Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Tuuli Okkonen is no stranger to UMK as she already participated back in 2012 with her Leola band. She also did The Voice of Finland finishing 3rd/4th when last year's UMK participant Siru won. She's Eurovision fan as is her song writing team. Desoite all that her singing career hasn't still quite went anywhere and as dayjob she's a hairdresser and school photographer. Will she finally make it? 13/20

So, tonight's UMK is over and we have a result. This week I don't totally agree with the judges but hey, that's life. Aura Pineda is out. The judges thought she's a good singer and she is, and the song is a good schlager hit which is it but somehow it wasn't honest. Indeed she said in interview she "wants to sing all sort of music" in a way that it sounded like she's not that into the song herself. Could be. Surprisingly also Leola was kicked out. They praised the solist and the song and wondered if she would go solo anytime soon. Even if the song came alive on stage like never before it lacked originality reminding many Finnish current artists (Irina meets Stella for example). So, welcome back nest year! Iconcrash did it. They thought they were ambitious stadium rock. A good song. Freeman also did it but they were very disappointed Uusi Fantasia band was not with him but five backing singers. He better bring them along (after all it's labeled ...

So far the show has been a rating disaster and people have showed little interest, even amongst the fans it seems. Tonight again six acts will perform to the judges who will then drop two of them. They are Aura Pineda, Freeman, Iconcrash, Kaisa Vala, Leola and Ville Eetvartti . As this is a recorded show the real thing happens elsewhere at the same time: the eight qualified ones + the wildcard voted online from Martina, Jessica Wolff and The Spyro will perform in Club Dom in Helsinki live infront of a live audience and judges. And here is the change: apparently when this airs on February 17 the public can vote five acts directly to the final, and the judges will add one more. So far there has been no talk about public voting at this stage so is this an attempt to try to make the show more interesting and viewer friendly? The show starts tonight at 20.00 CET and you can watch it live on YLE Areena . I will of course post after the show my comments and thoughts.

Leola is a bit Jenni Vartiainenis a band thing with their Rytmit rikkoutuu . They started as an indieband singing in English but now take a turn to pop in Finnish and it sounds fresh and catchy. Needs a bigger production and it all maybe falls on singer Tuuli Okkonen's pretty shoulders and as I haven't seen them live I have no idea does it work but... very nice to listen to and they look pretty, too. Me likes.