After the reveal of the competing artists at this year’s UMK, the entries are now starting to be released. The second entry to be released is “Hoida Mut” by Benjamin, which coincided with the release of the official music video of his entry.
Listen to “Hoida Mut” on streaming platforms
You are also able to listen to Benjamin’s UMK23 entry on streaming platforms:
Spotify
Apple Music
Follow our Spotify playlist to be up to date with the entries as they get released for the next few days.
About Benjamin
Benjamin is the stage name of Niclas Benjamin Peltonen, a 25-year old from Kaarina. Benjamin a well-known face in the Finnish music industry. He first came to prominence in 2012 through social media, before launching his music career in 2014. After having some international success with his debut single ‘Underdogs’, Benjamin switched to Finnish. After this, Benjamin immediately became a popular name in Finland, consistently reaching the top of the Finnish music charts. Outside of music, he also won the Finnish version of Dancing with the Stars at the end of 2022.
The UMK jury had this to say about 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.
UMK Jury
What do we know about UMK 2023?
Finland’s Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu will take place on 25th February 2023, and will be hosted by Samu Haber in the Logomo in Turku. The winning act will be chosen through a vote weighted 25% to the jury and 75% to the public televote. 363 songs were submitted for consideration, and snippets of the seven selected songs can be found on Instagram.
The remaining entries in this year’s competition will be released as follows:
| Artist | Entry | Release Date |
| Robin Packalen | “Girls Like You” | 16th January |
| Lxandra | “Something To Lose” | 17th January |
| Käärijä | “Cha Cha Cha” | 18th January |
| Kuumaa | “Ylivoimainen” | 19th January |
| Portion Boys | “Samaa taivasta katsotaan” | 20th January |
Finland’s Eurovision Journey
Finland debuted in the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing 10th with Laila Kunnunen’s “Valoa ikkunassa.” Since then they have competed 55 times, and appeared in the final 47 times. Finland has finished in the top 10 an impressive 13 times. They have won the contest once in 2006, with Lordi’s performance of “Hard Rock Hallelujah” getting 292 points. Finland’s most recent entry was “Jezebel” by The Rasmus. Qualifying for the final, they gained a total of 38 points, earning them 21st place.
What do you think of Benjamin’s entry? Could we hear “Hoida Mut” on the stage in Liverpool? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok as the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 approaches!
News Source: Yle
Photo Credit: Yle/Nelli Kenttä
