UMK 2022 has been a success already. The international praise when the songs were released, approval by the fandom and the chart action in Finland proves it. Four out of seven songs has made the official singles chart besides making waves in streaming platforms, and each song has made the Radio play Top-100 as well. If we were to believe charts BESS would be clear winner, being at #1 for the fourth week at the moment, and also the highest entry on radio charts but is it destined to be a domestic hit only? We'll see. On top of that the UMK final in Logomo, Turku, sold out in record time. It is also a record it sold out completely unlike the previous attempts to have a national final arena style.
I personally have three favorites, a couple of other that would be fine. too, so it's very hard to say how this will end and what would be the best choice, I let the live performance guide me. And there lies my biggest fear. We all remember what happened to Cicciolina on stage and how we lost that one, and this year Yle's staff has clearly two favorites that can be so ruined with over doing it with camp and more is more attitude and tasteless kitchy nonsense: Ram pam pam and Kuuma jäbä. Just thinking about it may cause nightmares and stomach ache.... This said, the running order seems completely wrong and strange, has it something to do with staging and props?
The voting will be 75% app/televoting and 25% the international juries from Spain, Italy, Norway, Germany, Czech Republic, Cyprus and Serbia. Each jury has four members.
The Rasmus - Jezebel ****
Chart action: Two weeks in Top-20 peaking at #4.
Five weeks in Radioplay between 26. and 47.
The Rasmus, the one and only - finally here, who would have thought? Had they done this some 20 years it would have been something incredible. But they are here now, they sound like they did 20 years ago (when they were at their best, and also later if and when Desmond Child has been involved) and that sound of 20 some years ago is again trendy and fashionable. What could go wrong? On paper and in theory they should walk this but you never know how Finns vote! I do like Jezebel, it's catchy, heard before but ina good way. It's also as I said before The Rasmus at their best, the way I have liked them always. Should they win they can mobilize their international fandom like Lordi did back in the day, so the hard part is to win UMK. If they win, I'm happy and support them til the end.
Isaac Sene - Kuuma jäbä ****
Chart action: One week at Top-20 at #13.
Four weeks in Radioplay between 25. and 70.
This one surprised me a lot. I didn't know him, and when I checked his back catalogue I didn't know what to expect, it was so varied in musical styles. Then came this, with the story in it's lyrics and I was even more confused. The same way Italy's Brividi confused me and even the subject is pretty much the same! For that reason alone I wouldn't mind him winning. It's a risk but a risk worth taking. Extra points for this being in Finnish. Like I said before I'm a bit worried about the staging, but fingers crossed....
Olivera - Thank God I'm an atheist ***
Chart action: Three weeks in Radioplay between 47. and 97.
Ok, this falls a bit to the category of females singing slow ballads with edgy lyrics that we have had the national finals full the past couple of years, and even a couple at the Eurovision itself. This one stands out though for the lyrics alone. If I understood right she was selected already last year but found out she's pregnant and skipped UMK 2021 and is here now? I maybe wrong but that maybe explains why this would have been somehow better last year than this year? I do like this but I don't quite see this as a winner, nor doing very well in Turin if selected....
BESS - Ram pam pam ****
Chart action: Five weeks in Top-20, already four weeks at #1.
Five weeks in Radioplay between 24. and 58.
Her success exploded fast, considering she wasn't a big name to start with; several Spotify hits and one bigger wider spread one years ago but then came Ram pam pam and it shot to the #1 like a rocket and has stayed there ever since. Can she translate that success into votes come Saturday night? I really don't know. I like her, I like this song and the "Ku mä oon ram-pam-pam-pam-pam-pam-pam-pam, Ja sä oot ram-pam-pa-pam-pam" bit in the lyrics is genius. So simple and tells it all so clearly! Like Isaac I'm waiting to see the staging to declare my final word, but should she win I'm happy all the same.
Younghearted - Sun numero **
Chart action: Four weeks in Top-10, peaking at #3.
Five weeks in Radioplay between 29. and 73.
I get why so many people like this one, but it does nothing to me. Nor I wish this one to win in a year like this! Maybe in the past in some bad year this would have been outstanding. They're cute and young and the song is cute as well but also rather uninteresting to me. I wish them all the luck in the charts and in their new found fame and popularity, you got all that from UMK but please don't win, ok?
Cyan Kicks - Hurricane ****
Chart action: Five weeks in Radioplay between 41. and 81.
If we didn't have Blind Channel last year this would rock and be fantastic. Saying this is probably lame and we could argue until eternity if it is so or not. But to a general viewer, if he remembers last year which is very unlikely anyways, it would be so: Blind Channel light with a female vocalist. Then again, the general viewer indeed doesn't remember anything from last year and probably they would do decently in Turin if chosen anyways so I wouldn't be too sad if they won. But when we have more original choiuces this year, and in Finnish, I am hoping for a little braver outcome from this UMK2022.
Tommi Läntinen - Elämä kantaa mua **
Chart action: One week at Radioplay at #84.
I get this isn't a bad song, and he performs it well, and it is written by Haloo Helsinki but let's just keep this a promotional gig for his new album and that's it, ok? This hasn't done much in charts, but if his and Haloo Helsinki's fans decide to vote him come Saturday.... Please don't.
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