Eurovision Song Contest 2024
Country Finland
National selection
Selection processUuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024
Selection date(s)10 February 2024
Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2023 • 2024

Finland is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden. The Finnish broadcaster Yleisradio (Yle) is organising the national final Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024 in order to select the Finnish entry for the contest.

Background

Prior to the 2024 contest, Finland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-six times since its first entry in 1961. Finland has won the contest once in 2006 with the song "Hard Rock Hallelujah" performed by Lordi. In the 2023 contest, "Cha Cha Cha" performed by Käärijä finished first in the televote and second overall.[1]

The Finnish national broadcaster, Yleisradio (Yle), broadcasts the event within Finland and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. Finland's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest have been selected through national final competitions that have varied in format over the years. Between 1961 and 2011, a selection show that was often titled Suomen euroviisukarsinta highlighted that the purpose of the program was to select a song for Eurovision. However, since 2012, the broadcaster has organised the selection show Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), which focuses on showcasing new music with the winning song being selected as the Finnish Eurovision entry for that year. Yle confirmed their intentions to participate at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest on 14 May 2023, announcing that the Finnish entry would again be selected through Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu.[2]

Before Eurovision

Logo of UMK 2024

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024 is set to be the thirteenth edition of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the music competition that selects Finland's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition will consist of a final to be held on 10 February 2024 at the Nokia Arena in Tampere, a larger arena than the venues used in previous editions,[3][4][5][6] and will be presented by Pilvi Hämäläinen, Benjamin and Viivi Pumpanen.[7]

Competing entries

A window was opened by Yle between 21 and 24 August 2023 for interested artists to submit the demo versions of their candidate entries.[2][8] At least one of the writers and one lead singer were required to hold Finnish citizenship or live in Finland permanently in order for the entry to qualify to compete.[8] A total of 419 applications were received,[3][4][5] from which seven competing entries were selected by a panel of experts chaired by Tapio Hakanen;[9][10] they were announced on 10 January 2024 and are being released on each of the weekdays from 11 to 19 January 2024.[11][12] Selected artists had until 20 October 2023 to submit the full versions of their entries.[8]

Artist Song Language Songwriter(s)
Cyan Kicks "Dancing with Demons" English
Jesse Markin "Glow" English
  • Jesse Markin
  • Totte Rautiainen
Mikael Gabriel and Nublu "Vox populi" TBA
  • Aniachunamoso Nnebedum
  • Elias Hjelm
  • Markkus Pulk
  • Mikael Gabriel
  • Omar Aberkane
  • Teemu Juhani Javanainen
Sara Siipola "Paskana" Finnish
  • Emmi Hakala
  • Kaisa Korhonen
  • Mikko Koivunen
  • Sara Siipola
Sexmane "Mania" Finnish
Sini Sabotage "Kuori mua" TBA
  • Aleksanteri Hulkko
  • Sini-Maria Makkonen
  • Sonny Kylä-Liuhala
  • Veikka Erkola
  • Vilma Virintie
Windows95man[lower-alpha 1] "No Rules!" English
  • Henri Piispanen
  • Jussi Roine
  • Teemu Keisteri

Final

The final will take place on 10 February 2024; the winner will be selected by a combination of public and jury votes.[8] In addition to the competing entries, the show will include performances by 2023 winner Käärijä and other Finnish artists.[5]

Calls for boycott and implications of Israeli participation

The inclusion of Israel in the list of participants for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis resulting from the Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war sparked controversy in Finland as well as several other participating countries, with increasing calls and petitions for broadcasters to boycott the event. In late December 2023, Yle stated that it was "closely following the situation in the Middle East" and holding discussions with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and other Nordic broadcasters;[13][14] this was followed by a petition signed by around 1,400 Finnish music professionals demanding the broadcaster to withdraw from the event or to pressure for Israel to be excluded.[15][16] UMK contestant Jesse Markin stated that, in case of victory, he would refuse to take part in Eurovision if Israel is permitted to compete;[17][18] Sini Sabotage commented that, while holding a similar stance on the situation, she would have to consider whether to participate or not. The executive producer for the competition, Anssi Autio, clarified that, as UMK is independent from Eurovision, these declarations do not affect their status as participants, adding that Yle has a backup plan in the event that the winner does not agree to represent Finland at the contest.[17]

At Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will take place at the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden, and consist of two semi-finals held on the respective dates of 7 and 9 May and the final on 11 May 2024. All nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final will progress to the final. On 30 January 2024, an allocation draw will be held to determine which of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show, each country will perform in; the EBU splits up the competing countries into different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot.[19]

Notes

  1. ↑ Featuring vocals by Henri Piispanen

References

  1. ↑ "Finland". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 Saulo, Sandra (14 May 2023). "UMK24-haku alkaa elokuussa – nyt valppaana, sillä hakuaika aikaistui!" [Applications for UMK 2024 open in August – be alert now, because the application period has come early!] (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  3. 1 2 Oleander-Turja, Jaakko. "UMK fever takes Tampere's Nokia Arena by storm on 10 February 2024". Yle. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  4. 1 2 Adams, William Lee (3 October 2023). "UMK 2024: Finland's Eurovision selection includes 'all-time best group of entries' as it moves to Tampere's Nokia Arena". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Finland's hunt for the next Käärijä begins". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Konstantopoulou, Rina (6 July 2023). "FINLAND: UMK has grown and is moving to a huge arena for 2024!". OGAE Greece. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  7. ↑ Yle [@uudenmusiikinkilpailu] (11 December 2023). "TÄSSÄ HE OVAT: UMK:n juontajat kaudelle '24!" [HERE THEY ARE: UMK's presenters for the '24 season!] (in Finnish and English). Retrieved 11 December 2023 – via Instagram.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "The Contest for New Music (UMK) 2024 rules". Yle. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Sanabria-Rangel, Alvaro (21 August 2023). "Finland: UMK 2024 kicks in!". Eurovisionfun. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Granger, Anthony (24 August 2023). "Finland & Switzerland Eurovision 2024 Song Submissions Window Close Shortly". Eurovoix. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Tässä he ovat: UMK-kilpailijat kaudelle 2024" [Here they are: the UMK contestants for the 2024 season] (in Finnish). Yle. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Beijar, Alexander (10 January 2024). "En debutant, en comeback och en estnisk rappare – här är artisterna i årets UMK" [A debutant, a comeback and an Estonian rapper – here are this year's UMK artists] (in Swedish). Yle. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  13. ↑ Dahan, Tal (20 December 2023). "פינלנד: ההצהרה השנויה במחלוקת בנוגע להשתתפות ישראל באירוויזיון" [Finland: the controversial statement regarding Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest]. EuroMix (in Hebrew). Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  14. ↑ Smith, David (20 December 2023). "Finland: UMK account suggests possible Eurovision withdrawal over Israel's participation". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  15. ↑ Holmberg, Frida (10 January 2024). "Musiker kräver bojkott – 'Hamas deltar inte i ESC, det gör Israel'" [Musicians demand a boycott – "Hamas doesn't take part in ESC, Israel does"]. Hufvudstadsbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  16. ↑ Chatterjee, Phelan (10 January 2024). "Eurovision: Finnish artists want Israel barred from contest over Gaza war". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  17. 1 2 "UMK finalist Jesse Markin will not represent Finland at Eurovision if Israel participates". Yle News. Yle. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  18. ↑ Freddy T. (11 January 2024). "UMK finalist Jesse Markin says he won't go to Eurovision if Israel participates". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  19. ↑ Van Dijk, Sem Anne (13 December 2023). "Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Allocation Draw on January 30". Eurovoix. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
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