Finland: With Aksel Kankaanranta and “Looking Back” in Rotterdam

Shortly before UMK 2020 was completed, the process through which Finland chose to participate in the 65th Eurovision Contest. The evening’s hosts were Mikko Silvennoinen and Krista Siegfrids (country representative in 2013).

The final took place at the Mediapolis multiplex in Tampere, Finland.

Unlike the previous two years, not one but six different artists competed in the Finnish national final. The result was judged by 50% by an international commission and by 50% by the Finnish public.

The 8 countries that made up the international committees were:

-Bulgaria
-Germany
-Estonia
-United Kingdom
-Spain
-Netherlands
-Russia
-Sweden

Each country had four members in its committee.

The ticket for Rotterdam tonight were claimed by 6 artists:

1. Catharina Zühlke – “Eternity“
2. Erika Vikman – “Cicciolina“
3. Aksel Kankaanranta – “Looking Back“
4. F3M – “Bananas“
5. Sansa – “Lover View“
6. Tika – “I Let My Heart Break“

Following the vote of the international committees, the result was as follows:

Aksel Kankaanranta emerged as the winner with the song “Looking Back” after the end of the poll.