Wiwi Jury: Benjamin — “Hoida mut” (UMK 2023)

Finland called and Europe is about to answer. On Saturday, February 25th Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu unfolds in Turku — the oldest city in the country. But there’s plenty of newness to enjoy thanks to Finland’s stellar national selection.

Ahead of the show, the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of musical unprofessionals — have listened to and rated each of the seven competing songs. The panel for this jury includes 10 people, who hail from Finland, the U.K, Australia, Germany, Romania, and the United States.

Next up is Benjamin with his song “Hoida mut” (Do Me). Do his gyrations have us slipping off our seats? Read on to find out…

Benjamin — “Hoida mut” 

Dayana: This entry is hot. Hot HOT hot. I love how Benjamin effortlessly puts it out there and therefore encourages you to embrace your sexuality and deepest desires. I can’t wait to see the sensual performance from the music video move on stage.

Score: 8/10

Deban: This is sex electrocuted! Benjamin captivates viewers, and in the same breath decapitates his competition. “Hoida Mut” is a well-constructed piece of pop nostalgia. Bilingual in execution and without sounding over-worked, this is a clever take on 80’s dance pop. With visuals that solidly defy traditional notions of gender expression and sexuality, “Hoida Mut” isn’t just saying “Do Me”; it penetrates DEEP —and hits the point where it hurts so good.

Score: 8/10

William: I want it louder, I want it faster, and I want it now! Benjamin’s thrusting performance — rubbing his torso, fellating a watering spout — got people talking. But that shouldn’t detract from the strong musical content: alluring synth, a pulsating beat, and a chorus that smacks you hard. The glitchy, digital bridge is the perfect breather before Benjamin finishes us off. 

Score: 8

Samuel: I was incredibly excited to see Benjamin on this year’s UMK line-up after stumbling upon his queer pop rebirth last year. “N-Y-T”, his first song since coming out, became one of my most streamed songs of 2022 despite being entirely Finnish. “Hoida Mut” had a very high bar to top. As soon as it premiered, I was completely hooked by the song and visuals. His rebirth, and what we are seeing here, is the result of serious thought, emotion, freedom and TALENT. I am so happy Benjamin’s journey led him here, because this is my song of the season. 

Score: 10/10

Rick: Love this! Finding an earworm in a language you don’t understand isn’t easy. But “Hoida mut” did this to me. You can’t get it out of your head and the production here is very high-level. I think the 80s-sound makes it even more powerful and likeable. The song also has something “adventurous”. This could do great with a good performance — I’m sure Benjamin has the charisma it takes to make it impactful.

Score: 9/10

Ruxandra: Ok, this one is by far my favorite! I simply love this 80s sound mixed with electronic music. Singing in Finnish somehow matches perfectly with this music style — it sounds great! This song has everything that a perfect dance song needs. The song and music video are soooo sexy but never cross the line into vulgarity. This will easily become a radio hit, and I do believe that this could do very well in Eurovision. With smart staging, this might even end up in the top positions of the final chart.

Score: 9.5

Suzanne: Oh, Ben! You could steal my heart. I’m captivated from the first note. He has a story to tell and I want to hear it, in its entirety – Ben’s truth. Love the use of orchids, symbolic of thoughtfulness, refinement, beauty, charm and love. Ben’s self-love shines through.

Score: 8.5

Tom: The 80s have hit Finland! “Hoida Mut” wouldn’t be out of place in a gym body pump session with people wearing tight neon leotards. I am loving the positive energy and I look forward to what Benjamin will bring to the UMK stage and curious to see whether he can still sing with the inevitable dance breaks! Uncomplicated, fun and packs a relentless throw-back punch! Another great UMK addition.

Score: 7.5

Sebastian: 80s synth pop melds beautifully with Benjamin’s raspy tones to create an absolute Finnish masterpiece in “Hoida mut”. Benjamin oozes sexual charisma throughout, with a catchy hook that, despite being non-English, pulls you in and gets you singing along. It’s been a minute since Finland sent a song in their native language, and Benjamin’s track might just be the one to bring it right back into the contest.

Score: 9

Calvin: Probably the best eighties-inspired song in all of this year’s preselections. Benjamin creates a mood that is throwback yet current. He breaks the language barrier by performing his heart out. He’s not singing this song, he is performing it with his whole body. I’m super excited about how Benjamin will perform this on stage cause a greenhouse seems rather unlikely…or does it?

Score: 8

We have removed the highest and lowest scores before calculating the result to weed out any potential bias.

The Wiwi Jury Average: 8.5

Do you think that Benjamin has a winner in “Do Me”? Or is it just too hot to handle? Let us know down below…

Our overall rankings:

1. Benjamin — “Hoida mut” 8.5
2. Käärijä — “Cha Cha Cha” 8.13
3. KUUMAA — “Ylivoimainen” 8.07
4. Robin Packalen — “Girls Like You” 7.19
5. Lxandra — “Something to Lose” 7.13
6. Keira — “No Business On The Dancefloor” 6.75
7. The Portion Boys — “Samaa taivasta katsotaan” 6.63