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Finland: Listen to the seventh and last song of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has released the seventh and last song competing in UMK 2023, the finnish national final for Eurovision 2023.

The song is titled “Samaa taivasta katsotaan” by Portion Boys and you can listen to it below:

The official Eurovision site presents Portion Boys as follows:

One of Finland’s most popular party bands, Portion Boys, have been doing their thing for over a decade. With its positivity and sincerity, the band has blazed a trail to become one of the currently most listened-to bands in Finland. The 2021 megahit Vauhti kiihtyy was a turning point, bringing the group to a whole new level. Even though the group has never released a single album, Portion Boys have put out hit after hit, such as Kyläbaari, Karjala takas and, together with former UMK runner-up Teflon Brothers, Nautin elämästä.

Portion Boys are Kenraali Vahva, El Meissel, A.P. Vuori (who joined the group in 2021 as a singer), JaloTiina and Taitelija Nieminen. The band was formed in 2010 during a ‘legendary night in Tampere’. Within a day, they came up with the idea, the first song, the first music video and the band name, which has a reference to Swedish foods. Since 2010, Portion Boys has written and released songs and built a fanbase through hard, grassroots work. And, interacting with the audience as equals is one of their biggest strengths.

The idea to enter UMK has been on the Portion Boys’ radar for several years, and now was the right time to do it. The band feels like they have everything in place and nothing to lose – just a lot to give.

The message behind their UMK entry Samaa Taivasta Katsotaan is meaningful to the band: each and every one of us matters.

The UMK jury had the following to say about Portion Boys and their song: 

“With a career spanning over a decade under its belt, Portion Boys is currently one of Finland’s hottest groups. It’s great to see the band in UMK, bringing its own, unique style to the contest. Samaa taivasta katsotaan celebrates Europe’s diversity in its own playful way and it represents the value of tolerance that Eurovision promotes, something we all need more of in this day and age. The song is an unforgettable earworm, positively brimming with laser drums, energy and musical hooks. The band’s incredible live energy really comes out in the song – underneath its hard-charging beat is a beautiful composition. This could be one of Finland’s most-streamed songs in 2023.”

The competing artists/songs of UMK 2023 have now all been officially released. We remind you that they were all released in different dates, in the following order:

  • Thu, 12 January Keira – No Business On The Dancefloor
  • Fri, 13 January Benjamin – Hoida mut
  • Mon, 16 January Robin Packalen – Girls Like You
  • Tue, 17 January Lxandra – Something To Lose
  • Wed, 18 January Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
  • Thu, 19 January KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
  • Fri, 20 January Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 25 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding UMK and the finnish representative for Eurovision 2023!

Finland: Listen to the sixth and penultimate song of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has released the sixth and penultimate song competing in UMK 2023, the finnish national final for Eurovision 2023.

The song is titled “Ylivoimainen” by KUUMAA and you can listen to it below:

The official Eurovision site presents KUUMAA as follows:

KUUMAA is a fast-rising trio, whose core is catchy tunes and emotions on a grand scale, not to mention the steadfast friendship between the band members. The band’s self-titled debut album KUUMAA was released in 2019. 2022 turned out to be a turning point for the band, whose popularity grew when it took streaming services, radio waves and stages by storm with its hits, including Tulipalo and Oo vielä sekunnin mun.

KUUMAA is formed of singer Johannes Brotherus, drummer Jonttu Luhtavaara and bassist Aarni Soivio. The band got its start in 2016, when the friends wanted to form their own Finnish pop group. Since then, the band has built their career for the long haul. The pandemic years brought them closer to each other, with the members starting to produce even more music together.

‘For us, the band is, above all, a group of friends. We’re united by our ambition. This should be taken seriously, but not too seriously’, says Johannes.

The band’s UMK song Ylivoimainen is a hard-charging pop tune that brings a universal, infectious energy.

The UMK jury had the following to say about the trio and their song:

“KUUMAA sets the tone for how a Finnish band should sound in 2023: it is charismatic, cutting edge and has the ability to make big songs for streaming services and radio, alike. The band’s frontman Johannes Brotherus is charming and the band’s performance at UMK will bring it to a whole new level on its already skyrocketing trajectory. Ylivoimainen is a harder-charging version of KUUMAA that is sure to rock the stage at Logomo and on Finnish television come February.”

We remind you that the competing artists/songs of UMK 2023 are being revealed in different dates in the following order:

  • Thu, 12 January Keira – No Business On The Dancefloor
  • Fri, 13 January Benjamin – Hoida mut
  • Mon, 16 January Robin Packalen – Girls Like You
  • Tue, 17 January Lxandra – Something To Lose
  • Wed, 18 January Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
  • Thu, 19 January KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
  • Fri, 20 January Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 25 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding UMK and the finnish representative for Eurovision 2023!

Finland: Listen to the fifth song of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has released the fifth song competing in UMK 2023, the finnish national final for Eurovision 2023.

The song is titled “Cha Cha Cha” by Käärijä and you can listen to it below:

The official Eurovision site presents Käärijä as follows:

Käärijä is an artist who is almost impossible to define. Unabashed and unpredictable, Käärijä loves to break boundaries, follow his own beat and explore new things. Käärijä’s debut album Fantastista was released in 2020. The artist’s music takes on a whole new dimension live – indeed, Käärijä’s unfettered live performances are what he’s known for.

Käärijä’s passion for music started with drumming. In grade school he began taking drum lessons, but when he started middle school his interest turned to rap: Käärijä started to practice his freestyling during English classes.

His debut single Urheilujätkä was released in 2016 and since that time Käärijä has done his own thing. Käärijä hates being confined to a specific genre, preferring to combine elements from, among others, rap, metal and electronic music. His lyrics deal with everyday things, the passage from youth to the threshold of adulthood, from house parties to after-parties.

Käärijä has watched Eurovision since he was a little boy, with Verka Serduchka’s Dancing Lasha Tumbai being an especially memorable performance. He has also been interested in UMK for several years. This year, he was 150% sure that he would be submitting an entry, because when Cha Cha Cha came along, Käärijä knew the time was right.

‘Finland is a party country, a heavy metal country and a pop country – this song brings all of those together,’ he says.

The UMK jury had the following to say about Käärijä and his song: 

“Will this become the afterski hit of Finland for the spring of 2023? In his song Cha Cha Cha, Käärijä combines rap, electronic, rock and pop in a unique way. The end result is truly one-of-a-kind, but also very approachable, like the artist himself. The song’s hook is one that grabs you on the very first listen, and we can say with confidence that this is the hardest rap banger in the history of UMK. At UMK and Eurovision, there is always room for something off the wall, which this song so perfectly offers.”

We remind you that the competing artists/songs of UMK 2023 are being revealed in different dates in the following order:

  • Thu, 12 January Keira – No Business On The Dancefloor
  • Fri, 13 January Benjamin – Hoida mut
  • Mon, 16 January Robin Packalen – Girls Like You
  • Tue, 17 January Lxandra – Something To Lose
  • Wed, 18 January Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
  • Thu, 19 January KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
  • Fri, 20 January Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 25 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding UMK and the finnish representative for Eurovision 2023!

Finland: Listen to the fourth song of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has released the fourth song competing in UMK 2023, the finnish national final for Eurovision 2023.

The song is titled “Something To Lose” by Lxandra and you can listen to it below:

The official Eurovision site presents Lxandra as follows:

With her magnificent voice, Lxandra (aka Alexandra Lehti) is a magical interpreter and internationally successful artist, who won the prestigious Music Moves Europe Talent Award in 2019. Lxandra, who released her debut album Careful What I Dream Of in 2021, strives for timelessness with her music.

Lxandra’s creativity and passion for storytelling took root in her childhood home at Suomenlinna. When she was 19, Lxandra moved to Berlin to work with top music industry players, gaining quite a global following as an artist since her first singles. Filled with a strong narrative style and sensitivity, Lxandra’s music has also been heard in American films and television series.

Lxandra believes that it is crucial for an artist to evoke an emotional response in people with their music.

‘I want to create universal music that is personal at the same time. Dark, but still full of colour. I strive for emotionality and connection,’ explains Lxandra.

The idea to enter her ballad Something to Lose to UMK came from the jet lag she had after a trip to Los Angeles in April 2022.

‘There had been talk of entering UMK for quite some time, but it wasn’t until just that moment that I realised this song could be the right one,’ Laxandra says.

The UMK jury had the following to say about Lxandra and her song: 

“For years Lxandra has been one of Finland’s most promising export talents, making a career for herself out in the world. Now, she brings her exquisite ballad Something To Lose to UMK. The song is all at once tender and personal, dramatic and epic. Lxandra is a top-notch live performer, who has touched audiences in Finland and abroad, even bringing them to tears. The song will definitely rise to new heights when performed live. Lxandra is also known as a versatile audio-visual artist, so we are very interested to see what kind of world she will build around the song.”

We remind you that the competing artists/songs of UMK 2023 are being revealed in different dates in the following order:

  • Thu, 12 January Keira – No Business On The Dancefloor
  • Fri, 13 January Benjamin – Hoida mut
  • Mon, 16 January Robin Packalen – Girls Like You
  • Tue, 17 January Lxandra – Something To Lose
  • Wed, 18 January Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
  • Thu, 19 January KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
  • Fri, 20 January Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 25 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding UMK and the finnish representative for Eurovision 2023!

Finland: Listen to the third song of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has released the third song competing in UMK 2023, the finnish national final for Eurovision 2023.

The song is titled “Girls Like You” by Robin Packalen and you can listen to it below:

The official Eurovision site presents Robin as follows:

One of Finland’s most popular pop artists, the beloved Robin Packalen has long wanted to enter UMK. Now, the time has finally come. Robin, who got his start as a child star, is ready to conquer Europe with his energy and authenticity.

Robin Packalen’s first single was released in 2012, when he was just 13. It was an immediate hit, and Robin became a superstar. According to Packalen, the good thing about performing at a young age is that you aren’t afraid of anything and you have plenty of energy. The flipside is the fact that you have to grow up very fast.

In recent years, Packalen has been releasing songs in English. When making music, he relies on his instincts. Outside his music career, the extroverted Packalen enjoys extreme sports and socialising as much as he can.

Now was the right time for him to enter UMK. Many people have been wanting to see Robin in the contest and, even though he had been considering it for years, he feels that he is only just now ready for it.

‘And, this song is so good that the whole world should hear it,’ says Robin.

The UMK jury had the following to say about Robin:

“It’s so good to have one of Finland’s most successful pop stars of all time competing in the Contest for New Music UMK! Girls Like You is precisely the kind of music Robin Packalen wants to make: groovy, catchy and feelgood pop performed in English, which suits UMK to a T. Even though the song has clear Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake influences, Robin makes his own mark with his familiar vocal style. Written in Los Angeles, the song is like a sunny day squeezed into a three-minute audio file.”

We remind you that the competing artists/songs of UMK 2023 are being revealed in different dates in the following order:

  • Thu, 12 January Keira – No Business On The Dancefloor
  • Fri, 13 January Benjamin – Hoida mut
  • Mon, 16 January Robin Packalen – Girls Like You
  • Tue, 17 January Lxandra – Something To Lose
  • Wed, 18 January Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
  • Thu, 19 January KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
  • Fri, 20 January Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 25 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding UMK and the finnish representative for Eurovision 2023!

Finland: Listen to the second song of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has released the second song competing in UMK 2023, the finnish national final for Eurovision 2023.

The song is titled “Hoida mut” by Benjamin and you can listen to it below:

The official Eurovision site presents Benjamin as follows:

The bold, charismatic Benjamin was born for Eurovision. Making a name for himself through social media in 2012, Benjamin has an extraordinary career tale to tell. Benjamin’s international music career was launched in 2014, when his English-language debut single Underdogs climbed to the top of the single and radio charts in, for example, Spain.

In 2018, Benjamin changed his singing language to Finnish, and his debut single Naarmuja shot straight to the top of the Finnish single chart. Looking back on Benjamin’s Instagram celebrity in his younger days, his debut album Someveteraani was released in 2020.

Benjamin tells of his long search for himself as an artist, eventually figuring out that the best version is, after all, just being himself. Everything culminated in the song GAY, which is based on Finnish pop icon Maija Vilkkumaa’s classic song Ei. GAY became the Pride anthem for the summer of 2022. Last autumn Benjamin demonstrated his ambition and creativity by winning the Finnish Dancing With The Stars competition.

For Benjamin, who grew up with Eurovision, Hoida Mut is an important song, as it deals with an important moment in one’s life and also bends conventional notions regarding gender. A man doesn’t always have to be the alpha – even a big, strong man can sing about surrendering to someone.

The UMK jury had the following to say about Benjamin and his song: 

“Fast-riser Benjamin’s UMK song entry Hoida Mut brings an explosive energy, a contemporary sound that draws from 80s pop, not to mention a truly hit-making chorus. The production brings to mind the driving 80s-style beat used by Ava Max, The Weeknd and Dua Lipa in recent years. The song has a hot and sexy feel from start to finish, and we’re really looking forward to seeing how Benjamin, with his charisma and stunning dance moves, will bring it to life in the music video and stage performance.”

We remind you that the competing artists/songs of UMK 2023 are being revealed in different dates in the following order:

  • Thu, 12 January Keira – No Business On The Dancefloor
  • Fri, 13 January Benjamin – Hoida mut
  • Mon, 16 January Robin Packalen – Girls Like You
  • Tue, 17 January Lxandra – Something To Lose
  • Wed, 18 January Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
  • Thu, 19 January KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
  • Fri, 20 January Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 25 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding UMK and the finnish representative for Eurovision 2023!

Finland: These are the contestants of UMK 2023!

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The finnish broadcaster YLE has just made public the seven contestants of UMK 2023, the national final through which the country will be choosing its entry for Eurovision 2023.

The contestants

363 songs were sent to the broadcaster in order to claim the finnish representation in Liverpool. The chosen seven are the following:

  • Keira — “Only Business On The Dancefloor” (Thursday 12 January)
  • Benjamin — “Hoida Mut” (Friday 13 January)
  • Robin Packalen — “Girls Like You” (Monday 16 January)
  • Lxandra — “Something To Lose” (Tuesday 17 January)
  • Käärijä — “Cha Cha Cha” (Wednesday 18 January)
  • Kuumaa — “Ylivoimainen” (Thursday 19 January)
  • Portion boys — “Samaa Taivasta Katsotaan” (Friday 20 January)

Following last year’s release process, the songs will each be released on different days, from 12 to 20 January.

UMK 2023 will take place on the 25th of February and will be held in Logomo, Turku for the second year in a row.

The Rasmus were last year’s UMK winners, going on to represent Finland in Eurovision 2022, where they finished in 21st place in the Grand Final.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding the finnish participation in Eurovision 2023!

Finland: Listen to the first snippets from UMK 2023!

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The Official Instagram account for UMK has published a short snippet of the songs that will compete on Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2023 to represent Finland in Eurovision.

In a short video to celebrate Christmas, UMK host Samu Haber shared with us the quick snippets.  Although this is a very small teasing fans can have a little taste of the upcoming season!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UMK23 (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

Starting on January 12 until January 20 we will get to know each song competing on UMK 2023, one song every day.  The name of the artists will be announced on January 11.

The Rasmus represented Finland in Eurovision 2022.  The popular rock band ended in 21st place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSi9nfr65FE

Are you excited about next year UMK?  Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for more news about Finland in Eurovision!

Finland: Submissions for UMK 2023 have officially opened!

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With the official Eurovision season starting today, September 1st, Finland announces the opening of song submissions for its national final UMK, which will be used again in 2023 to determine the Finnish entry in our beloved contest.

Finland’s broadcaster Yle, in particular, has published the following submission rules:

  • Song demos (which must not have been previously released) must be sent to Yle between September 1st and 5th
  • A singer can send up to three entries, but only one will be considered for participation in the national final
  • Any other members of a participating singer’s team/band, such as composers, songwriters, can participate with multiple artists
  • At least one songwriter and one singer must be a Finnish citizen or a permanent resident of Finland
  • Entries must comply with EBU rules (no longer than three minutes, no offensive lyrics etc.)
  • A panel of experts will select the songs that will finally compete at UMK 2023. All selected participants must send the final version of their song by November 3rd.
  • The UMK 2023 final will be held in February 2023. The winner will be decided by a combination of jury and public voting.

Song submissions for the Finnish selection are therefore open until September 5th. Who will succeed The Rasmus, who took the 21st place in Eurovision 2022?

https://youtu.be/LSi9nfr65FE

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding Eurovision 2023!

Source: Eurovoix