Call it a leak, call it a rumour, call it a fake. Whatever you call it, an allegedly confidential photo has whipped up intrigue and chaos a week ahead of the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu artist reveal in Finland.
The photo, which began circulating on social media over the weekend, purports to feature a UMK schedule. The document is in English, but that’s not so strange. The UMK production team has, in recent years, included creatives and crew who aren’t Finnish, so putting documents in English makes them more inclusive and accessible.
It lists an opening act that includes Käärijä and Erika Vikman.
Then it’s the main event. These are the competing artists and song titles in the photo. It starts with Mikael Gabriel & Nublu, who we recently featured as our top pick in our Finland Eurovision 2024 wishlist based on whispers we’d heard in Finland.
Jesse Markin was also among the hushed named we’d encountered during our fact-finding mission last autumn.
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UMK 2024: The “leaked” artists and song titles
Mikael Gabriel & Nublu – Serenaad
Sini Saboage – Taivaan Valo
Sexmane – TULTA
Windows95man & Henri Piispanen – I Remember
Jesse Markin – Anthem
Cyan Kicks – Whisper
Sara Siipola – Tupre Tunt….(illegible)
Curiously, several of these names align with a November Tweet sent by the Iltalehti journalist Mari Pudas.
She reported that Cyan Kicks, Sara Siipola, Sexmane, and Mikael Gabriel were in. She also named 69 Eyes, who don’t appear in the picture.
UMK pyysi Instassa spekuja, joten tässä tulee: Benjamin juontaa, artisteina Cyan Kicks, 69 Eyes, Sara Siipola, Sexmane, Mikael Gabriel. Yksi viime vuonna mukana ollut on tehnyt tänä vuonna biisin toiselle artistille.
— Mari Pudas (@MariPudas) November 29, 2023
You may remember that Yle dropped hints about the seven competing artists last October.
Tapio Hakanen, chair of the UMK jury, said they collectively make the strongest line-up ever to grace the UMK stage. He described the seven songs as follows:
- “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”
- “A hard-hitting club banger by a well-known artist making a comeback”
Do the rumoured artists align with all of these descriptions? Let us know what you’re thinking down below…
The list was legit!
For the fourth clue, I typed in the coordinates that were given, 34°03’01.4?N, 118°05’07.0?W, and I apparently got a Walmart Superstore in Los Angeles. Is this where the artist ACTUALLY lives?! The hint also said they were ‘very international’ so it makes sense they’d be American or part American.
Must be someone who has lived in the USA, and has a connection to Walmart. They sell CDs so maybe someone who’s music has been sold there?
That list was admittedly fake, but the clues so far uncannily fit the names mentioned
Could it be that some names were swapped?
It could, but it seems Sexmane is out as he released a new song today
Some people were saying he was very much still on the table
Second artist clues: -‘Veni Vidi Vici’ (I came, I saw, I conquered in Latin) -‘Visionary’ -‘It would only take me 230 minutes to come pick you up’ That last one is interesting. 230 minutes? Almost 4 hours! That’s VERY specific.I know the clue is probably talking more about the lyrics of the song but i can’t help but think it’s also a reference to the artist. 230 minutes away? I checked it and it’s OUTSIDE of Finland if we use the Nokia stadium in Tampere as a reference. That means the artist COULD be from some of the south-west nordic… Read more »
I’m thinking this is our global superstar act.
Has to be fake because based on the first two clues the first two artists might be Beast in Black and Sexmane
Sexmane was on the list, so maybe Beast in Black instead of one of the other groups like Cyan Kicks?
69 Eyes? Omg yes!
Hints for the first song are out and one of the clues is ‘I Ain’t Scared No More’ which instantly makes me think of Saara Aalto! If it’s not her then is it one of her writers or something inspired by her song Monsters? If it isn’t Aalto inspired then is it going to be something to do with the band dressing up as monsters or having a monster related name? Obviously we have had Lordi but it can’t be them right? One commenter below is saying Beast in Black could be a band interested in participating and this could… Read more »
UMK (instagram) is releasing official hints of the artists each day until artist reveal. Certain countries could take some notes on how to treat their Eurovision audience 😀 First artist hint has Lord of the Rings language reference :O
– I ain’t scared no more (but not going to be Saara Aalto)
– Wet leather (picture in the hint literally has wet leather boot)
– Pedo mellon a minno (some LotR language reference?)
How is it not going to be Sara Aalto?
I’m calling it, Beast in Black because of the boot being very similar to what they wear, monsters reference and fantasy power metal reference
Pedo mellon a minno is from The Fellowship of the Ring – when they are going to the mines of Moria and need to solve a riddle to enter. This is a part of that riddle “speak, friend, and enter”. It’s also the name of a song by Galdur. So maybe Galdur feat. Saara Aalto?
“World touring band”- the Finnish band Beast in Black definitely have Eurovision flair, and they’re halfway through a world tour- which conveniently has a break in it from early feb to late May ? I am betting the rock act could be them
I think it could be them just based on their name and the clues given.
Just searched a picture of them and they are wearing EXACTLY the same type of clothing as the black leather boot shown in the instagram teaser…like their clothing even has those metal things on them!
Cyan Kicks yes please to a return to english language
So there’’s this official post of something Caribbean coming to Eurovision, which I did find out, was real, which could mean three things.
One. A Caribbean country is debuting, which I think is the least likely.
Two. It’s a referring to a company sponsor with the name Caribbean and the titles probably royal Caribbean cruises.
Three. It’s announcing a new Eurovision spinoff for the Caribbean countries. Caribbivision?
A Carribean interval act? Rihanna?
Or a Swedish act with Carribean roots
I’m quite excited for UMK artists announcement, so we’ll see next week if this is true!
If the 69 Eyes went that would be crazy! I used to listen to them all the time as teen
That list is so fake, but for some reason i knew Wiwiblogs would make a post about it 😀
It is half-based on the list from one Finnish “celebrity” person who usually knows some stuff from UMK before they are released (but atleast half of her suggestions are fake). Some names from it could be true, especially Cyan Kicks, but those songs names are just nope, and it was basically revealed to be fake.
But we get first two songs next week already o_O
Please No To Kyan Kicks . Its Just Not Musik We Want In 2024 It Sounds Like 2008 Emo Music And There Style Is Just Not Eurowision Ready . Maybe Theres A Good Bop Coming For Finland Because Kyan Kicks Will Be Non Qualified .
2008 emo music is much better than Cyan Kicks.
Something about Cyan Kicks that is just icky
Spell their name right you rude git!
the caribbean is joining the ESC2024 in Malmo, new news teaser just now by eurovision official social media’s
what could that mean
new sponsor? or some new country invited by the EBU same way as Australia to make up the numbers? maybe Jamaica
Interval act born in the Caribbean / New sponsor from the Caribbean
It is clearly ROYAL CARIBBEAN as the new sponsor, Eurovision followed them on instagram
MoroccanOil is OUT?
I don’t know about Moroccan Oil yet, but TikTok is out – has been removed from the sponsors list and Eurovision unfollowed TikTok on all media
Oh finally! I couldn’t stand tiktok rehearsals clips!
Carribean is not a country so unlikely. Although Rihanna as interval act would be fun:)
Most likely it is something as boring as a new sponsor
St. Kitts and Nevis is joining the Eurovision family!
This list is fake. The real one is as follows:
Danny – Sipuli suudelma
Mira Kunnasluoto – Lantaa illalliseksi
Vera Cruz – Todellinen risti
Petri Hervanto – Sisäänkasvanut varpaankynsi
Kirsi Ranto – Makkaranleikkausfestivaali
Paul Elias – Storm of Rainbows
Evelina – LipoLaser
Not the bdsm version of Slimane (Sexmane)
I don’t want any song in English from Finland, and these are a lot of English songs, so I hope it’s fake.
Apparently ANOTHER rumour is brewing regarding MGP over in Norway. So it turns out RAYLEE who participated a few years back and was a popular act is coming back with a song called ‘Charade’ which will be released ON THE SAME DAY the acts for MGP are being announced. A coincidence, not? Anyway, some fans are being quite critical of the song as it’s different to what she sent before but is trying to be ‘too modern’.
I REALLY hope Cyan Kicks come back. They DESERVED to go in 2022 and I still believe Finland would have gotten a top ten result with them that year!
We have a lot more interesting acts than Chan Kicks. They were kinda cringe back in 2022 (as was the Rasmus).
I liked them and they should have gone in 2022 rather than the Rasmus in hindsight. I believe they are one of the best rock acts because they combine 00s pop with the rock element and a female singer to give their songs sass. Their staging was also quite memorable at UMK from what I remember.
I would have voted for them.
This list seems very solid, but we know that Finland upped their game so they’re in it to win it now:)
The 69 Eyes would be a dream come true – their song Death of Darkness is one of my top 10 favorite songs from last year.
Anyway – I hope the list is fake. Not because I dislike any of the artists. I just want to be surprised. That’s all.