It’s the Eurovision down season, and don’t you for a second think we’re going to stop speculating, arguing, and pushing our heated opinions. Our latest series will look at the national finals of Eurovision, and discussing how we would reform the national finals of Eurovision. Today we’re having a look at UMK.
In part 21 of this series Kittens, Ben and Euan discuss what changes they’d make to Finland’s national final.
What is UMK?
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu has been the method of selection for Finland since 2012. The national selection has seen a variety of different formats over the years. We have had semi-finals, we have had a song selection for internally chosen artists, Yle have really given us it all in terms of this national final. Currently UMK takes place over one night, with seven acts taking part. This national final has grown in popularity over the years and is now one of the most anticipated on the national final calendar.
Do we like what the NF does so far, and do we think there’s a chance of it producing a winner?
Kittens
UMK really is a gold standard for National Finals. A single night national final, with easy voting, a compact and well produced show, a tight selection of only a handful of songs. There’s a great chance of them producing a winner, and the quality and variety of songs has been great over the last few years.
Euan
I think in the post 2023 show there’s this pervasive idea that UMK is a consistently amazing show. It is not. It’s an NF that will consistently have one or two of the best songs in the entire season, but it’s surrounded by rubbish and the great entries seldom win. Particularly prevelent in 2024, 2022, and 2020. There’s a high chance of Finland having a winner in UMK; but a low chance of them actually picking it.
Ben
UMK, my sweet darling UMK, you can (mostly) do little wrong. The production is top tier, there is a selection of quality songs, and the staging is (mostly) polished. The only thing that stopped UMK from producing a winner in 2023 was the force of nature that is named Loreen.
What changes would we make to the National Final?
Kittens
Absolutely nothing, I reckon. Look, if I really have to be picky, the song selection this year was weaker than 2023, but that’s because 2023 was an exceptionally good year indeed. They just need to keep up the momentum and keep that interest happening from big Finnish stars with proven performance chops.
Euan
Unlike Kittens I think there’s several things they could do. Firstly they need to increase the voting weight of the televote. It’s such a small percentage that it’s almost like it’s not worth having it at all. It would greatly hinder the prospects of songs like ‘No Rules’ from winning; something every NF should strive for. Secondly, I feel like they need a mechanism like Sanremo Giovanni or EMA Freš to foster newer talent and bring in some quality newer names to the show could really inject some much needed quality to UMK.
Ben
There is very little I think YLE needs to change. My biggest gripe with the show almost always simplifies to “the Finnish public pick the wrong song every other year.” What I think they need to work on, they have already shown signs of working to improve: the staging. It has improved every year, and they just hired Bambie Thug’s staging director to work on 2025. YLE show signs of wanting to improve, and I applaud them for that. I just perpetually live in fear that another quality song gets shafted in the staging department like Ram Pam Pam did.
Do we think any reforms are likely to happen to this NF?
Kittens
I honestly hope they don’t make too many changes, but if they do they do seem like the kind of team who might actually think through what they’re doing and what the impact on it might be. Which is a very good position to be in indeed.
Euan
I think there’s approximately zero chance of reforms to happen, and I think that’s a big shame because without it Finland’s potential in the contest is going to be dramatically limited.
Ben
At least in the staging department, YLE seems to be making steady progress to improve. I really hope they don’t reform that much. The show is near perfect already.
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 56 times, and appeared in the final 48 times. Finland has finished in the top 10 an impressive 14 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 “No Rules” by Windows95man. They came in 7th place in the semi-final in Malmö, thus qualifying for the final. At the close of voting, he gained a total of 38 points, earning them 19th place. Windows95man received 31 points from the televote, and an extra 7 points from the juries.
What do you think about our reforms? As always, let us know what you think by commenting down below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all the latest Eurovision news!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: Nelli Kenttä / Yle
Tim J