Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

While the winner Softengine is still working on their debut album and is about to release their new single Yellow house shortly, the girls of MIAU have come out with their debut album Trinity . Ten songs including of course their 3rd placed God/Drug .  Jasmin Michaela 's new single is called Irtokarkkeja following Kertakäyttösydän . Clarissa is out with Lies , following her duet with Josh Standing in Top of the world . Oh, and Madcraft is out with Never had the guts , too. Let's not forget Mikko Pohjola being featured in Jannika B's Sateen rummut while waiting for his new album including of course Sängyn reunalla .  Hukka ja Mama are also working on their debut album with Selja . And Lili Lambert has released this fabulous music video for her Let me take you there . Hanna Sky has released a follow up single, too, Softer rain . Lauri Mikkola has been busy with various live shows but it's worth remembering his appearance in Elastinen's Uus . Even Jos...

UMK 2014 final takes place tomorrow and Ilta-Sanomat has gathered together the data from Spotify. It shows Mikko Pohjola is by far the most listened song song from UMK 2014 with over 30% of all listenings. Also his video on Youtube has been watched over 50.000 times already. He surely has a domestic hit in his hand, and who knows wins the whole thing?! He's also leading in my poll here on the right side where you can still vote... -> Meanwhile YLE has noticed #UMK14 has become a success also abroad in social medias. Thousends of foreigners are following, tweeting, commenting, watching online. YLE wants to thank the artists themselves that who have been more active than ever in social medias. Martin Hart sums it up nicely in his tweet In viewing figures on TV UMK is still struggling. The semifinal was the first show that made it to YLE2's weekly Top-20 at number 14 with 248.000 viewers or 44%. But back to the Spotify. Softengine follows Mikko Pohjola but only hal...

Here are the eight UMK 2014 finalist for your viewing and listening pleasure with voting instructions as well. It all started with performing the demo versions to the judges, then the remixed version to live audiences in the heats and semifinals. Some of them have also produced already videos for their entries, including Lili Lambert who didn't reach the final with her Let me take you there . What is remarkable this year is that Softengine, MIAU and Hukka ja Mama have all secured a recording deal before the final. 01. Softengine – Something Better: Jury live , live , video 02. Hanna Sky – Hope: Jury live , live , studio 03. MIAU – God/Drug: Jury live , live , video 04. Lauri Mikkola – Going Down: Jury live , live , studio  Acoustic video 05. Madcraft – Shining Bright: Jury live , live, video 06. Mikko Pohjola – Sängyn Reunalla: Jury live , live , video 07. Clarissa feat. Josh Standing – Top Of The World: Jury live , live , video 08. Hukka ja Mam...

UPDATE 30.1 11.30am: Nearly 500 votes, thank you all! Mikko has taken a clear lead over Softengine and this couple has left the others far behind. Do you agree? If not, change the situation by voting, the last 24h to vote are here! When writing this a few votes are missing from the 400 votes and Mikko Pohjola has catched up Softengine, who have been ledding the poll for ages. Clarissa and Josh are already far behind and then there's another gap where MadCraft, the early leaders of the poll are with Jasmin Michaela and Hanna Sky. You still have a few days to vote or change your vote on the right hand side of this page -> This is the situation right now, January 27 at 5.23pm: Mikko Pohjola   104 Softengine   104 Clarissa ft. Josh    92 MadCraft   75 *Jasmin Michaela   74 Hanna Sky   72 Hukka ja Mama   52 MIAU   47 Lauri Mikkola   46 *MAKEA   34 *Dennis F...

What a surprise, but maybe a deserved one. Hanna Sky - who I actually saw in a local bus the other day :-) - has really trasformed her uninspired and dark number into colorful anthem of hope and it made the difference. I'm a bit surprised MadCraft was so close to dropping out but was it only because of the judges remains to be seen as we don't know the televotes. But Mikko was only four points behind Hanna in jury votes so it seems also televoters fell for Hanna... Now the two songs that made the final so far are completely different. This is going to be very interesting and anything can still happen. Lat year the mechanism was a bit different when two songs went to the final diretly from the elimination grounds so there were already four of them, now only two..... MAKEA's campaign in social medias didn't work as they didn't attract enough televoters to overcome the last place with judges..... Tomi: MAKEA 4, Madcraft 5, Clarissa 6, Lauri 7, Mikko 8 and Hann...

It's time to kick out one again. Who will follow Lili Lambert out, and who will join Softengine already in the final? Anne Lainto and Ile Uusivuori are hosting the show live from Helsinki's Peacock Theater in Linnamäki amusement park from 8pm CET. The guest star tonight is Musta Barbaari . You can watch it live here . The backstage UMK+ will start already 7.30pm CET online.  Join me tonight for the live blogging experience. Once again I will translate what the judges say, comment and gossip. Stay tuned! (Meanwhile why not voting your favorites in my pol ->) 20.35 Here we go again. The backstage is interviewing Aija Puurtinen and they talk about her band. Next is Cristal Snow! He is there for Mikko Pohjola, his future ex-husband to be - only that Mikko doesn't know it yet! Then we have two bloggers who also seem to be in favor for Mikko. And you can add this blogger to that list, too. They think Hanna Sky is in danger - or she could be the dark horse tonight. ...

Tonight it's time for the second elimination in UMK 2014. Just like last week six acts will take the Peacock theater's stage and one is sent home, one directly to the final and the other four still have another chance to convince televoters and the jurors. The show starts at 8pm CET on YLE2.  Online the UMK+ kicks off 7.30pm CET with interviews and backstage. As always I will be here live blogging for you so join me tonight! The voting has been open all week and you can still vote here . Listen to the songs here or click the links below for the demo performances. MAKEA - Painovoima Lauri Mikkola - Going down Clarissa feat Josh Standing - On top of the world Mikko Pohjola - Sängyn reunalla - video Madcraft - Shining bright - video Hanna Sky - Hope

A few days ago the second UMK 2014 program aired. The judges saw the first six artists for the first time on stage in studio performing their demos. They gave comments and suggestions how to improve the act, what was good and what was not. You can watch this show online here . Here's a round up what was said and this blogger's views as well. JASMIN MICHAELA - KERTAKÄYTTÖSYDÄN Jasmin thinks her song stands out for its rhythm, way of singing and her sensual, smiley and energetic performing. She's got a clear vision what she wants to do and look but all advice from the professionals is more than welcome! And what did they think? Aija: Awesome song! I really like it, the chorus is a killer. You look stunning and interesting, and most of all fitting to the song. Toni: I really like your choreography - little movements, old fashion hidden sexuality in your hips and such. A great contrast to these silicon babes in hotpants these days! This is much more interesting! S...

Hanna Seppälä aka Hanna Sky is a singer-songwriter from Tampere. She's new and fresh as a singer to the great public as she started as a singer only this summer! She has of course self penned her entry Hope . The song is a mix of many things and as we are listening only demos at this point it's interesting to see and hear where the focus will be put in the end. She says writing songs is her way of life, and taking care of her soul. She wants to tell stories and write rich melodies, her music is a mix of r'n'b, ethnic influences and electonic pop. She loves to sit by the pian and create new songs - nothing beats the moment when a new melody takes shape and she realizes it's going to be a good one!  She's also very taken her song was selected and just about to burst of happiness! Her influences include three strong female artists: Ellie Goulding, Alicia Keys and Emeli Sandé. Like her on her Facebook here and vote for her on my poll on the right side.

The 12 artists and songs for UMK 2014 were revealed today in a MF-esque webcast on YLE's website where you also heard snippets of the demo versions of their songs (you can watch it here ). Or better snippets just click the song titles below. The fans were right with the most names with the clues given away by YLE in the ast two weeks and indeed it seems to be a very interesting cast this season. Jukka Immonen wrote the Belgian entry 2013, and Lauri Mikkola and Dennis Fagerström made themselves known already in the Voice of Finland. I will dig deeper with the artists in coming days so stay tuned! Here are the artists, songs and songwriters: Lauri Mikkola – Going Down   (Lauri Mikkola, Tuomas Viiliäinen) Clarissa feat. Josh – Top of The World   (Paul Oxley, David Neisser, Christian Rabb, Annette Lundell, Joshua Standing) MadCraft – Shining Bright  (Tom Nuorivaara, Juho Rinne, Jesse Mäläskä, Otto Uotila) Mikko Pohjola – Sängyn reunalla   (Jukka Immone...