EUROVISION 2023: FINLAND - WHO ARE THE CHA CHA CHA TEAM?

Now that Finland is sailing towards its best or second best placing ever in less than a week and as a formality go through the first semi-final next Tuesday let's see who are behind the fantastic live performance on stage in Liverpool!

Besides the four Cha cha cha dancers and Käärijä himself we have off stage legendary Aija Puurtinen in backing vocals. She's been involved in UMK for many years as vocal coach, judge and mentor and has a successful solo career as well many bands she has been singing and playing in. On top of that she has studied music and singing in various degrees and is a true professional.

Fredrik Benke Rydman is behind the choreography and staging developed from the original idea by UMK team Heikki Slåen, Elias Koskimies, Vesa Nuoraho, Riikka Kytönen, Jasmir Vesander and Käärijä himself. The outfit is by Vesa Silver, Elina Lario and Teemu Muurimäki.

Swedish Fredrik Benke Rydman has choreographed among others Måns Zelmerlöw's winning performance Heroes, as well as opening and interval acts in 2013 and 2016 Eurovision song contest in Sweden and even the Irish entry Maps by Lesley Roy back in 2021.

The dancers are Katri Mäkinen, Etel Röhr, Matti Myllyaho and Dutch Jesse Wijnans.

Katri Mäkinen is a dancer and choreographer, best known for Dancing with the Stars that she has won twice so far (in 2014 with Pete Parkkonen and 2018 with Edis Tatli).

Etel Röhr has already Eurovision experience as she was the dancer in Darude's Look away in 2019. That year Finland sadly had a much better staging in UMK than in Tel Aviv. In UMK she did that swim in the cube that was pretty visually stunning.

Matti Myllymäki is dancer, actor, choreographer and UMK's associate show producer. Currently he's working in Helsinki City theater in musicals. He has lived in the US and worked in music export and diplomacy! On top of that he's also an athlete and swimmer.

Dutch Jesse Wijnans has been involved in UMK 2020 before, and Dancing with the Stars (NL) with Eurovision star Anouk in 2019. He's done also Let's Dance (D). He took part in So You Think You Can Dance (NL/B) in 2010 among many other things here and there.

The Team Finland pictured above at their airport

Last but not least the song is written by Käärijä aka Jere Pöyhönen himself with Johannes Kiro Naukkarinen and Aleksi Nurmi. Ki-Ro has produced the track and Jukka Sorsa has co-arranged it.

Even if we except the victory and nothing else feels good enough after all this it's good to remember anything in Top-5 will be Finland's best or second best placing so let's be happy either way!

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Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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