Turin 2022🇫🇮 Finland

Pop artist Vesala and influencer Mmiisas to host UMK22

Vesala promises an international-level show

Finland’s broadcaster Yle has today revealed the two hosts for their national selection UMK22. Pop artist Vesala and social media influencer Mmiisas (Miisa Rotola-Pukkila) will host the show on February 26.

Paula Vesala started her career through the talent show Popstars, but wasn’t chosen to the winning band, that got formed through the show. Later she found the group PMMP together with another contestant, Mira Luoti. PMMP sold over 370 000 records in Finland before the group decided to break up in 2013. After that, Vesala launched her very successful solo career.

I have my madness to blame, when agreeing on hosting UMK as I have no idea, if I am able to do it. But I look forward to great performances at UMK and most of all the moment when we get to ask the international juries for points.

Vesala on hosting UMK22

Next to hosting, Vesala will perform an international-level show. Vesala names two of Finland’s Eurovision entries as her favourite ones – Katri Helena‘s “Katson sineen taivaan” and Sonja Lumme‘s “Eläköön elämä”. When asked if Vesala could take part herself, she says she thinks it would happen only as a songwriter.

It might not be my place as an artist, but I worked on Stig‘s Laululeija, when he tried to represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest. Maybe I could take part as a songwriter again.

Vesala on competing in UMK

From Masked Singer to UMK22

Miisa Rotola-Pukkila, also known as Mmiisas, is one of the most followed social media influencers in Finland. She started making YouTube videos in 2013 and currently has 388,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and more than 440,000 followers on Instagram. She was named as one of the ten most influential media personas in 2016.

When I heard about the possibility to host the show, I burst into tears and my legs gave in. This is an incredibly great opportunity for me and as a Eurovision fan it is great to get to experience the UMK atmosphere from the main spot.

Mmiisas on hosting UMK22

Last year, she took part in Finland’s Masked Singer without any experience in singing in public. Mmiisas says she loves Eurovision and names Marija Šerifović‘s “Molitva” as the one performance that impressed her the most. Despite singing in front of millions of people during Masked Singer, Mmiisas doesn’t see herself becoming an artist.

I can reveal that I have been proposed a career as a singer from a couple of different directions. I appreciate that, but nonetheless, I’d rather sing alone in the car than with others. Performing and hosting, on the other hand, feels more like my own thing.

Mmiisas on singing

UMK22 final on February 26th

The final of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2022 will take place on February 26th with seven acts competing. They are Cyan Kicks, BESS, The Rasmus, Younghearted, Olivera, Tommi Läntinen and Isaac Sene. The winner and Finland’s Eurovision 2022 representative will be chosen by international jury (25% of the vote) and the Finnish public (75% of the vote). The final will have commentators in six languages, including Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Inari Sami and Northern Sami.

Finland will compete in the second semifinal of the contest in Turin and will perform on the first half of the show on May 10th.

Who is your favourite to win UMK22? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter@escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to see our reactions to the news in the upcoming months.

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