Turin 2022🇫🇮 Finland

🇫🇮 UMK to select Finland’s act for Eurovision 2022

Song submissions will open in September

Finnish broadcaster Yle has confirmed that their national final Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu will return to select the Finnish act for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Italy. Yle first held UMK in 2012 and it has been held every year since.

Blind Channel won the Finnish national final in 2021 with a landslide 551 points and went onto represent Finland in Rotterdam with the song “Dark Side”. The group finished 6th in the grand final, with 301 points.

Song search will begin in September

The news was announced last night following the grand final of Eurovision 2021, which was watched by over 2.3 million people in Finland (44% of the population), making it the third most-watched Eurovision final in Finland since 2000.

Interested artists will be able to submit their potential entries to the broadcaster in early September, with the rules for the national final being published next week. Seven acts took part in this year’s selection including Aksel – who was due to represent Finland at Eurovision 2020 – and Laura – who has represented Estonia twice at the contest.

The venue for next year’s selection has not yet been announced. The 2021 national final was held at the Mediapolis Studios in Tampere on 20th February.

Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Making their Eurovision debut in 1961 with the entry “Valoa Ikkunassa” by Laila Kinnunen, Finland hasn’t always had the best time at the contest. Finland didn’t have a smooth start at Eurovision, placing last three times in the 1960s. Marion Rung was Finland’s first success, placing 6th in 1973 with “Tom Tom Tom” – this remained as Finland’s best result until 2006.

Before the turn of the millennium, Finland placed last a further five times while they placed in the top ten on only three occasions. Finland’s fortunes finally changed however in 2006 when Lordi won the contest in Athens with “Hard Rock Hallelujah” – marking Finland’s only win and only top 5 result.

During the semi-finals era, Finland has qualified for the final on eight occasions. Blind Channel brought Finland their first top 10 finish since Lordi in 2021 with “Dark Side” which scored 301 points. The group finished 6th overall at the contest in Rotterdam.

Are you looking forward to the return of UMK in 2022? Who would you like to see represent Finland at the contest in Italy?

Let us know in the comments below and on social media @ESCXTRA.

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