For the fifth year in a row Finland will choose its Eurovision representative through Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) — its high-octane, multi-stage national selection which focuses on new artists. Aspiring contestants had a week to submit their songs in September, and on January 12 producers will finally put us out of our misery by revealing the semi-finalists. But we already know one juicy detail: Eurovision 2013 star Krista Siegfrids will host!
YLE revealed the news on a special Red Nose Day show. Krista — the UMK 2013 winner — will host the show together with 2015 host Roope Salminen. Krista has never hosted a TV show, but she has done everything else. Since representing Finland in Malmö, Krista has coached young talents on The Voice Kids, turn down Melodifestivalen, sat through an interview with PKN’s lead singer and awarded Finland’s points at Eurovision 2015. Whew!
UMK 2016 will kick off on February 6. As in 2015, all the money from the televote will go to Red Nose Day.
This obviously rules out a Eurovision comeback for Krista. Who else would you like to see compete? Tell us in the comments below!
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Photo: Ossi Käki (YLE)
Opera skaala
I hope to see Paula Vesala, Sanni, Chisu, Jenni Vartiainen, Antti Tuisku or Waltteri Torikka at UMK.
Finland has so many great artists. I’d love Sanni, Jenni Vartiainen, Saara, or Kasmir, but I feel like those are all unrealistic. So I guess I’ll just hope for a promising newcomer.