Following the grand reveal of the seven acts competing in Finland’s Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) 2022, it’s time to hear their songs one at a time. First out the gates are Cyan Kicks. They’ve released their entry “Hurricane”.
The song is written and composed by band members Niila Perkkiö and Susanna Alexandra, as well as Amaranthe vocalist Elize Ryd. Music producers Chris Walla and Zakk Cervini have also been involved in creating the final product.
Cyan Kicks – “Hurricane”
“Hurricane” is a powerful song that praises those who pursue courage and self-realisation.
The track is a fusion of styles, with electronic verses and a rockier chorus. Cyan Kicks’s Susanna Alexandra notes this is what makes the band’s unique blend of modern rock: “We aren’t afraid to combine different elements to make our own, distinctive sound. One song might be completely electronic, while another will be seriously heavy, but, at the end of the day, it always sounds like Cyan Kicks.”
Cyan Kicks are an alternative rock group comprised of members Susanna Alexandra, Niila Perkkiö, Leevi Erkkilä and Pietari Reijonen. They formed in 2016 and have since released two studio albums, accumulating over 10 million streams.
“Rock’s always been around, and it’s always been mainstream music, even if it hasn’t always been the centre of media attention. We want to do our part in really keeping rock in the limelight,” the band says.
@wiwibloggs_official Who are you most excited for? Photos: Yle / Nelli Kenttä #UMK22 #Eurovision2022 #TheRasmus ♬ In the Shadows – The Rasmus
UMK 2022 song release schedule
The UMK 2022 songs are being revealed one every weekday starting from 13 January. They’re set to be released at 00:00 EET on the dates listed below:
Cyan Kicks – “Hurricane” (13 January)- BESS – “Ram pam pam” (14 January)
- The Rasmus – “Jezebel” (17 January)
- Younghearted – “Sun numero” (18 January)
- Olivera – “Thank God I’m An Atheist” (19 January)
- Tommi Läntinen – “Elämä kantaa mua” (20 January)
- Isaac Sene – “Kuuma jäbä” (21 January)
UMK 2022 will take place on Saturday 26 February, starting at 20:00 CET / 21:00 EET.
The show will be held at the Logomo Arena in Turku, where the seven acts will perform their songs live for viewers at home and the jury.
What do you make of “Hurricane”? Do you think Cyan Kicks stand a chance of winning UMK 2022? Sound off in the comments below!
A bit generic. Your place 9-10 qualifier in a semi. Right-side of the board, around place 20, in the final.
I get Turkey 2010 vibes while listening to this song. It’s gooood!!
i dont understand why everyone is hating this song its really good and meanigful to me . Well not completely rock through but electronic rock? EVEN BETTER !!! i love electronic music so yeah 🙂
Not for me either. I’ll put my hopes in The Rasmus for now.
Reading the comments both here and in their YouTube video, this entry seems to be polarizing, with some people praising it for the same reasons others are bashing it.
Personally, I love the melody but it could be better lyrically. I don’t see it winning, but it could have a chance to make it to the top 10, which would be great for a typically underperforming country like Finland!
Have you checked the meaning behind song?
There’s nothing out yet regarding that 🙁
No !,,,,!
Première écoute et j’adore!
Ce titre est totalement addictif,
J’ai hâte de découvrir les autres titres!!
Bravo ?
Salutations de la Suisse
Niila Perkkiö and Leevi Erkkilä sound like made-up Finnish names 🙂 The song is okay-ish. I wouldn’t call it rock though, more like regular pop with a few guitars.
It’s just an okay song in my book. It leans more to the 2000s pop style instead of the rock style in many parts, which kinda puts me off. Nevertheless it’s much better than many other NF songs we’ve got till now and a pretty solid start to the UMK song launches!
Extremely dated and musically bland. Neon lights? Drawings of polyhedral animals in the backround? Never seen these elements before…
The Sounds were more modern 15 years ago than this group.
This track could definitely use a bit of the bite The Sounds bring, even on something like Painted by Numbers. They would’ve been a dream Swedish entry in the mid 2000s.
i don’t know why people are saying the lyrics aren’t good. maybe i’m just biased because i’m already a huge cyan kicks fan but i think it’s a strong competitor even without hearing the other songs
The lyrics aren’t inspired and carry clichés, but I also don’t see why so many people are complaining about them, since there are many songs the fandom adores that contain lyrics much more problematic or nonsensical. I mean, I would love if people finally start paying more attention to lyrics in Eurovision, I just hope songs with smart lyrics start getting more praise for them too.
Their song is about the English football player Harry Kane
Nah. The lyrics are inspired by message of conquering your fears. Some come also from co-writer’s battle against borreliosis.
I like it – yes, I really like it.
Oh lord, what are those lyrics
These lyrics is how you ruin a (pop)rock song.
Always the same type of songs
The background music is good , the lyrics are not working for me
So cool
This is what Finlands do well. Full of energy and attitude with the touch of a female vocalist but I don’t think they’d be able to reprise last year success. As I see it, this one is a step down from their previous entry and doesn’t catch your attention right away, it isn’t impactful either. Life performance could fix that. Grand Final would be almost granted at this point. This year there’s going to be more rock acts than usual and, while “Hurricane” betters the Bulgarian entry, I don’t really think it’d would be the top rock act in the… Read more »
It’s good, but nothing that stands out – a solid song that I like while listening to it, but forget once it stops.
Yes, grabs your attention this song and the rock vibes remind me of Dark Side bit. Don’t know if this is a good thing but i like the song!
The longer I am in the Eurovision fandom, the more I start to think that Eurofans only listen music for its diversity and the soundtrack of a song instead of the whole package.. Hurricane has a great soundtrack. If Eurovision was a soundtrack contest instead of a songcontest then this would easily get into the top 10. However, Eurovision is a songcontest and with songs you need good lyrics in order to do well. The lyrics of Hurricane is written so poorly, you could make a prejudice that this song is written by a 14 year old or younger. And… Read more »
you’re saying that as if your opinion means more than everyone else’s chill out hun?
that’s very loud, like it!
….. Nemoj da se ljutiš, hrabrost skupi
A strong start. It is punchy and catchy with a powerful identity. I have no doubt that Finland is once again serving us a high quality National selection.
Very good start! Not sure if it will win though.
I also noticed that yle brought around 3/4 rock songs to the competition, so maybe the votes will get split sort of and we will get more competetive competition. Unlike last year where blind channel basically got 50 percent or something of the votes
Very poppy disguised as rock, very young and generic. This is “meh”. Won’t win. Next.
The singer’s full name is Susanna Aleksandra Saarinen and she goes by alias Susanna Alexandra in the band so it’s only her, Niila and Elize in the writing/composing!
There is only one word I can describe this song— Badass! That’s how you kick off a national final. I hope the rest of the songs are just as great or even greater than this one. UMK Might have one of the smaller collection of Competing national finals songs, but that is not an impediment, but a strength. With fewer songs you can increase the quality control. All I can say is good luck Finland. Let’s hope you can make the final twice in a row
the lyrics are lazy, but the production is good and the energy is great
Every year, when Finland start releases their songs/videos, it just feels like such a step-up in professionalism from what we’ve had up to that point in the season. This is *really* good and would be one of the strongest entries in most of the finals we’ve had songs for so far.
Such a cool first release, Cyan Kicks delivering! This song is such an impressive work, blending styles with an attitude.
Even though I don’t think most of the next entries can outperform this one, I can’t wait to see what’s in store!
I waiting what we get from rasmus!
Good start, but my God look at the video! It’s such a good move from Yle & UMK team to make the whole selection reliable, and providing each act with their own day and music video. It also makes all acts get the same start, even if they’re on a big label, smaller label or just starting their career.
Also the artist announcement video was such a quality move, no more of those live introductions, this is the thing that makes UMK what it is – Fresh!
The start of the song is meh and then it gets better till the end however the problem with Finnish entries is live performances which are usually awful. looking at you Teflon Brothers x Pandora
Last year with Oskr, this year with Cyan Kicks: Finland hooked me right with the first released song. This has great energy, the blend of electronic and rock works, the vocalist seems to have a lot of stage presence and the chorus only needed one play to get glued into my mind (the last thing this happened was exactly with Blind Channel). And to think this is just the 1st entry…
Oh, and whoever is in charge of UMK’s lyrics videos deserves a raise. They look good and always match the energy of the song.
My godddddd so good !!!!!!
And this was only the first song for this national final so far. I’m hyped
Exactly what I expected from Cyan Kicks! An electrifying, immense and vibrant entry blending hard rock and synth-pop with attitude and enough power to transcend into a crowd-pleaser. I’m not sure if the other 6 songs can wow me now, I firmly believe “Hurricane” can deliver Finland a 2nd straight Top 10 finish which hasn’t happened since the 80s (crazy fact)
I’m now even more curious to listen to the remaining 6 songs but even if there were no other songs this would be perfect as Finland’s entry for ESC. Very nice! Finland wants to have a very good placing again as it seems (at least based on Hurricane)
Let’s see what follows
Mixed feelings about first song. I think that chorus is not good enough, but electronic parts are very good. Still waiting for Rasmus to slay
I feel like i wasn’t even hyped enough for this when the artist lineup was revealed. This was EVERYTHING i needed from Finland. Rock, extra af, powerful and some slight keiino vibes!
Finland already has many chances to be in my personal Top10 and we still have 6 songs left!
Another top 8 for Finland
A strong start! I wouldn’t mind if this was sent to Turin. I hope they get that extra push and energy to the song on stage that some people say it lacks.
Sending positive vitutus vibes
2021: put your middle fingers up!!
2022: shut up!!
Mitä muutakaan me muka tehtäs?
I love IT <3
Well, after Maneskin’s victory and Blind Channel’s good results I certainly see why Finland would like to stick to rock. I don’t mind these one: I find the rocky chorus kinda cliché, but some nice electronic touch in the verses compensates it. Not a winner if it goes to ESC, but a possible top 15.
What a stylish video! Am I the only one getting rock-Keiino vibes? It’s a strong start, but I believe even stronger entries are coming up.
It’s very Keiino with guitars. The pop side of me finds this more enjoyable than the rock-loving side.
This band is good better than Flopno