With applications opening and a request for submissions released by Yle.The 2024 season of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (New Music Competition), commonly known as UMK, began at 8 a.m. in Finland today.
“UMK is Finland’s biggest music show, which transports its winners from a domestic audience of one million to hundreds of millions of viewers to Eurovision, the world’s biggest music entertainment show,” said Sandra Saulo, the UMK web producer.
Applications close on August 24th, leaving three days to apply. The winner of UMK 2024 will represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden. Applicants should expect to be contacted in October.
“Käärijä’s Cha Cha Cha became the fastest-streaming Finnish-language song of all time, which has just crossed the 100 million listen mark on Spotify,” according to Saulo.
With Käärijä placing second in Liverpool with “Cha Cha Cha” and his massive post-Eurovision success, hopes are high for the countries attempt at bringing Eurovision to Finland for the first time since Helsinki hosted in 2007.
“Interest in UMK among both the public and artists has grown year by year, and last season’s Käärijä phenomenon raised the hype to an unprecedented high,” says Tapio Hakanen, chairman of the UMK council. “Soon we will see who will be Finland’s next Erika Vikman , Blind Channel , BESS , KUUMAA or Käärijä.”
Apply in English, Swedish, or Finnish.
