’m Henri Kemppainen. Most people know me as a magician, but along the way I’ve also become an illusionist, entertainer and TV performer.
I first stepped in front of an audience at the age of 12, at a small village school in Hyrynsalmi, Finland. That one performance changed the direction of my life. There has been quite a lot of magic in it ever since.
In 2006, I decided to become a professional magician. At first, the gigs came from the local area, but little by little, my world grew – and so did my stage. It has now been exactly 20 years since I started making a living doing what first fascinated me as a boy: entertaining and amazing people.
From the remote corners of Kainuu, my journey has taken me to international arenas, Formula 1 races and VIP events for McLaren, among many others. Along the way, I also created my own five-part TV series, Magic in Lapland, which has since reached an international audience.
The journey has required courage, hard work, a good attitude and plenty of unexpected turns. And in the middle of it all, there has been ordinary life too – my first child, for example, was born while we were filming Magic in Lapland.
I’m still looking ahead. And strangely enough, even after 20 years, it feels like the journey is only just beginning.
And that’s the best part. I can’t wait to see what happens next.