I will be once again live blogging the UMK live tonight. It's time for the semifinal and see who will be the two (or apparently it is four!?) lucky ones the jury and televoters send to next week's grand final with Mikael Saari, Diandra Flores, Krista Siegfrids and Arion. Like the previous weeks the show time is on YLE Areena with UMK+ 19.45 CET and the show itself starts at 20.00 CET, also on YLE's website. Tonight's guest star is Elonkerjuu. Twitter #UMK13
19.45 UMK+ has started online and soon we will move to The Circus nightclub in Helsinki city center. One of the judges, Aija is interviewed and she tells how she has given advice to the vocalists in the early stages of UMK but now they are on their own and the judges only... judge. She also tells she wished there was more indie pop but apparently that's something missing in the Finnish scene at the moment... Next we talk with the hosts, Ile and Anne, and most of all their outfits for tonight. They remind us this is the last night in The Circus and next week we will move to Barona Arena and it's goodbye to the intimacy. Then we talk to the guest stars of the night, Elonkerjuu.
20.00 and here we go.... YLE's website say four acts will qualify for the final while it was understood earlier only two will do so but now Ile confirmed it's four! Ok! After a short introdcution of the jury and the rules here we go....
The Pandas have partially changed their look and Henry sings better than ever tonight! Great! Really much much better than before! Toni likes then and thinks they fill nicely the big stage in Barona. But he thinks they weren't so good as before? I don't agree! Aija also hopes they will go to final and thinks they didn't give it all. Tomi believes they will be big even if they should drop. A band for the future. Redrama thinks they have improved a lot and surely will have a bright future.
19.45 UMK+ has started online and soon we will move to The Circus nightclub in Helsinki city center. One of the judges, Aija is interviewed and she tells how she has given advice to the vocalists in the early stages of UMK but now they are on their own and the judges only... judge. She also tells she wished there was more indie pop but apparently that's something missing in the Finnish scene at the moment... Next we talk with the hosts, Ile and Anne, and most of all their outfits for tonight. They remind us this is the last night in The Circus and next week we will move to Barona Arena and it's goodbye to the intimacy. Then we talk to the guest stars of the night, Elonkerjuu.
20.00 and here we go.... YLE's website say four acts will qualify for the final while it was understood earlier only two will do so but now Ile confirmed it's four! Ok! After a short introdcution of the jury and the rules here we go....
Elina Orkoneva - He's not my man (music video)
Elina and her backing group have perfected their choreography and she sung very well. Also the best performance so far by her, in my opinion. Aija likes this cocktail of r'n'b, Motown and the rest. She thinks they were good. Tomi is stick to his image of the song which apparently is very far from the one Elina has but he thinks this time it was there, finally. Redrama agrees with the other two. Elina was more there, enjoying it and not pretending to perform the song and the whole band looked like they were having fun. Toni thinks she was very good and much better than he espected. :-)
I still think this is rather annoying but I wouldn't be surprised this goes very far. They have changed their look and look like a band now, and they even were a bit alive on stage and looking like they were having a little bit of fun instead looking unconfortable. Huge applause from the audience. Tomi likes the song but is having nightmares they win and go to Malmö 2013. He likes their new look. Redrama thinks they have a chance for a long career with right production and he likes the song but.... Toni also likes the song and likes their change but... A lot of buts here! Aija is pleased they have given up resisting the changes they have asked them to do and thinks this music is good at least for cleaning...
Great Wide North - Flags
Is it me or all singing and performing better than ever? Even this was the best performance yet! Redrama thinks they have improved still from the last week and he's a fan of this song. He thinks they also have a bright future in music. Toni thinks it's a pleasure to watch them perform, the connection and warmth they have. Aija thinks he's one of the best singers, or at least one of the best ones to express feelings and warmth. Tomi is sold, too. Surely max votes from the jury!
Iina Salin - Last night
Iina was sparkling along with her dress and the choreography with the guys was perfected. But was it enough? Mind you, I love the song and her, but.... Toni thinks she sings very well but he thinks she looked a bit lonely on stage, could she handle the big Arena stage? Aija thinks she's more relaxed but still lacks a little bit confidence, like she wouldn't know how good she is really. Tomi says she's so pretty and talented, she should believe more in herself. Redrama praises her voice and looks, but he thinks the song isn't good enough. Hmm.... Not high jury votes to be expected then...
Lucy Was Driving - Dancing around the universe
Last but not least, Lucys. And yes, also they looked and sounded better than ever! Aija thinks they were better last week though. But she likes their attitude and the fact they do their thing. Tomi reminds there were 470 songs in the beginning an now there are only ten left. They have already win in their career. He thinks they shouldn't get any further but if the televoters disagree, vote! Redrama thinks he sings better and better and wished them luck. Toni loves their intro and wonders how committed they are to this (as their bassist seems to be on holiday!)....
20.46 It's time for a recap and voting numbers. Honestly I have no idea who will drop tonight. If it was for me it'd be Rautakoura and... hmm... Lucy Was Driving after all. But I doubt I'm right this time! The programme moves now to online as UMK+ and we will be back after TV-news for the results. Stay tuned!
The artists are being interviewed backstage and they are all visibly nervous and excited! Good, a real open competition! No one knows yet how this end tonight now that all the four big favorites have been sent to the final already...
21.05 Here we go again! Televoters can still vote and here comes the recap before we get the jury votes.Toni gave GWN 10 points, the rest got 6s and 5s! Finally the jury takes sides for real! Also Aija gave GWN 10 points but this is expected as it was their favorite last week, too, but televote dropped them. Elina gets 8 and Iina 7. Tomi gave GWN another 10 and Elina 9.And finally Redrama gave 10 to GWN and 9 to Elina. So the jury would drop Lucy Was Driving and one of these: Iina Salin, Last Panda or Rautakoura. Televote will decide. Another recap and then the televote closes.
21.19 Time for Elonkerjuu. This is actually the first time I see and hear their new singer after Lauri Tähkä left last year or when was it? Time for the results after...
And without further ado, Iina Salin and Rautakoura are out!
21.05 Here we go again! Televoters can still vote and here comes the recap before we get the jury votes.Toni gave GWN 10 points, the rest got 6s and 5s! Finally the jury takes sides for real! Also Aija gave GWN 10 points but this is expected as it was their favorite last week, too, but televote dropped them. Elina gets 8 and Iina 7. Tomi gave GWN another 10 and Elina 9.And finally Redrama gave 10 to GWN and 9 to Elina. So the jury would drop Lucy Was Driving and one of these: Iina Salin, Last Panda or Rautakoura. Televote will decide. Another recap and then the televote closes.
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