Finland 2022: UMK 2022 returns next February, artists to be revealed on January 12

Finnish broadcaster Yle announced the return of UMK to select their Eurovision representative for Turin.

UMK will take place in the city of Turku on February 26, 2022.  During the night, the Finnish audience will decide together with an international jury who will succeed Blind Channel.

For next year’s Finnish national final Yle received 312 entries with more than 1000 songwriters taking part in the process.  According to the public broadcaster, after the huge success of Blind Channel.  However, only seven songs will make it to the final.

The selection process will be very competitive with a variety of acts reveals Ylex head of music Tapio Hakanen.

The artist lineup chosen for this year’s UMK contest is the most extensive ever. The entrants include emerging pop-stars who have been successful on streaming services, promising international export talent, an artist known to all Finns, including an artist who has appeared on a very well known music programme, a long-standing favourite whose career stretches from the 80s to today, and new names who enjoy high praise from the music industry. There was a clear increase in the number of rock band entrants, and we will see explosive rock energy also in the final. Now, viewers can finally experience the excitement of UMK also in a live event.

For the 2022 national selection UMK will return to a live event format.  In 2021, due to health concerns the Finnish national final was a televised only event.

Yle will reveal the name of the contestants on wednesday January 12.  After that each song will be revealed one every day starting from January 13.

Blind Channel represented Finland in Rotterdam for the Eurovision Song Contest.  Their song Dark Side ended in sixth place in the final, Finnish best result since their Eurovision victory in 2006.  After their success Dark Side became one of the most streamed Finnish songs of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOPGxQ4fgVw&ab_channel=EurovisionSongContest