EUROVISION 2025 FINLAND: WHO ARE THE UMK2025 ARTISTS?

Seven out of 485. Are they Poets of the Fall, Isac Elliot, ABREU, Nyrkki-Kyllikki x LXST CXNTURY, Ebbe, Isaac Sene and Kiki x Tomi Saario as the first (fake) leaked list suggested back in late September? Most likely not Isac Elliot who's booked the whole UMK week for gigs, nor ABREU (shame) who's announced she will take a long break after releasing a new album and doing summer gigs as wouldn't doing Eurovision and vanish be a bit strange planning for the future?

The second leaked (fake) list included Etta, Goldielocks, Miriam Bryant, Nelli Matula, Louie Blue and Tenhi. Since then the fan speculation has centered around both lists more or less. But after hint #4 Nightwish was brought in to discussion which brings me back to my own initial wondering before. In October-November I was planning a series of What if.... posts but due to time and energy skipped it. I was toying with the idea that Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen or/and his wife (and national final veteran) Johanna Kurkela would be involved with some of their bands they work in (Auri, Altamullan road, Eye of Melian). The other names I played with were another musical couple Elias Kaskinen and/or/with Nelli Matula, Frans Harju, Ollie, Pete Parkkonen, ABREU, Poets of the Fall, Konsta Hietanen and as returning artist Zuhlke or Hanna Pakarinen.

Since then names have flown and the past week the guessing has went on wild mood after Yle started posting daily hints on artists bringing in the game most everyone from Diandra to Ellinoora, Ramses II to Ege Zulu, Apulanta, Lost Society, Raptori and even Eino Grön (85) in featuring.

Miriam Bryant, the Finn big in Sweden trying to make it big in Finland in Finnish seems to be in as agreed by most everyone, as is after all Poets of the Fall, Etta and Goldielocks. Erika Vikman makes a last minute entrance as BESS and previously rumored ABREU seem to be out. Nelli Matula has been rumored for years already and it just might be her time now. That makes five (!!!) ladies and a rockband. Is Tomi Saario, also rumored for a couple of years already, the only male?

Or with his girlfriend Kiki? What about Jaakko Kulta? The recently formed supergroup Rodeo (Anna Puu, Erin and Ida Paul). Can we forget Nyrkki-Kyllikki after all? And Isac Elliot? Isaac Sene? ABREU? Ebbe?

What about Louis Blue, Viivi and Tenhi, the other leaked lists already forgotten ones? We sure don't lack of talent and names to drop....

And that wasn't enough some are convinced Käärijä is back (with or without Erika Vikman) despite all for another go. As would be the only Finnish Eurovision winner Lordi.... I just find it a bit hard to believe the cast would be so well known, there must be 2-3 names most common people have never heard of and one totally unfamiliar to someone like me who follows music and new artists.

After hint 5 Business City and Konsta Hietanen popped out. And with 6 Alma even if it fits nicely also with Goldielocks - has she co-written her song or could Alma be in after all? Enter also Costee in the speculation. The last day's hints bring back also ABREU in speculation full time.

Somehow also Alex Mattson emerges with Lost Society again. Alex is of course of Blind Channel fame that just went on break, but Alex was already a successful DJ producer before joining them - has he now teamed up with Lost Society to revamp their sound?

And with them we are already over 40 names! For once Yle has managed to keep it all secret without real leaks when writing this just 24 hours before the big reveal.

Tomorrow evening 19.45-20.30 Finnish time it will be all out in Yle1 (first time in television in prime time!) and in Yle Areena, and the songs will be then released at midnight one by one as usual.

Are you ready?

Update: Ok, the names are out. The two names fandom took for sure (Miriam Bryant and Poets of the fall) are nowhere to be seen. They guesses though Nelli, Costee, Erika, Goldielocks in the end, and even One Morning Left popped out in the past 24 hours or so. No one was talking about Neea River, not even me even if I have most likely introduced her everytime in my #Finpop series as UMK worthy and truth be told I did think about her last night after finishing this post but was too lazy to update! Damn.

Considering the amount of pop divas and One Morning Left offering a heavier song by Käärijä's producer I predict now they will win and Erika will end up runner up again. But hope is the last to die as they say.....

Here they are. I will introduce them one by one as their songs drop at midnights.

Neea River - Nightmares ***

Nelli Matula - Hitaammin hautaan ****

Costee - Sekaisin ***

Viivi - Aina ***

One Morning Left - Puppy ****

Goldielocks - Made of ****

Erika Vikman - Ich komme **

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GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o...

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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