Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  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

Finland's UMK has really turned itself around in just a couple of years from no hit machine disaster to a real chart topping delivering career launching hit machine. Two years in a row the Finnish Grammy aka Emma has gone to a song from UMK, all the songs hit the charts, it delivers several Top-10 hits, number ones and creates new stars. This year more than ever. In my personal opinion every song this year is good or great, and any of them would have been a winner just 3-4 years ago but things have changed now. How to pick up the one from the goodies? Easy if you think about it: there's one that caused an international stir right after it was released, it sticks out like a slap in the face and all I can say is WE MUST CHOOSE IT.  The running order caused some commotion in the social medias but I believe it has something to do with the stagings and props etc. On the other hand with only seven songs it's not so important if you go first, last or somewhere in between. Especial...

How things change! Not so long ago the Finnish national entries didn't bother the charts, not even the winner and there are even entries that have never even been released after the contest. And now, UMK is living a real resurrection or renaissance and has become similar to Sanremo or Malodifestivalen: It makes hits. Artists want to take part. It's hot. Relevant. A hit.  Not all this year's entries have had the time to enter the official charts but last weekend for example Spotify's Top-10 had five UMK entries! I'm sure they will all storm into the charts this week. So far we have two debuts at the official singles Top-20 charts; Benjamin at #7 and Keira at #10. In the radio play Top-100 we have Robin at #46., Benjamin at #55., Lxandra at #65. and even Käårijä made it #77 already. I suppose he might hit the singles #1 and who knows how high on radios..... Let's look back at how it all started, this new era. Erika Vikman hit #5 on singles chart back in 2020 and ...

Finland has quite a line up this year starting with Robin Packalen, who has been on fandom's wish list for years as well as the most popular party band at the moment, Portion Boys and probably the next big thing Kuumaa. Add fresh Dancing with stars winner and fan favorite Benjamin, Lxandra who has been also on many wish lists for a few years (including mine). Add newcomer Keira and somewhat unknown Käärijä and you have maybe the biggest line up on paper ever on Umk. Sunrise Avenue's Samu Haber will be hosting the show from Turku's Logomo on February 25, 2023 and the winner will be selected by televote (75%) and international jury (25%). Once again Yle goes multilingual as you can watch the show on stream in either Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Ukrainian, sign language, northern Sami and Inari Sami. As usual the songs have been released one by one, one per day. I will get back to them one by one as well once they are all out. Keira - No business on the dancefloor Benj...