Following Käärijä’s televote win in Liverpool, producers at Finland’s Yle have received a total of 419 submissions for Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024 — their national selection for Eurovision. And apparently those entries are of superb quality. In a statement, Yle says that “according to the jury, the standard of these songs is historically high and selecting the final seven was more challenging than ever before.”
The seven acts competing in UMK24 will be announced Wednesday, 10 January 2024 and their songs will be released one by one, each day from 11 to 19 January 2024.
The final will take place on 10 February. Tickets for UMK24 will be available on Thursday, 5 October at 9am EET at lippu.fi/umk.
@wiwibloggs_official 🇫🇮 #umk24 is almost here! #eurovision #uudenmusiikinkilpailu #eurovision2024 ♬ original sound – wiwibloggs
UMK 2024: Lineup of artists is Finland’s best-ever
Tapio Hakanen, chair of the UMK jury, isn’t holding back. He says this is the strongest line-up ever to grace the UMK stage.
“It’s amazing to see how Finnish artists and songwriters, from newcomers to national favourites, are all jumping into the UMK fray. This year, we’re seeing what has to be the all-time best group of entries, which will end up being a truly sensational final seven.”
“Among the finalists we have a talented artist’s first 90s-style dance song, a power song by a true vocal talent, perhaps the best song of an indie favourite’s career, two big name performers doing a surprising duo with a serious refrain, a thunderous rock anthem by a world-touring band, a seriously intense song from one of the most listened-to artists in Finland, and a hard-hitting club banger by a well-known artists making a comeback. This year, viewers will be getting an extremely high-energy UMK in an even bigger arena!”
Tampere’s Nokia Arena is the UMK 2024 venue
Yle’s decision to move their Eurovision selection to a bigger venue stems directly from the success of last year’s edition.
“In the last few years, UMK’s popularity has skyrocketed both in Finland and abroad,” they write. “In 2023, UMK was a major phenomenon: Käärijä made history when he placed second in the Eurovision Song Contest. In Finland, 2.1 million viewers watched UMK live last year. On YouTube, UMK23 videos were watched over 32.4 million times, and all of the season’s contest songs rose to the top of Finland’s Spotify Top 50 list.”
Thanks to the continued growth in popularity and last season’s Eurovision phenomenon, UMK24 will be bigger than ever before, with the event moving up to the Nokia Arena in Tampere. It can hold 15,000 people for concerts.
“The Contest for New Music UMK has become a real music institution, which absolutely deserves a much bigger venue,” says Ville Vilén, Yle’s creative director.
“Turku has been such an amazing UMK city for so many years — we’re very grateful for that. This year, the UMK train is heading north, and I think that Tampere and Nokia Arena are the perfect venue for a major Eurovision event. Now’s the time for a really big show and a Eurovision atmosphere that will blow the roof off!”
Anssi Autio, executive producer of UMK, agrees that the show is ready to go up another notch.
“Looking back over the entire 13-year history of UMK, I can say that we’re now in a better position than ever before. In the eyes of our Finnish and international audience, UMK has become an unparalleled hit factory and source of top-tier entertainment, whose move to a bigger venue is also served by the massive increase in Eurovision’s popularity.”
Producers also promised a very exciting show. In addition to the UMK contestants, they’ve flagged special appearances by Käärijä and “other top artists in the opening and interval acts.”
As they did at Logomo Turku last year, they’ll once again ramp up the Eurovision excitement with, among other things, a “Eurovision disco.:
Tickets for UMK24 will be available on Thursday, 5 October at 9am EET at lippu.fi/umk.
Off-topic, but Loreen’s Tattoo is becoming a hit here in Mexico, it’s being played daily on the radio and its streams are rising in the country
How did the Swedish Mafia arrange that? What power they have.
Spotifyi.
It got viral on TikTok here not long ago, radio and streams are catching up xd
Radio stations there are pushing for Tattoo when Mexican regional music is stronger than ever nowadays with huge numbers and streaming and artists like Peso Pluma, Fuerza Regida etc?
It’s a tough market to break in tho
Mexico has a soft spot for EDM, Eurodance and those genres, though. But of course I think it’ll crack the local top ten at best though, Peso Pluma, Grupo Frontera, Carin Leon and Junior H dominate the market these days
* it’ll barely crack the top 10 at best, though
Btw, it’s not as tough of a market to break in as the UK, British artists have enjoyed great sales and popularity in Mexico, while no Mexican artist (other than possibly Thalia and Paulina Rubio some 20 years ago) has ever broken into the British charts
UK is the toughest market for non-English music indeed.
Yo soy de España y aquí es parecido a Mexico creo. Spotify es muy grande y la música en Español domina casi todo (lo cual me alegra). Pero hay un poco de sitio para Pop o Eurodance en Inglés, pero es un mercado muy complicado.
If DR doesn’t know what they have been doing wrong, just look to what YLE is doing right… Fresh and powerdul acts and a show that has been growing more and more, and not shrinking.
Wow! Exciting stuff! Great to hear that Finland is continuing to make a strong effort for the contest, and they’re hungry to win! Ive only recently discovered this arena, it looks fantastic- do they want to host a contest here if they win? Can the city handle it, and would it be clear from the ice hockey schedule? And sorry Togo off topic, but has everyone seen that new arena in Las Vegas? It’s very impressive, and there are plans to build one in London- do most of us want to see a contest held somewhere like that, or would… Read more »
The Globen, or Avicii Arena, was up until recently the largest spherical building in the world. 30 years before Las Vegas, so take that U2. You probably already know that Globen hosted Eurovisions 2000 and 2016, and is being renovated right now. If they had started just a little earlier, maybe we could have had what you describe for the next contest! Oh, well, maybe next time.
The Globen is already a stunning building, and I’m curious to see how it will look after renovations. Or course, assuming the contest will continue in 100 years, and Sweden hosts, I assume they’ll take turns between there, Malmo Arena and a new hypothetical one in Gothenburg.
but Globen’s interior design is actually very similar to that of other modern arenas around the world (from the O2 Arena in London to the Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas). only the exterior of Globen is spherical; don’t be completely fooled by it.
I can see Finland:s not staying with arms crossed and it’ll give its all to claim revenge next year, I can’t wait! :DD
Melfest still better and also sweden was the real winner to the ppl who are still bitter ijbol
Tu cola
Finland is ppl’s winner! Stop being bitter about the fact!
Justice for Kaarija!
They NEED to win.
Making Finland win is not justice for Käärijä, it’s only justice for Finland and more precisely for Yle.
Good luck neighbours!
This is SO exciting!!! I can’t wait to see it, Finland always delivers!!
I had been following Eurovision religiously since the early 2000s, but this year’s final felt such a disgrace that I have been trying to avoid reading any Eurovision news or listening to this year’s songs after the final, so this was the first time I read a Wiwibloggs article after a long time. ? I truly hope the EBU has fixed the voting so that nothing similar happens ever again. It’d be nice if Eurovision was the source of positivity ?, because similar -ish things have happened in my favourite sports (F1, NHL or ? football) in recent years, but… Read more »
There are no better Arena in Europe than Nokia Arena. So excited!! Finland I LOVE you!
Big show incoming, I suppose the artist making a comeback means someone who hasn’t probably participated in UMK previously, but is making a comeback in music in general, my guess would be Nelli Matula, she could sing a club banger and with her voice and performing skills there is something incredible coming up!
Bring back CatCat! #JusticeForCatCat #30thAnniversary
They kinda came back in 2018, with the Bae Bae Baby (link)
Nelli Matula has been rumoured in Viisukuppila, so it’s safe to assume that spot’s for her
Exciting.
Yes precis, isn’t it exciting and glorious in the midst of this “SWEurovision2024” world void of fuzzy, yummy and interesting news!!
Exciting, most definitely, but still to be determined if Finland actually deserve a win next year. All that matters is their 2024 entry, not what they have previously given us. Glorious as it was.
Yle Finland UMK outdo themselves every year and it shows.
*10.02.2024* <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3
Finland is the only country I would genuinely believe when they hype themselves up like this. UMK just gets better and better every year.
They don’t like to go around BSing ppl so I genuinely believe so too
Montenegro is not back at ESC 2024, it is confirmed.
cancel ESC 2024 then, without my fave country in it
What a bummer. The chance for a theatrical Balkan ballad is gone.
Croacia , Serbia , Macedonia Sends This Style Of Songs Often . Montenegro Does This Best , But Chances are not Gone For It
Dado Polumenta is such a serve, same as his uncle Sako as well as a more recent musician from their family, Adina (whom collabed with Sako on Bijeli Cvijet btw)
Dado recently worked with PZE star Dzenan Loncarevic, on a fabulous ballad Ona Koje Nema
UMK keeps getting stronger every single year, I can see Finland winning Eurovision within the next 3 years
They have the best national selection by far, they don’t spend too much time accepting song submissions, and everything they get is top-tier
Very hyped for UMK 2024, hopefully they can finally bring Eurovision back to their country
Nobody deserves it more than Finland right now
Bess must be one of them for sure. Being one of the most listened to artist in finland recently… And i could only dream…but a Nightwish comeback to the Eurovision preselection? Maybe comeback by Tarja Turunen?
A Bess or Nightwish comeback would be a DREAM!!
Tarja and Marco duet perhaps? (they are touring together)
umm aren’t you guys forgetting on reporting about Netherlands, record amount of 600 songs submitted to AVROTROS
2016 artist Douwe Bob reportedly back as a songwriter for Numidia
Well if the song doesn’t work out they can always try for a baby to add to Bob’s brood
Douwe Bob sneezes and 17 women get pregnant. It’s not his fault.
If I ever run into him I will cross the street just to be on the safe side. He is not my type anyway.
Wear a mask and you should be okay.
One for my face, another to cover my nether regions
Nether regions in the nether lands
Or Down Under per Australia
To be a Finnish artist nowadays must be one of the best things in the world. *Amazing*!!
When some broadcasters don’t even bother to confirm their interest in “SWEurovision 2024”, über professional and competent Yle announce they already have their artists, the songs, the date and the venue for their 2024 selection, with tickets available soon. Yle <3
“A thunderous rock anthem by a world-touring band”?? Almighty gods of UMK, I shall make a wish! I shall make a wish!!
IS IT POSSIBLE TO LOVE FINLAND EVEN MORE?? ABSOLUTELY!!
I feel like the returnee could be Erika Vikman, or at least I hope so. Or maybe it’s Bess.
It’s amazing how they turned UMK into such a big success.
I’m always a bit worried though that when a rock band participates in Finland they will automatically win. I really liked Blind Channel and to me The Rasmus was ok, but I would love to see a dance banger or a very intimate song from Finland this time 🙂
Hope tonsee Chisu among the finalists
I think Tampere was the second choice if Sweden couldn’t find a venue for ESC 2024! Nokia Arena is so beautiful!
It would have been the host venue if Finland had won
I am curious for UMK 2024. I hope for great songs and a deserved winner.
Tbh it’s a bit underwhelming that they’re holding a national final in a venue where they would probably host Eurovision in case they won
It just shows big interest from YLE, local music scene and ofc from Finnish people.
2023 was their year and YLE will not slow down it seems. hopefully they will keep going in their own way like Italy did after 2015.
Good for Finland
How so? Melodifestivalen was held at Globen for many years, which also hosted the Eurovision in 2000, 2016.
It just kills an excitement to me. Same as if BBC hosted a national final in Manchester arena. I want them to keep that for times when they win.
Finland’s been on an absolute streak since they revamped UMK in 2020. I think it’s actually pretty reasonable to expect Finland to win soon if they keep up this momentum
Yay! UMK24 can’t wait!
hoping for songs in english pls
NO!
Finnish is a cool language. What counts in a national final is that all songs are different from eachother
Wow, Nokia Arena is a huge leap up. I thought they would stay in Turku and go with Gatorade Arena. Maybe they had some ideas for Eurovision and they’re going to show them here instead. I can’t wait!!!
what? Nokia Arena? that’s like a Eurovision-level venue. could it be because they didn’t manage to get Eurovision for 2024 that they will do it for UMK instead? if Finland won and got to host, they would surely use the same venue.
Their tag line is “Tampere, wannabe Eurovision Host 2024”. They had posters like that in Malmö as well. Gotta love it!