With national finals for Eurovision 2027 getting announced by the day, we thought we’d take a dive into delusional hope our wishes for who we want to see return to the contest. Up next is Finland.
Our dream returnees
Samantha : KUUMA
Let’s be real: KUUMA were robbed in 2023. Obviously Käärijä did insanely well for Finland in 2023, but on a personal level, Ylivoimainen was the better song and should have won! The song was memorable, it was well staged and I think they could deliver something even better the second time round and deserve another chance at representing Finland.
Mateo: Benjamin
I said it in 2023 and I will say it again here: He was absolutely robbed! It is true that the staging and the vocals were not great, but “Hoida Mut” was such a fantastic and, most importantly, unapologetically gay song. I had the song on repeat for months, and I still listen to it quite often. While Benjamin made an appearence at UMK in 2024 as co-host, I need to see him return as a contestant. He has had quite a prolific career since 2023. Any of the songs he has released since then would have been great for UMK, especially “Badabim (My Kind of Terapiaa)”, which somehow manages to be even more unapologetically gay than “Hoida Mut”. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the music video…
Rory: Olivera
Finland is very much a country of extremes, with hard metal rock always a heavy feature. However, what is often overlooked are the dark, dreary ballads that might seem sweet at first but carry a much more sinister feel to them as you dig deeper. For me, the perfect encapsulation of this is “Thank God I’m an Atheist” by Olivera. This almost cynical and nihilistic view of the world, is actually quite refreshing to hear? Eurovision doesn’t have to be all positivity – we need some counterbalance. This was also the obvious choice in 2022 for me to go to Eurovision so I’m hoping Olivera finds her way back to UMK soon, because what a track!
Tom: Sansa
Okay, this might be a bit of a rogue shout from me because I love the rockier side of Finland. Possibly even more rogue because this artist has (so far) only appeared in the eventually covid-doomed 2020 edition of UMK, but Sansa’s “Lover View” is one of my all time favourite national final songs, never mind UMK entries. The song is so unbelievably catchy to me. It is just sonically so pleasant. The live version at UMK 2020 wasn’t a totally perfect performance, but the staging concepts and studio version of the track is so good, just total candy to me. She has an element of Kylie Minogue about her that does something to my little gay heart. Sansa hasn’t made much music in recent years, with the last release to feature her available on streaming back in 2024. But… she seems to have reset her socials and website in recent weeks, and appears to be teasing something coming “✨ soon” according to her instagram. I would absolutely love her to feature in UMK 2027.
Nando: Goldielocks
“Made Of” is probably my most streamed song from UMK. I was caught by the immediate star-quality and recognisability of this song and voice. Goldielocks since then has released her debut album Two of a Kind and further proved to me that she is destined for greater success. The entire disco-infused pop album exudes a strong vocal similar to Tones and I but more palatable to a massive audience. I want to see where she is currently as an artist and another catchy song and performance. Goldielocks for gold!
What is National Final?
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK for short) 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 choosen 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. Thanks to high production value, an international focus. and fan favourite songs, UMK has grown in popularity over the years and is now one of the most anticipated on the national final calendar.
Country history
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 “Liekinheitin” by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen. Competing in the first semi-final, Linda and Pete qualified for the final, and would eventually finish in 6th place with 196 points. Of these, 138 came from the televote, while the jury awarded them 141 points.
Are you excited for next year’s UMK? Who would you like to see take part? Let us know your thoughts on social media and follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, and ZOOP for more information on Eurovision 2027!
Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo credit: Samantha / That Eurovision Site
Tim J