Today Finland’s national broadcaster YLE has delivered a late Christmas present for all y’all Eurovision fans. Yes, they have now released the official music videos for the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) 2017 songs. Last week YLE teased the music videos with behind-the-scenes footage from the shoots and now the full 3-minute videos are available for you to feast your eyes (and ears) on.
Reflecting the themes and sounds of the songs themselves, the music videos feature everything from underground parties to sadistic relationships. Günther & D’Sanz emphasise “loving yourself” in a slightly provocative video. But thankfully My First Band, who talk about “kissing your paradise”, keep their video age-appropriate as they perform inside an empty school.
Also living up to the theme of her lyrics, Alva tells the story of two young people who clearly like each other, but have trouble admitting it. Norma John‘s “Blackbird” video is as dramatic and mysterious as their song itself, suggesting they’ll be able to give their song life — and a rather dramatic one! — when they hit the UMK stage.
Some of the UMK17 artists have called on familiar faces to star in their videos. PinkkuPinsku, a wildly popular 14-year-old Finnish vlogger with over 170,000 subscribers, makes an appearance in Emma‘s video. And Finnish pop star Isac Elliot, who also performed in the final of Eesti Laul 2016, has a short role in Lauri Yrjölä‘s video for “Helppo elämä”.
All of the music videos will be ranked and rated by a panel of Finnish music professionals in a preview show on New Year’s Eve. The panel consists of Eurovision 2007 host Jaana Pelkonen, UMK16 finalist Eini, radio and tv host Tuija Pehkonen and singer — and sister of Saara Aalto — Suvi Aalto.
Which of the music videos is your favourite? Tell us in the comments below!
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Photo credit: YLE
Emma’s “Circle Of Light” was my number 1 for the song alone, and that didn’t change with the introduction of the videos, most of which stunk compared to the songs. Here is how I ranked them overall, for song and video: 9.37 Emma (9.46/9.28) [The best song, the best video] 9.34 My First Band (9.42/9.26) 9.22 Norma John (9.36/9.08) 9.19 Lauri Yrjölä (9.24/9.14) 9.08 Zühlke (8.94/9.22 [Song is “meh”, video surprisingly good] 9.02 Knucklebone Oscar/Shangri-La Rubies (9.00/9.04) 8.95 Anni Saikku (9.22/8.68) [Lame video dragged her score way down] 8.90 Alva (9.12/8.68) 8.84 Günther and D’Sanz (9.02/8.66) 8.47 Club La Persé… Read more »
@Pollaski: Ahaha! Or perhaps her lover wouldn’t listen to her advice, and so she… let him get killed. Twice. In two different lifetimes… When we put it that way, it’s a silly video!! 😀
Am I the only one who found the circle of light video hilarious?
I mean, they sing about being safe and untouchable in the circle of light- but what do they do when the bad guy appears? PUT OUT THE DAMNED FIRE.
And then at the end, when Emma’s partner has the bad guy down and is about to finish them off, she stop them with a hug- leaving the bad guy free to recover and shoot them in the back.
Maybe she was really in league with the assassin the whole time?
Even after these vids, my top 3 are: Circle of Light, Helppo Elama, and Arrows. Be interesting to see how these are translated onto the stage, as all 3 are quite different. My feeling is that Blackbird will be in the top 3, however. Not sure about Love Yourself…could be great or a bust! 😀
The My Little World video is EXACTLY what I was hoping for. It’s so much fun and definitely fits. I can’t wait for them in the final. (yes i know it has no shot of winning and most people don’t like it. IDK. Weirdo club kids are fun)
Circle of Light was like a Game of Thrones/Sherlock crossover, which sounds great but actually really isn’t.
I am really satisfied with Emma`s “Circle of light” video, but “Blackbird” is so emotional, it`s something unreal. The song perfectly fits to video, these dark colors combined with red and that mood caught my attention. Wish them made Top3 !!!
Emma and her song is overrated by eurovision fan. We hear so many times this kind of song at Eurovision and for me is bland copy of Denmark 2013 and some irish entry from contest. Only song with chance to be in TOP 10 in final is song Blackbird. With that song Finland can reach TOP 10 similar like The Netherland 2013 and Norway 2015 , this is this kind of song that get so many points from juries and many people , I suprised that Norway did n get so many points from televote in 2015. Maybe because stage… Read more »
@Ryan Crean
Don’t worry, I think she has chances of winning. I expect strong vocals and smart staging, in addition to the catchy and memorable song, which may attract votes! 🙂
Zühlke’s video is…p*rn*! She has to decide which career will follow…
(Just kidding…neveretheless I dont like her video)
@Purple Mask –
I agree … “Circle” leaves me disappointed. I was expecting something a bit more hopeful and safe. The video we got seems like nothing of the sort. Maybe there’s some message here we’re missing?
“Arrows” I find utterly adorable. Maybe that’s why I’ve elevated it. Unlike “Circle”, I think this one delivered on the promises from the lyrics.
Based on the videos, I’m elevating Alva to my top spot, though Emma does remain a strong second. I think Alva brought her message more to life in her video over Emma. I was expecting … something more ethereal? with Circle of Light. She and her lover at no point seem safe.
Surprisingly, I find Gunther’s video rounding out my top 3. It’s weird, it’s quirky, it’s suggestive without being extremely lewd.
And my honorable mentions goes to Blackbird. Very dramatic, not at all what I was expecting from her sleepy song.
Perfect Villain is easily the best song and video but it has no fan base behind it to support it so I don’t think it has a good chance 🙁
Out of the four or five songs I’m interested in, Blackbird and Circle of Light have the best vids. Helppo Elama completes my Top 3. Arrows is alright but nothing too extraordinary. The rest I don’t really care about (mainly because I haven’t seen them).
Fact: There are more visible Arrows in the “Circle of Light” video than there are in the “Arrows” video.
P.S. I wonder what would happen if someone were to play the “Arrows” music on the top of the “Circle of Light” video instead, and vice versa. 😀
I don’t really understand why everybody likes Emma’s music video. I mean it’s too obvious, maybe too cliché and it doesn’t add anything substantively new (people who are running ? lol).
On the other hand, I think that “Perfect Villain” was quite interesting: it fits the theme, the scenario is well-built, the camera-angles are good, the climax and the end are perfect.
Finally, I liked “Arrows” as well. I know people are disappointed but it doesn’t need much for this king of song: it’s slow, cute, what else can we do? The song is already good.
Club La Persé is known drag-group in Finland. They have fan-basis here. They’re hosting parties in Helsinki. The song is for the parties and having fun. ‘Why so serious’ ? It’s just for fun.
I think the Videos of Emma and Zühlke are the best (they also have my fave songs) 🙂
Emma’s looks too much like a movie and I think Alvas could have been a bit more related to the lyrics of the song
Do the Caveman
There are few good videos. Gun to the head, Emma: Circle of Light has the best video, cause it is so narrative and powerful. Blackbird video is also great, cause it’s dark and it fits the song. Perfect Villain is kind of Bondish and energetic, so plus from me. Gunther’s video is soooo funny and corny! I love it! Video for Helppo Elamaa is also quite good, although I still have to translate the lyrics. I have a feel there is some sarcasm in it, judging by the video. Middle tier are Arrows and Reach out for the Sun. Arrows… Read more »
Finland don’t be stupid and choose Emma :/
@Grace
I can’t believe it, our tops are almost the same! 😀
For me best song Blackbird .
Why do I feel Emma is going to pull a Saara Aalto and go overboard on staging. BTW Perfect Villain was the best music video, very impressed with its cinematography. I feel Zühlke is the underdog in this competition.
Emma is #1 !
8. Club La Persé: “My Little World” Thanks to the video, I understand the song much better now. Well done to everyone who contributed. I won’t critique the song too much, since it’s a lot more (or a lot less) than it appears to be at first; that’s the point of art, really. 9. Zühlke: “Perfect Villain” A surprisingly sexy video, with no superheroes in sight! Once again, I think the video is better than the song. But good luck blowing up the stage in the final. 😀 10. My First Band: “Paradise” Yeah this is a good video; it… Read more »
Circle of Light and Blackbird are the best.
@JESC Fanatic and you think gunther’s masturbation anthem is fit for a ‘family show’? please, it’s a couple of drag queens get over it
I’m all for Lauri <3
My ranking before and after watching the videos remains the same, and I doubt it’ll change anymore:
1. Circle of Light
2. Perfect Villain
3. Reach Out for the Sun
4. Arrows
5. Helppo Elämä
6. Paradise
7. Blackbird
8. Love Yourself
9. My Little World
10. Caveman
5. Knucklebone Oscar & The Shangri-La Rubies: “Caveman” Well… It’ll work well at Eurovision. 😀 I don’t really know what to say – at least this is more interesting than some of the previous pop videos. There’s a bit of Jack Black’s Rock School style going on here; as in musical theatre rock. That’s basically what this is, and the video is everything you’d expect from that, complete with the cages. 6. Norma John: “Blackbird” Even darker than a video for a funeral song! I don’t actually understand what’s going on in this video – it’s over my head. I… Read more »
@Tom
Well, I didn’t say they should be disqualified just because I don’t like them. I said it because their entry is disrespectful and inappropriate for a family show.
based on the videos
1. blackbird
all those emotions :’)
2. reach out for the sun
surprisingly aesthetic
3. circle of light
love the combination of like primeval and modern yessss
4. helppo elama
5. la perse
6. arrows
——————-
the rest of them (they got so steamy so fast like i really didn’t want to see gunther’s inner thigh)
3. Günther & D’Sanz: “Love Yourself” Virtual Reality pleasure. Ahahahahaha!! Oh that’s so funny! I can’t wait to see this live. The song itself is nothing special, but the video makes up for that. It’s pure corny entertainment. 4. Anni Saikku: “Reach Out For The Sun” The video is better than the song. I like the art of being trapped in the cube, then a fish under water, then breaking into the outdoors etc. The song’s four chords never change though, and the Chorus is just the same cadence line repeated four times!! Even the best ever video ever could… Read more »
Typo in previous: Their = They’re.
Sorry about that.
Alva’s “Arrows” now…
Their both so cute!! So the song is about romantic cupid Arrows, not actual real Arrows… okay. This is a cute song and video, but next to nothing actually happens in either. It’s left standing still in the boredom sense (and not in the Roman Lob sense). The refrain for “Arrows” gets repetitive very quickly, and by the third minute of the song and the video, I find myself wishing that a REAL arrow would appear and pierce through this song. Best of luck in the live final though.
Okay so the reason I’m having trouble viewing the videos is because they are all using Adobe Flash. Moan moan moan, why why why, anyhow, after 20 minutes of ridiculous and unnecessary fiddling around, I have just managed to play Emma’s “Circle of Light”… I find the “Circle of Light” video to be very cinematic, and ultimately a lot more negative a story than I was expecting. It gives the song an added air of desperation or ‘pretending’ about it; how this would work live is anyone’s guess. It gets a mixed review from me – I think it raises… Read more »
@(J)ESC Fanatic, an act shouldn’t be disqualified because you don’t like their song or music video. That is their style and their is no changing that. If that is the style they want, they should be respected not disqualified. They are the most unique act at UMK and they are bringing their artistry and style of music to the people of Finland and to the rest of the Eurovision community and they deserve to not be told they should be disqualified.
Blackbird and Circle of light have good music videos…….Arrows could have been done better…….something like ‘call me maybe’
Good videos.
I hope Finland sends “Circle of Light” or “Helppo elämä”. They’re fantastic.
Sigh, I can’t access the videos at the moment. They may have been temporarily removed from the page?
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very impressed by Circle of Light video! I really like Arrows but the music video is kinda underwhelming, cute though, but still lacking a storyline like Circle of Light.
Helppo Elama has somewhat of a story and the song is pretty groovy, but again, Circle of Light seems like a stand-out for me.
1. Circle of Light
2. Blackbird
3. Reach out for the Sun
I don’t care for the rest.
My top 10 (First time I heard most of the songs): 1. Blackbird 8.0 and the best by far 2. Helppo Elama: 6.5 3. Reach Out For The Sun: 6.0 4. Perfect Villain: 6.0 5. Love Yourself: 6.0 6. Arrows: 5.5 7. Circle Of Light: 5.0 8. Caveman: 4.5 9. Paradise: 4.5 10. My Little World: 4.0 Overall a mediocre pack of songs, the only one that leaves me (almost) satisfied is “Blackbird”. As for the results, I think neither of the three young girls will win (the singers of “Reach Out For The Sun”, “Arrows” and “Circle of Light”)… Read more »
Blackbird is sooo good!
If they don’t pick Emma, they might as well retire from the contest. Flawless video for a flawless song.
They all did a very good job. Circle of light gives me goosebumps in the end though.
And the video of Perfect Villian and Paradise is pretty good too.
Emma, Anni and Lauri have the best music videos.