After Softengine’s great success in Copenhagen, YLE, the national broadcaster of Finland, finally understands that fresh and modern isn’t a bad thing. On the back of that success it has published the preliminary rules for their 2015 national selection Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK)—and there are big changes in store.
The biggest and maybe the most shocking change is that the fourth edition of UMK won’t include any judges. That means no crazy fashion or over-the-top wigs from the panel. Power is returned to the people—and we’re all for it. All of the shows will also be broadcast live, and the producer Anssi Autio promises the show will provide musical entertainment for the whole family. It’s all-inclusive, and it sounds great, y’all!
Anyone interested in competing can start submitting songs from 1 September. You need to be 16 years of age before the 16th of May and you have to be a Finnish citizen or permanent resident of Finland. More specific rules will be published before September.
Photo: Andres Putting (EBU)
I don’t think is fair to say that just because there won’t be judges in 2015 means the act will be bad, let’s wait until UMK 2015 actually ends to decide that.
It is admittedly a risky move, I don’t know what to think, but I hope it works for them. Finland is usually not one of my top favourite countries in ESC, but I liked Softengine very much, so here’s for a great finnish entry in 2015!
Will the over-the-top fashions & crazy wigs move to the acts? I prefer the participation of judges or we could end up with a “Do the Monkey” novelty act.
They are not actually saying anything, how the winner of UMK will be decided? Only that there will be no judging panel on the live shows. There could still very well be a 50/50 vote!
@charles
you’ve gone full retard,
never go full retard.
Sometimes people take the “power to the people” tag a bit too far and extremes … and in Eurovision it was proved in the past, the people and their power has brought nothing but the worst taste in music and gave eastern countries a lot of spotlight more than what they really deserved. If that is what everybody wants back … bad music and “Russian-esque” influenced voting, go ahead!!! Have fun and don’t forget to complain after that! 🙂 People vote, but they have to pay each time they vote! What is the purpose for that? And are you willing… Read more »
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!! lol Molly was right.
So glad YLE takes it seriously.
Aah too bad they don’t use that 4 judges anymore as they are really music professionals (I googled a bit about them). But if the songs are great and fresh, I have no worry at all because in the end Finnish public just have to choose the best-est among the best. So whoever wins UMK 2015, I hope they won’t dissapoint.
CookyMonzta, good question and yes, it means that ther’s no jury after the songs have been chosen from hundreds. Last year both jury and televotes ranked Softengine first and whole top three in same order.
I didn’t catch this year’s UMK, so fill me in if I’m wrong: By “judges”, I take it they mean “jury”, yes? And if that is the case, and this year’s UMK was a split-vote affair, I take it that next year’s UMK will be decided ENTIRELY by the televoters with NO juries involved, yes?
This should be interesting. Did the people alone vote for Softengine this year? In which direction did this year’s UMK judges go, if not for Softengine?