While Sweden's Melodifestivalen 2026 has received 3.888 entries only to have then some 20 out of 28 written by same 5-6 names in various combos Finland's UMK is way more unpredictable and you never know what we have in store for the next edition. We have already noticed the selection team tends to have a sort of trend for the season. If 2025 was very pop oriented and 2024 quite rap influenced it's curious to see where they put the focus on in 2026.
This said the fandom is already speculating and so far Yle has kept quiet and there hasn't been any leaks or bitter comments by artists that they applied and were not taken (Vilma Jää this year for example). Anyways, here's my first prediction/wish list for possible names added with the first rumored names! If I get 2-3 out of 7 right I'm happy, LOL.
Ladies
Vesta - She's in Van elämää this fall and already making it big, could it be that she's doing both back to back? Her career has taken an upright direction already thanks to that. Two Top-5 albums and a string of minor hits in the past ten years and a lot of love from the critics, less from the wider public.
Hanna Uoti - still pretty unknown despite one album a string of interesting singles in the past five years and yet to chart in the official charts.
Pihlaja - three top-10 albums, 7 top-20 singles so far. And yet quite unknown to wider public.
Minttu - two excellent charting singles under her belt she's one of the revelations of 2025.
Alina Burnet - four charting singles so far in the past 2 years, a new name to watch out
Jannika B - she's been around some 15 years, 4 top-15 albums, countless singles incl. one #1 and a total of 5 Top-20 singles. Tried already in 2024 for sure so why not try again?
SANNI - The Big Name if she's there. 5 top-10 albums (3 of them #1), 29 solo Top-20 hits, 5 #1's, one song being the most played of the year, UMK host 2025.... Her latest album hasn't maybe featured as well as she'd hoped nor the hosting UMK didn't boost it enough. Maybe she'll do UMK for real instead finally?
OLGA - started her singing career with a bang in 2024 with a #1 single, dueted with Isac Elliot, released a #2 debut album. Ex-soap opera actress looking for a big wider success?
Runo - Been around the past 5 years. One album, string of interesting singles yet to chart. A name to watch out.
Pete Parkkonen - placed 3rd in Idols 2009 but made it big afterwards. Sung first in English before switching into Finnish. Eternal name on this list. 4 albums incl one #1. 11 Top-20 singles solo/featuring. Been out of the spotlight for a few years now apparently recording new music as we speak. Time for a big comeback? Would challenge SANNI as the Big name in the cast.
Lauri Haav - like Vesta currently in Vain elämää, maybe doing both would be too much. 3 top-5 albums so far, 24 charting songs, 3 #1's in a row. "Stole" The Public's Artist of the Year Emma awards from Käärijä in 2023.
HUGO - Has exploded the past two years with #2 debut album, 11 hit singles, 10 of them Top-20 and 3 of them #1. Very popular on streaming and radios but not so well known by the big wide television audiences. You may know the song but not who sings it. UMK could fix that nicely.
ANI - same story for ANI. Big in streaming and radios with 2 albums, 11 charting songs with 5 of them Top-20. Also writes and collaborates a lot with other artists.
Louie Blue - He's been doing international career since the beginning some 7 years ago. Loved by critics would bring something different to the line up. Has released two albums and a string of singles.
Kaukua - scored with his debut single one of the biggest hits of this late summer. Works also as writer and producer for other artists.
Noto - Italian-Finnish Sebastian Noto started in various bands and has been working on his solo career along with many collaborations the past five years. Debut album was Top-20 success, and he has so far 4 Top-40 singles.
Frans Harju - less known maybe that his brother Mikko. 5 charting singles so far, incl. one #3. 10 singles in the past 5 years but yet to release an album. Is it time to get the spotlight?
Ollie - 3 albums since 2018 and career that lives on in Spotify. Only 3 charting singles but he's got about two dozen songs that could have done UMK at some point.....
Linda Lampenius - the original violator. I already last year had a feeling she'd be featured in some of the entries but she ended up in the interval act of UMK. She was to release a new album and do a big tour in 2025 but it was all cancelled suddenly and it's been quiet since. I hope she's preparing something with someone!
Planet Case - the name out of nowhere in the speculation so is there something to back it up? 3 EPs and a string of singles between 2015-2022, then nothing. Do they even exist anymore?
s m s n - familiar also from my #Finpop series, A dozen singles in the past two years featuring among others Neea River in vocals. Producer who could come to UMK with anyone really... Neea again with Linda, too?
Suistamon Sähkö - 3 albums since 2015. Something different for sure. Could be Finnish Go-A in a way if only produced and arranged well....
Auri - Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen with his wife Johanna Kurkela and Troy Donockley. As we apparently can't have Johanna ever again in the national final - nor Nightwish - maybe we can have them instead? One can dream....
I will try to update this with further developments and rumors until the names are for real.
UPDATE 15.9.
Well, it didn't take long as here comes the first "leaked list" by escunited featuring above mentioned Pete Parkkonen with Joalin (I have added her on my list already a couple of years but forgot now...and she's been working with same people who did Ich komme) and Loiue Blue and ever present Bess (I left her out on purpose). Quite unexpected name is Arttu Wiskari but then again why not? The rest are pretty unknown metalcore band Beyond Awareness, introvert pop artist Eme, rapper and r'n'b artist Senya.
UPDATE 26.9.: The fan chatroom keeps pushing some new (or some old ones that come up again) while we are waiting for the first glues given by Yle, most likely out next week if the previous years timeline is respected. First we have Noora Louhimo or Battle Beast, her band. As she does also a lot of solo stuff along with various other projects some are hoping she'd be in in some form or the other. Then we have folksy duo Junna, Finnish-French indie band The Dø and finally pop rap and r'n'b artists Sara Bee. We'll see...
UPDATE 11.10.: Same old, same old in the speculations with some added flavor: All of sudden UMK would be returnee BESS is back in full force as is Joalin and Alina Burnet, both in duet but with whom?, HUGO? A completely new names in the hot kix are Rabbit Cult and Lili & Luna, that none other than Norma John's Leena with her niece and country flavored pop tunes. Lastly the most recent The Voice of Finland winner Oliver Rosenholm could be the artist releasing their debut single.
UPDATE 16.10.: Mari Pudas, the insider journalist who has often spoiled the UMK artists (even though 2025 didn't go that well as she predicted only 1/7 really) has finally opened up about the 2026 edition. She gives violinist Linda Lampenius (for years on my list and UMK 2025 interval act star) a certan name with vocalist that could be UMK veterans Ilta or Diandra, or someone else with big pipes. She thinks BESS is definitely in as well propably with her previous duet companieon and fellow UMK veteran Benjamin. Add Ege Zulu and Ani, and Olga and Minttu . She's also like to see Meiju Suvas and Mirella in the line up but palpably no chance. This blogger wouldn't mind this line up at all!
UPDATE 3.11.: Yle gave us some hints on the artists and the fandom had more to chew and some new names emerged: ALIEN, formerly known as pinsku, who seem to fit in with the hints very well, Tarja Turunen, Sinikka Monte and Alma. Names already speculated like Olga, Beyeond awareness, Jolain, Pete Parkkonen, Bess still remain in many people's lists..... Two months to go!
UPDATE 13.11.: The latest media speculation includes already familiar Linda Lampenius, Bess & Benjamin, Minttu but then Kiki has emerged a very probably one with a "band that is the new KAJ with some folk music" that could or could not be for example Lapua-Uuis-Guinea or Kiertolaiset.
UPDATE 11.12.: The latest list comes from euroviisukonttori IG that trows it in with announcement this will be their last post this season following suit of many fan medias this season. Mainly same old but a couple of surprises: Chachi Hildèn, Pete Parkkonen, Komiat (or Junna), Ani, Etta, Kiki and Linda Lampenius. We'll see.....
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