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Finland: UMK will be used to select the Eurovision 2025 entry!

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) is going to take place for the 14th time next year, in order to select Finland’s entry for Eurovision 2025! In this way, the country confirms its presence in the next contest. Read more

Finland: The running order of UMK 2024!

A few minutes ago Finland‘s national broadcaster Yle announced the line-up of artists who will compete for the ticket to Malmo and Finland’s representation at Eurovision 2024.

The running order of the seven artists who will compete in the UMK 2024 final is as follows:

  1. Sini Sabotage – “Kuori Mua”
  2. Cyan Kicks – “Dancing withe demons”
  3. Jesse Markin  “Glow”
  4. Mikael Gabriel x nublu – “Vox Populi”
  5. Sara Siipola – “Paskana”
  6. SexMane – “Mania”
  7. Windows95man – “No Rules!”

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024 is scheduled for February 10th in Nokia Arena in Tampere. The hosts of UMK 2024 are Pilvi Hämäläinen, Benjamin and Viivi Pumpanen.

Last year, Finland managed to climb on the 2nd place of the scoreboard with Käärijä and his song “Cha Cha Cha”, winning the televote. That is Finland’s best result since Lordi’s victory in 2006.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: YLE

Finland: UMK 2024 artists threaten to withdraw from Eurovision if Israel competes!

Following the petition signed by more than a thousand Finnish musicians claiming Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision 2024, it now appears that even UMK 2024 artists are up to the same direction.

Some of the participants of UMK 2024, the Finnish national preselection for Eurovision 2024, have already spoken out against Israel’s participation in Eurovision.

Specifically, two artists have publicly expressed their opposition with Israel’s participation and most importantly threaten to withdraw from the competition in case Israel finally competes.

Who is ready to withdraw if Israel competes?

Jesse Markin, who will claim the Finnish representation in Malmö with his song “Glow“, has stated that he is ready to turn down his Eurovision participation -if he wins UMK 2024- and not go to Eurovision if Israel is still in.

I feel at this stage that it is more important to make human rights issues visible. At the same time, I think that whoever ends up representing Finland should represent Finland specifically and listen to the voice of the Finnish people as well as their own voice. I feel that in this situation, many Finns agree on this issue.

But for now, let’s hope that the EBU will make some kind of decision about Israel, and that Finland will get to Malmö.

Sini Sabotage, who participates in UMK 2024 with her song “Kuori Mua“, has also criticized Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision 2024’s participating countries list and mentions that if she wins, she will then consider her Eurovision participation.

I’m of the opinion that Israel should not take part in Eurovision, but unfortunately I can’t make that decision myself. I’ve granted myself a grace period, as I’m just about to take part in the UMK contest. If I win, I will have to think about it. Under no circumstances do I want to support war.

YLE’s response

As UMK artists are publicly speaking out against Israel and while their is no sign that EBU is anywhere close in disqualifying Israel from the competition, YLE has a back-up plan in case the winner of the pre-selection refuses to go to Eurovision.

According to UMK’s executive producer Anssi Autio, there is nothing to worry about since:

[…] UMK is a separate competition. I want to emphasise that, as Jesse said in his post, he is still 110 percent involved in UMK.

Only one [UMK] act will go to Eurovision — the winner. UMK’s final takes place in a month, and the situation might be very different and at that time the EBU might have already arranged things differently.

About Jesse Markin’s statements, he mentioned that:

I don’t think that Jesse Markin is somehow unique with this opinion.

Hence, bearing in mind that voices speaking out against Israel are becoming stronger, YLE has a back-up plan for Eurovision, without disclosing any information about what the plan includes.

UMK 2024

The seven artists who will compete for the Finnish representation in Malmö are the following:

  • Cyan Kicks – “Dancing With Demons”
  • Sexmane – “Mania”
  • Sara Siipola – “Paskana”
  • Jesse Markin – “Glow”
  • Windows95Man – “No Rules!”
  • Sini Sabotage – “Kuori Mua”
  • Mikael Gabriel x NUBLU – “Vox Populi”

The UMK grand final will take place on Saturday, 10 February, 20:00 CET and will be broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and Yle radio channels.

Finland’s second place in last year’s competition with Käärijä and “Cha Cha Cha”, raised the bar high for the Finns, as the promise us a more exciting show.

https://youtu.be/l6rS8Dv5g-8

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: yle

Finland: UMK 2024 hosts listened to the nominated songs for the first time | The schedule of the UMK 2024 entries’ reveal!

Yle, Finland’s national broadcaster, has released the first information about the candidate songs for UMK 2024, the country’s national final for Eurovision 2024, via social media.

In particular, the hosts of UMK 2024, namely Pilvi Hämäläinen, Benjamin and Viivi Pumpanen heard for the first time the seven candidate songs for Eurovision 2024.

 

Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.

 

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη UMK (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

 

The detailed schedule of the UMK 2024 entries’ reveal

The candidates of UMK 2024 will be revealed on Wednesday, January 10 at 19:00 CET during a broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and UMK’s YouTube channel. Also, the broadcast will include commentary in Finnish, Swedish as well as in English, for the international audience.

Following the reveal of the candidates, the seven nominee’s songs will be released gradually, starting on January 11 and ending on January 19. The release will be conducted in the following order:

  • Thursday 11/1 – First nominated song
  • Friday 12/1 – Second nominated song
  • Monday 15/1 – Third nominated song
  • Tuesday 16/1 – Fourth nominated song
  • Wednesday 17/1 – Fifth nominated song
  • Thursday 18/1 – Sixth nominated song
  • Friday 19/1 – Seventh nominated song

UMK 2024 will consist of a final which will be held on Saturday, February 10 at 20:00 CET.

Last year’s UMK winner and hence the country’s representative in Liverpool was Käärijä with his song “Cha Cha Cha“. Käärijä ended up in the second place, giving his country its best result since Lordi’s win in 2006.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Finland: Watch footage of Käärijä’s rehearsals for “Cha Cha Cha”!

A few days ago, we had the first details for the staging of  Käärijä’s Finnish entry “Cha Cha Cha“, but now YLE, the Finnish national broadcaster had published a short clip of the rehearsals at the official account of UMK, on Instagram!

As we can witness, all the details that had been revealed are indeed there!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UMK23 (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

At the end of the Reel, a cardboard cut-out of Käärijä is shown, maybe this will be part of their Liverpool promotion? That remains to be seen, when Eurovisionfun will travel to Liverpool accredited on-site, to inform you for all the latest news with regards to the contest!

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the latest news regarding the Finnish entry in Eurovision Song Contest 2023!

Source: UMK

Finland: With Käärijä and “Cha Cha Cha” in Liverpool!

The 12th edition of the Finnish national selection show for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), took place tonight in the cultural centre Logomo of the city of Turku. 7 entries competed against each other in order to win the nomination of representing Finland in the upcoming Eurovision which is going to be held in May, in Liverpool, the United Kingdom.

The host of the show was one of the most famous Finnish musicians in the world, Samu Haber, the lead vocalist and frontman of pop-rock band Sunrise Avenue.

The participants

The 7 candidates of the show were as follows:

  1. Robin Packalen – “Girls Like You“
  2. KUUMMA – “Ylivoimainen” (Overpowered)
  3. Käärijä  – “Cha Cha Cha“
  4. Keira – “No Business on the Dancefloor“
  5. Benjamin – “Hoida mut” (Take care of me)
  6. Lxandra – “Something to Lose“
  7. Portion Boys – “Samaa taivasta katsotaan” (We look at the same sky)

The final result was determined by 75% televote and by 25% international juries. The international juries of UMK 2023 conisted of the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Germany
  • Poland
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom
  • Ukraine

With the combination of the votes from the jury and the televoting, the representative of Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is :

Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha

Käärijä and Finland are going to participate in the second half of the first semi-final which is scheduled on 9th of May. Do you think that Finland will  achieve a better placement than last year’s 21st place? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun.com for all the developments regarding the Finnish entry at the upcoming 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. 

Finland: These are the hints for the seventh act of UMK 2023!

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu‘s official Instagram account has released the first details about the seventh and final act who will participate in the Finnish national final!

  1. The name does not tell the whole truth
  2. All the best from Finland
  3. To the market!

 

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Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη UMK23 (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

The speculated artists are Ramses II, a Finnish hip-hop singer and the hard rock band Shiraz Lane.

The UMK songs will be released from January 12 to 20, one song per day, while the artists will be announced on January 11!

The previous UMK winners and Finland’s representatives in Turin were The Rasmus with the song “Jezebel” which finished 21st in the Grand Final:

https://youtu.be/LSi9nfr65FE

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news about Finland’s participation in Eurovision 2023!

Sourceuudenmusiikinkilpailu

Finland: These are the hints for the sixth act of UMK 2023!

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu‘s official Instagram account has released the first details about the sixth act who will participate in the Finnish national final!

  1. Sky strikes fire
  2. Multitalented
  3. Made history

 

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Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη UMK23 (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

The speculated artists are KUUMA, which is a Finnish pop band, while others think the hints lead to Teräsbetoni, the metal band that represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song Missä miehet ratsastaa.

The UMK songs will be released from January 12 to 20, one song per day, while the artists will be announced on January 11!

The previous UMK winners and Finland’s representatives in Turin were The Rasmus with the song “Jezebel” which finished 21st in the Grand Final:

https://youtu.be/LSi9nfr65FE

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news about Finland’s participation in Eurovision 2023!

Sourceuudenmusiikinkilpailu

Finland: These are the hints for the fifth artist of UMK 2023!

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu‘s official Instagram account has released the first details about the fifth artist who will participate in the Finnish national final!

  1. Releases Party/Alcohol music
  2. “Bends” to many things/Versatile artist(s)
  3. Vappu (May Day) never ends

 

 

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Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη UMK23 (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

The speculated artists are JVG, which is a Finnish duo consisting of Jare Joakim Brand and Ville-Petteri Galle, Portion Boys, Ramses II and Mouhous.

The UMK songs will be released from January 12 to 20, one every day, while the artists will be announced on January 11!

The previous UMK winners and Finland’s representatives in Turin were The Rasmus with the song “Jezebel” which finished 21st in the Grand Final:

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news about Finland’s participation in Eurovision 2023!

Sourceuudenmusiikinkilpailu

Finland: These are the clues for the fourth competing artist of UMK 2023!

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu published earlier today through their official Instagram account the first clues regarding the fourth artist who is going to take part in the Finnish national selection.

  1. United States
  2. International artist
  3. Movie end titles

 

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Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη UMK23 (@uudenmusiikinkilpailu)

The first speculations are about Lxandra who seems to satisfy the requirements. Lxandra is a Finn pop singer and songwriter. Most of her songs have been recorded in the USA and she now has an international carrier.

UMK‘s songs are going to be released from January 12th to January 20th,  one each day, while the artists are going to be announced on January 11th !

Previous UMK winners and  Finland‘s representatives at Eurovision 2022  were  The Rasmus  with the song “Jezebel” and they finished in the 21st  place in the Grand Final:

https://youtu.be/LSi9nfr65FE

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news about Finland’s participation in Eurovision 2023!

Source: uudenmusiikinkilpailu