It's soon time for UMK, the Contest for New Music, a competition that decides which act will go to Basel, Switzerland in May to represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC).
This year, six acts are vying for the top spot at UMK.
The contest's organiser Yle has published the songs on Areena, Spotify, YouTube and other streaming services, one-by-one, over the past week.
Here they are:
Neea River – Nightmares
Neea River's teenage dreams of becoming an international singing star began in her hometown of Nurmijärvi. But her first big break happened while vacationing in Los Angeles, after a local music producer took note of her singing on Instagram and invited her to a recording studio.
River's third release ended up on a movie soundtrack, and after inking a deal with Warner Music Finland, she continued writing pop songs for domestic and international artists. But after a few years, she started making songs to perform herself.
In a statement about her entry, Nightmares, UMK's jury said that River's voice caught their attention first.
"Clearly, this is a top professional who controls her voice exceptionally well. The next thing you notice is the stellar composition that combines modern pop aesthetics with epic Eurovision vibes and cinematic glamour," the jury said.
Nelli Matula – Hitaammin hautaan
While growing up in the capital area, singer Nelli Matula spent part of her formative years in musical theatre, then went on to graduate from Helsinki's Pop-Jazz Conservatory in 2016. That was the year she landed her first recording contract. She was noticed quickly, garnering an Emma nomination (Finland's version of the Grammy Awards) for her debut album Jumalatar a few years later. She then released a couple of albums after signing with Universal Music Finland.
"My dream is to become as big an artist [as possible] so I can perform at arenas. This is a good place to start, because there’s no bigger show than UMK in this country," she explained in a release by the contest.
According to Matula, her UMK entry Hitaammin hautaan deals with a longing for change and finding new meaning in her life.
UMK's jury said the track would likely grab the attention of audiences.
"The song is full of catchy melodies right from the intro, and the lyrics, composition and production keep the audience on board from start to finish. Nelli Matula is a highly talented singer whose beautiful voice shines at the climax of the song. The personal background of the song gives it an extra emotional charge," the jury said.
Costee – Sekaisin
Hailing from Turku, Costee (Jussi Tiainen) has already seen big success. By now, his songs have been streamed more than 100 million times, since first landing a recording deal with Etenee Records.
The young pop star has already received an Emma nomination — while some of his most devoted fans have etched the titles, lyrics and images of his pop songs on their bodies in the form of tattoos, according to UMK organisers.
Not long ago, Costee started his own record label, with an aim to share his knowledge and experience with up-and-coming artists.
The UMK jury called him a "modern star" stemming from traditional, Finnish pop-rock roots.
"Sekaisin is full of darkness and melancholy, but also love and hope, a combination that Finns have always loved. The song is more pop than Costee's earlier songs, but the artist’s distinctive sound and style as well as great lyrics are strongly present," the jury said
Viivi – Aina
Viivi Korhonen, publicly known as Viivi, was born in North Savo and spent much of her early life immersed in learning music and being onstage. She first started performing in singing contests.
Inking her first recording deal at the age of 18, she went on to win three Emmas, while also nabbing a newcomer of the year nod for her 2022 debut album.
She has also collaborated with a number of Finnish pop stars and artists, including Ahti, Ani, JVG and Robin in a duet that broke a Spotify streaming record for this decade.
But according to Viivi, writing a song for Eurovision needs something extra. That's why it took her some time to get here.
"The song must have a 'douze points' vibe," she said, referring to the maximum 12 points that a country can give to their favoured Eurovision song.
"Aina is loaded with such an indescribable emotion that it requires an arena to perform it. I feel like this is the most important song in my career," Viivi said in UMK's release.
The UMK jury said that the song would likely become a favourite at weddings, due to its depiction of love, adding that it is full of "beauty and hope".
"The song is really dynamic, growing from the tender beginning to an epic ending. At the same time, it retains the authenticity and sensitivity that immediately captures the audience, thanks to Viivi’s beautiful and expressive voice," the jury said about the track.
Goldielocks – Made Of
Ella Mäntynen comes from North Karelia. She said that her persona Goldielocks is "a rock star inside the shell of a pop star", a character inspired by Disney's children's show Hanna Montana — starring Miley Cyrus, who used a wig to transform herself into a make-believe pop star.
Before going solo and reaching UMK, Goldielocks created music for domestic hit-makers Gasellit, Isac Elliot, Abreu, and Sara Siipola.
A couple of years ago she landed a recording deal with Sony Music Finland and released her first single Electrifying in 2023. According to UMK, the solo artist is on the verge of international success.
Goldielocks started creating Made Of in a Berlin studio, with help from producers Lauri Mäntynen (her brother) and Topi Kilpinen.
The jury called her UMK entry a unique blend of "international-level pop hooks", strong lyrics and "alt-pop roughness".
"Goldielocks performed on the main stage at Flow Festival last summer and showed that she is ready for grand stages," the jury noted.
Erika Vikman – Ich Komme
Erika Vikman first gained fame as a singer in Finland in 2016 when she won the Tangomarkkinat festival, which bills itself as the world's oldest tango contest. Every summer it names the genre's best singers, composers and dancers.
Later, she sealed a recording deal and then was a lead contestant at UMK in 2020, with the track Cicciolina. While she also took part at UMK with a performance aside of the actual contest, Vikman said she didn't think that she would compete again.
But, while working on tracks for an album with producers Chisu and Jori Roosberg, she changed her mind — making the decision after hearing Ich Komme (I'm Coming in German).
"I asked Chisu and Jori to make a Eurovision-type song for me. They asked me directly if I wanted to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest. That’s where it all started," she said.
The jury said the steamy song's climax ("pun intended", they quipped) "is one of the most exciting in UMK's history".
"Ich Komme feels like a piece of art that takes Erika Vikman to a new level. The song combines traditional Finnish disco with a remarkable composition and lyrics, wrapping it up with the rave aesthetic of electronic music," the jury said.
UMK 2025 will be held on the evening of Saturday 8 February at the Nokia Arena in Tampere. Yle will broadcast the event live on TV and its streaming platform Areena.
The winner will then head to Basel, Switzerland, to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held from 13 to 17 May.
This story was edited on 23 January 2025 to reflect One Morning Left's disqualification from UMK. The act is no longer taking part in the contest, for reasons explained in this article.
Edited on 28 January to update the main photo with the six acts.