Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

It's been three years Käärijä cha cha chaed his way to Finnish people's heart and not only: sold out European tours where locations have been updated to larger ones, three years in a row performing at Eurovision song contest final in one form or another (plus Cha cha cha played this year making it four), hundreds of gigs and festivals, millions of streams and countless collaborations with local and foreign artists. Not bad for an unknown guy from Vantaa who didn't quite speak English. In Finland he has two Top-5 albums, one has sold triple platinum. Ten top-10 singles, 23 Top-50 singles. 17 singles with other artists. New album comes out in October 2026.  Sold out Veikkaus Arena (Eurovision 2007 arena) saw a show described by critics (and music lovers)  as one of the best Finnish productions ever. A bit messy as he delivered all his hits with guests and the genres go from TRAFIK! to I miss us.... Understandable. But enjoyable. Bojan and Joker Out were the warm up act.  Se...

Käärijä has cha cha chad already almost three years and Finns - and not only - love him as much as ever. Since Eurovision he has released an album, a string of singles with various collaborations at home and abroad, toured Finland and Europe a few times to sold out venues, performed in Eurovision song contest as guest star two years in a row, making him do Eurovision three years in a row,  and this fall he has starred in ever so popular Vain elämää series doing covers of other singers songs on weekly basis. And now.... finally! He has announced an arena concert in Veikkaus Arena, the new names very arena that hosted the Eurovision 2007 in Helsinki.  He has teased many guests, most likely at least everyone he has collaborated (see videos below) and that's not all for sure.  Slovenian Joker Out will be the opening act prior Käärijä stars in their show in Slovenia in June 20,  2026. For this bromance he skips the very generous midsummer gigs in Finland that he could hav...

  Here comes a dose of #Finpop 2025 with a lot of UMk flavor. Aka the latest offers from Nelli Matula, costee, BESS, Ilta and previous UMK winner Aksel Kankaanranta who sadly never got to Eurovision thanks to... you know what. Enjoy! Nelli Matula - Uus ikuisuus costee / BESS - Köyhä ja kipee Aksel Kankaanranta - Helpottaa Ilta - En mieti sua

  This time let's have a UMK/Euroviisut special. Annika Eklund placed 3rd with Shanghain valot in the Euroviisut aka national selection in 2006 but it has become an evergreen and it was featured in this new version in UMK final with Annika, Eini, Keira, Bess, Laura Voutilainen and Linda Lampenius. Markku Aro of ESC 1971 has released a new track and is still actively performing and touring. Tina Petterson of Beat and ESC 1990 fame continues to release self written music and finally we have Waldo's People's ( ESC 2009 ) latest effort for the summer. Enjoy! Annika Eklund & co. - Shanghain valot 2025 Markku Aro - Sulle annoin mun elämän Tina Pettersson -Ajatuksen voimalla Waldo's People - La Fiesta

 Here we go again. BESS keeps delivering songs and duets and here's another one. Already familiar Disco and Pihlaja offer something new as well, and then we have Aste, co-written by Goldielocks (and is it her in vocals?!). Enjoy! BESS - Suutele mun silmii Aste - Dyynit Disco - Sulje sun silmät Pihlaja - Encore

  Let's kick off another string of #Finpop 2025 posts for summer! ABREU is back as is her bestie Benjamin with yet another release. BESS has teamed up with Ramses II this time and Evelina with Juuna Chill. Chill out and enjoy! Evelina / Juuna Chill - Tranquilo Ramses // /BESS - Samat silmät ABREU feat Bizi - Äiti Teresa Benjamin - Lokki

Another dose of fresh #Finpop 2025 for you! It's Käärijä again, this time teaming up with UMK and fan favorite Bess followed by UMK veterans Mikael Gabriel and Benjamin along with Evelina who would fit UMK perfectly and I suspect and suppose has submitted song or two in previous years. Maybe next year she'll be there? BESS / Käärijä - Kaistaa Mikael Gabriel - Valinnu mun tien Evelina - Kirsikat Benjamin - Tommi (seksipommi)

Emma Gaala or the Finnish Grammy awards were celebrated in Espoo's Metro Arena a week ago and last year's most successful artist was Mirella who picked four out of six nominations (Artist of the year, Newcomer of the year, Song of the Year, Pop of the Year, Public's choice, Album of the Year) On top of that she was awarded The Most sold album of the Year and The most streamed Song of the Year. Several UMK artists were nominated and won awards. It's worth remembering three UMK entries have won The Song of the Year award in recent years: Dark side , Ram pam pam and Cha cha cha . Käärijä and Bess also have won The Artist of the Year award in 2022 and 2023, Kuumaa has won The Band of the Year now three years in a row (2022, 2023, 2024). Newcomer of the Year has been won by Jesse Markin (2019), Käärijä (2023), Kuumaa won Album of the year (2023). Pop of the year award has gone to Bess (2022) and Kuumaa (2023). Rock of the year to Blind Channel (2021, 2024), Export award to ...

I already posted the Official singles chart #1's here , and it's time to check out the Radio play charts that often featured very different songs. And as the singles chart was all Finnish but the Wham's Christmas #1 the situation is not different here: Only one song, in the last week, too, made it to #1 and that was Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars! Only 12 songs made it to #1 as most of the year they kept going up and down and switching places at top. UMK Sara Siipola scored #1 here, as did UMK veterans BESS and Benjamin together, and BESS with Elastinen as well. Also another UMK veteran Robin Packalen scored his biggest hits in years. And if Mirella dominated the Singles chart being on top for 25 weeks here she did with two songs for six weeks. BESS was the Queen here with her 16 weeks on top! Elastinen feat BESS - Pimee (weeks 1-4, 7, 9) Jenni Vartiainen - Lanka (weeks 5, 10-12) Bee - Viimeisiä sanoja (weeks 6, 8) Mirella - Timanttei (weeks 13, 19, 21-22) Sara Siipola - Paska...

The past three years the most streamed song on Spotify in Finland has been an UMK entry but not anymore in 2024. Newcomers Mirella, Hugo and Ani took over but Kuumaa was still the second most listened act in general, Sexmane 5th. Their both latest albums made also the list of most listened albums: Pisara meressä (1.) and Hyvikset ja pahikset (6.) The most listened artist was however Turisti , followed by Kuumaa, Mirella, Gettomasa , Sexmane , Ibe , Costi , Taylor Swift, Isac Elliot and Lauri Haav .  1. Mirella - Timanttei 2. Ege Zulu & BEHM - Tunnista tuntiin 3. Mirella & Lauri Haav - Luotathan 4. Mirella - Uuteen eiliseen 5. AHTI & Hugo - Väärään aikaan 6. Kuumaa - Satama 7. Hugo & Costi - Taulut 8. Robin Packalen & Tupe - Häitä pidelly 9. Ani - Jos puhutaan totta 10. Mirella - Sua sattuu In 2021 Blind Channel's Dark side topped the list. Måneskin gave extra Eurovision flavour to the list placing three songs in the Top-10: I wanna be your slave (2.), Euroviis...

  Another week, another dose of #Finpop2024. This week only Big names from the Finnihs music industry, all of them numerous hits and sold out arenas with their latest efforts. Could someone of them return or debut to UMK in 2025? Enjoy! (Such a shame the music videos seem to be very rare these days...) BESS - SAANKO MÄ LUVAN ROBIN PACKALEN / TUPE - HÄITÄ PIDELLY SANNI / GETTOMASA - PAPERIHAAVOJA  JENNI VARTIAINEN - VILLIT VEDET

  This week's dose of #Finpop 2024 includes two UMK favorites together, namely BESS and Benjamin, possibly future UMK artist Joalin, this year's UMK star jesse Markin and finally a female star duet by Maija and Aliisa, a very Bondesque indeed.  BESS / Benjamin - Paremmin ku kukaan muu Joalin - Chica-cá Maija Vilkkumaa / Aliisa Syrjä - Mulle ei sovi tänään Jesse Markin - Kingdom

  We have reached already 100 #Finpop2023 entries this month! How many of these artists have applied for UMK, and how many made it? Time will tell... Elastinen /BESS - Pimee Frans Harju - Tässä tää nyt on Indica - Savuna ilmaan BEHM - Sinä lähdet, minä jään

 Here we go again! Today's dose of #Finpop2023. Enjoy! Aliisa Syrjä - Sydämetön BESS - Mission Antti Tuisku - Koti Joalin - SOLO

  Another day, another dose of #Finpop! BESS - Kädet ylös Tuure Boelius - Sitä mitä me oltiin SHRTY / Joalin - Pariisin kevät Isac Elliott / SANNI - Riidellään

This is only the beginning but Käätijä's Eurovision song contest 2023 runner up and televote winner Cha cha cha has already become the most streamed Finnish song in Finnish!  he has also broken the Finnish record of daily streams (469.600 on May 14) as well as weekly streams (2.566,241 accumulated on May 12-18)! The streaming numbers are over 32 million when writing this (pdate 21.5.: It's already 45 million) while the previous chart's Top-10 looks like this (On May 17, 2023), incl. UMK winner Aksel Kankaanranta as feat.: 1. Käärijä - Cha cha cha   32 297 751 2. JVG - Ikuinen vappu    31 441 712 3. Korpiklaani - Ievan polkka   30 432 149 4. JVG - Tarkenee   29 162 829 5.  Behm - Hei rakas   28 183 379 6. William - Penelope   27 053 714 7. JVG - Hehkuu   23 090 230 8. Pyhimys feat Aksel Kankaanranta - Jättiläinen    23 087 338 9. Reino Nordin - Antaudun    22 811 485 10. Behm - Frida ...

Iskelmä Gala, that translates to Schlager Gala was just like Emma Gala (here) a success for UMK artist. the Gala is organized by Iskelmä radio station and the awards are voted by its listeners. BESS won the award as the Female artist of the year, while Portion Boys won The Band of the year, and The Entertainer of the Year awards. Olli Halonen (ex-Satin Circus) won the Newcomer of the Year award. Kuumaa left with empty hands this time as did Erika Vikman.  All UMK related nominees were: Song of the Year:  Portion Boys - Elämän ABC BESS - Ram pam pam Olli Halonen - Suomen kesä Kuumaa - Tulipalo Female Artist of the Year: Erika Vikman BESS (won) Male artist of the Year: Olli Halonen Breakthrough of the Year: Olli Halonen (won) Band of the Year: Kuumaa Portion Boys (won) Entertainer of the Year: Erika Vikman Portion Boys (won) The Song of the year is Vesterinen Yhtyeineen with Kohti sydänpeltoja:

The Emma awards, aka Finnish Grammys were handed out in a grand scala this weekend and UMK artists had a great success! This transformation of UMK songs and artists to mainstream award pickers, hit makers and most streamed ones in just a few years is still something unbelievable to one who has been following the Finnish national selection Euroviisut and then UMK for decades. It's astonishing. I still remember clearly how the entries maybe were not even recorded, definitely didn't chart or became hits or mind you were nominated and winning awards..... Not to mention all the guest like Erika Vikman! Below are the ones picked up this year: Artist of the Year: BESS Band of the Year: Kuumaa Song of the Year: Ram pam pam - BESS   Mos streamed song of the Year: Ram pam pam - BESS Pop of the Year: BESS (for Ram pam pam, Rakastan en rakasta , Sammumaton ) Schlager of the Year : Olli Halonen (ex-Satin Cirkus) (For Pohjola , Suomen kesä , Pimeys ) Music maker of the Year: Jonas Olsson ...

  This week we have Robin "I will never ever sing in Finnish again" Packalen sing in Finnish with Viivi. Bess returns with another single (and releases the English version of Ram pam pam , check it out on Spotify). Pins.ku delivers another goodie and finally a very nice song from newcomer Aliisa Syrjä. Enjoy! VIIVI, Robin Packalen - Ihana kipu Aliisa Syrjä - Tää tunne BESS - Sammumaton pins.ku - Kaunis poika

Logomo in Turku will be the chosen venue for Uuden musiikin kilpailu aka UMK 2023 final on February 25, 2023. The procedure is pretty much the same as past years: Yle promises the biggest show ever, there will be seven acts competing and huge opening and interval act shows.  The chosen artists will be announced on January 11 and their entries showcased one per day as usual starting at midnight. Among the artists aree, as usual, well knows acts and up and coming new names and the genres include the best dance entry in UMK's history with a new killer vocalist, an entry full of sexual tension by a very well known artist, a show stopping ballad by one of the most significant export artists, the strongest rap banger in UMK's history (we start to repeat ourselves here) and up and coming and very popular bands..... We'll see. The UMK final also includes on spot in Turku a pre- and after party and sico, and tickets are selling already fast. Last year it was sold out. UMK has also m...