Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Another dose of #Finpop 2025 and.... #UMK2026 rejects? As Berta and Tina among others have already publicly told they submitted an entry (that you can sneak peak in TikTok) most every other around 3 minute song released is under suspicion these weeks.   Lauri Mikkola is no stranger to national selection and is house singer for Yle's Elämäni biisi shows while the others here are new fresh names who could try to enter UMK to boost their careers. Right? Lauri Mikkola - Jos kukaan ei näkis Sofia Voltti - Suru ei oo sairaus Heidi Beth - Miehii sataa Jamie - Kokonaan ilman sua

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...

After last year's glitter and crazy Ding dong here comes a cool rockband with some stadium sized rock. All the guys are still under 19 so it would be propriate to talk about a boyband but for me boyband screams pop, and these guys are rock. The lead singer has a voice like no one else and they have some youthful charm to add and make it look and sound beyond their years. They got a recording deal already before winning UMK (just like Krista last year) and are backed by the label big time. Let's see how it goes..... Are they Something better ? Robert: Slowly I start to like this song a bit but I must admit I was quite upset with UMK, the Finnish national preselection, this year. I had two absolute favourites, Sängyn reunalla by Mikko Pohjola and Going down by Lauri Mikkola  and Selja by Hukka & Mama was also very nice. None of them won but a sympathetic boyband instead. Just sometimes I do not understand the Finns.... Oh well..:) Blogilkar: I agree with Robert ...

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...

This is it. The crucial semifinal. The remaining eight acts and songs are battling it out with televote only for the six places in the final. So far we have only known the jury votes and the result of 50-50 televote-jury vote. Tonight we might be in for some surprises.... We are back in Peacock Theater in Helsinki, for the last time, and Anne Lainto and Ile Uusivuori have been styled by the winner of an online contest (Helena Pirhonen) instead of the usual YLE's stylist, will they look different?  UMK+ will start online already 19.30 CET while the live show starts at 20 CET. Brädi will be the guest star performing together with UMK judge Toni Wirtanen. It will be also interesting to see if this semifinal manages to attract more viewers in front of TV as the previous shows have all got less than about 250.000, none of them entering the Top-20 most viewed programmes of the week iin YLE2. As always, I'll be here blogging it live for you so join in and enjoy the ride! ...

This Saturday the semifinal will take place and six more acts will join the final line up while two has to leave the race. We are still in Peacock Theater in Helsinki before moving to Barona Arena in Espoo for the grand final next week. In this semifinal there's only televote and as we have not really had a chance to see how they go so far as only the jury vote has been made public it's going to a very interesting evening. All still have a chance and there could be major surprises. In the final there will be again 50-50 televote-jury vote. The running order is below. The voting i open and you can vote here . If you don't want to spend your money on voting, vote in my poll instead --> MadCraft - Shinig bright Hukka ja Mama - Selja Lauri Mikkola - Going down Jasmin Michaela - Kertakäyttösydän Dennis Fagerström - My little honey bee MIAU - God/Drug Mikko Pohjola - Sängyn reunalla Clarissa feat. Josh Standing - Top of the world Hukka ja Mama have been ...

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...