Finland’s national final, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024, is upon us. Seven songs will compete to be the nation’s representative at Eurovision 2024, taking over the Finnish torch from fan favourite Käärijä and his second-place finish with “Cha Cha Cha”.
But before the contest on Saturday night, we asked for your opinions. Our poll gave you the opportunity to vote for who you want Finland to send to Malmö this year.
A huge total of 3,761 votes have been counted and verified. And now, we have a result.
Let’s take it away!
Sara Siipola is a favourite to win UMK 2024
In a very competitive field, Sara Siipola has emerged as your winner of UMK 2024. The 26-year-old’s ballad “Paskana” received a strong 1,424 votes — that’s 37.86% of the total.
“Paskana” (“I’m a f***ing wreck”) is about a friend who loses their father and the feelings that the loss stirs up. During one evening, Siipola watched how her friend tried to be present at a dinner party after experiencing such a loss.
“Paskana” deals with grief and lets the listener feel heartbroken. Fans have truly connected with the song’s emotion, putting Sara in contention to win the UMK 2024 trophy.
Second place goes to Mikael Gabriel X nublu with their track “Vox Populi”. The Finnish-Estonian duo were very distant from Sara in first, collecting 589 votes, which gives them a 15.66% share of the total vote.
Closely behind are Cyan Kicks. They take bronze with 554 votes, 14.73% of the total, for their anthem “Dancing With Demons”.
Full results: Who should win UMK 2024?
- SARA SIIPOLA – “PASKANA” – 37.86% (1,424 VOTES)
- MIKAEL GABRIEL X NUBLU – “VOX POPULI” – 15.66% (589 VOTES)
- CYAN KICKS – “DANCING WITH DEMONS” – 14.73% (554 VOTES)
- SINI SABOTAGE – “KUORI MUA” – 12.52% (471 VOTES)
- WINDOWS95MAN – “NO RULES” – 9.49% (357 VOTES)
- JESSE MARKIN – “GLOW” – 5.53% (208 VOTES)
- SEXMANE – “MANIA” 4.2% (158 VOTES)
Total Votes: 3,761
Is Sara Siipola your favourite to win UMK 2024? Or do you think there is someone else who deserves it more? Let us know in the comments.
I’d be grateful if Tom or anyone Tom can tell is where we can watch the show (from the UK). The link at wiki’s calendar page currently gives us a page which says tämä ohjelma on katsottavissa vain Suoemessa, and we all know what that means. Thank you.
https://areena.yle.fi/tv/ohjelmat/57-jW13z0rXB
Actually… English commentary version is here:
https://areena.yle.fi/1-67897911
I have a question for the Finnish fans: can I vote for UMK through the YLE app wherever I am? Thanks! 🙂
Tonight’s UMK final is a “blood-bath”. All 7 songs are unique, different, original. Any one of them could do well on the Eurovision stage. I like 6 of them very much (only Mania is out of my list). My personal favourite is Vox Populi; I feel they are the rightful successors of Kaarija (in terms of music and style). Prediction? I can’t make any other than Sara Siipola will not win. I have a feeling the #1 spot in the odds rankings is mostly driven by ESC fans who are proven to adore ballads. I like the song but can’t… Read more »
But Sara is also the one doing better in Finnish charts so I don’t really understand the assumption that ESC fans are driving the odds. I don’t understand fans that make predictions based on “feelings”. It’s more wishful thinking based on personal preferences than anything else and that’s the only way I interpret such “predictions”.
Next time I will send you my scientific calculations to prove my point. But make sure you know the maths to verify those calculations are solid. Or else I dare you to receive comments about Eurovision based on “feelings”.
Oh yes please, I’m here for scientific calculations. My point is that if you want to make a “prediction”, show me the facts not your “feelings”. You can’t say that “odds are by driven by ESC fans” when ‘Paskana’ is doing better than the other songs in Finnish charts, or that “Finns won’t vote for a ballad” when they have selected more ballads than rock songs in the last 15 years, and call that a prediction. Just call it your personal preference, wish or guess. Simple and fair. 🙂
Is there a need to swear in a song? Surely the EBU will censor it
They didn’t censor Zorra though, so it wouldn’t make sense if they censor Paskana
The reason they allowed Zorra is because of the meaning of the song. The whole point of that song is reclaiming the word zorra.
You have no idea about the message of the song… we can make the english translation something easier for you.. no need to change the finnish lyrics.. no one understands finnishh anyway
Paskana is not a swear word in Finnish. The swear word is only on the english translation of that word. Paskana actually just means a wreck.
People only talk about EBU censoring Paskana, but what about Sexmane, he sings the F-word. Well he can change it like Bengtsson.
Ah, I forgot that he wont win.
In a very competitive field, the stagings and live performances will make or break the songs.
Personally, I’d love it if Sara becomes Finland’s representative tomorrow. At least she’ll deliver live, I trust.
Ps: in case she doesn’t win, Mikael Gabriel x Nublu and Cyan Kicks are alright too imo
I can’t see Sara winning, not sure if the Finns will vote for a ballad. Although I like the song, I can’t see Finland with this. Let’s see! Cyan Kicks? My feeling is no but with a high degree of uncertainty. Vox populi? Perhaps!
Let’s see the live performances, they can make it or break it!
I CRAVE “Vox Populi” to win the UMK tomorrow. I also absolutely love Sara’s “Paskana”. Since both of them are the favorites for tomorrow, this feels like a win-win situation for me. 🙂
My only concern for tomorrow is where will the winning song end up in my current top 3, haha.
Whatever Finland picks it will be hard to come even close to their result from 2023.
Well, the jury score is very doable.
Depends on a lot of factors, I can see Paskana standing out too, though
I dont think 2023 matters. That was another competition. Whoever wins will be facing this years competition so they still have a chance of finishing in the top 10. I mean, of the 10 songs so far, only two or three are good.
I would love to see Sara Siipola joining the official ESC line-up tomorrow night. However, even if the betting odds are currently suggesting that it’s likely, I have my doubts. Almost as much as I have with Annalisa or Angelina winning Sanremo. Just like Sanremo has systematically been picking one man after another (one mixed group with male vocalist withstanding), UMK has systematically been picking one rock (or rock-ish) song after another. The very idea that the Finnish *televote* (as juries are basically ceremonial here) would pick a ballad (even if a great one) seems like fantasy. But I very… Read more »
What makes you think that Finnish public won’t vote for a ballad if it’s a good one? They have selected plenty of ballads in the last 15 years: “Da da dam”, “När jag blundar”, “Blackbird”, “Looking back” (that was in the 2020 contest for those who don’t remember). They only picked 2 rock songs in the same period: “Jezebel” and “Dark Side” (maybe you can also add “Something better”) so your comment doesn’t make much sense to me tbh.
Sadly, I have kind of proven my point today. Maybe I expressed myself poorly, because No Rules is obviously not a rock song. But it’s certainly not a ballad either. Even since Erika’s loss to Aksel in 2020, Finland is fixated in picking a really loud party anthem. The lack of the jury imporance goes in favor of that. Some years, like 2021 and 2023, it works in their favor. In some years, like 2022, not so much.(quality-wise, because result-wise, it was decent-ish, albeit *much* lower than their other recent songs). Blackbird and Nar jag blundar won before 2020, so… Read more »
Well.. cyan kicks might feel rock for most of europeans… for us finns it is too generic and doesnt hit you hard enough… dont see it doing too well. No one is really talking about it here.. its between Sara, Mikael+Nublu and Win95
pls Finland select Sini
SAME! She’s my favourite too. But I think the fandom want Sara. I’m happy with either Sini, or Sara.
Sini Sabotage is a guilty pleasure! Would be happy if she won, too.
I respect that entry, has a message, but it’s nothing we didn’t hear so far. I prefer Cyan Kicks, they are strong performers and their song is faster. Sara would probably be a toilet break for me.
we don’t care about keiino 2.0 cyan kicks
Keiino and Cyan have no similarities whatsoever
My preference is also Sara. I absolutely love “Paskana” and I think it’s Finland’s best choice. Result-wise I think “Vox Populi” is the only other one that I think can do well in ESC. I’ve grown bored with “Dancing with demons” very quickly unfortunately and the other 4 songs haven’t had any significant impact on me. Of course this is only based on studio versions though and I will wait to watch the live performances before I make my final predictions for UMK. If I’m not mistaken it’s 75% televoting and 25% juries, so whoever wins the televoting has a… Read more »
Based on the rehearsal video, Jesse will be recreating the same atmosphere of his music video for his performance. I think it will make him stand out from the rest of the competition.
Sexmane.
Yes!
I’m imaging a strong jury score for this song. I don’t think Sini or Jesse will do well if they were sent. Cyan Kicks don’t have their best song but it will still do well due to good staging and live vocals. Sexmane would just do alright. However, Vox Populi and No Rules are the two songs that have the biggest potential to me, especially Vox Populi with its high chantableness.
Sini Sabotage please, she’s awesome
UMK is dissapointing this year. I don’t have any favourite but Sexmane or No Rules would be an ok choice I guess. I like Paskana but still hear «Subeme la radio» of Enrique Iglesias and can’t help it.
I personally miss some deccent Finnish rock/metal/goth/industrial act this year at UMK.
It’s a matter of preferences. I find this years UMK final the best in years, like in many many years.
Is there a reason Sini Sabotage is not more of a fave? the song is great and gives opportunity for epic staging plus being in Finnish!
I’m hoping and praying. So far she would fit in to the pack pretty well as she’s in her own lane.
And with amazing staging, this could be a real dark horse.
I think I’d be fine with either Sara, Sini or Jesse. The others are good but just wouldn’t be my pick for Malmö
Jesse won’t come to Malmö if he wins
No worries, he won’t win.
Vox Populi, No Rules and Cyan Kicks are my top 3 here. I think they would be the better options for the contest as well. Sara has got a nice song, I do however find it a little similar to a lot of other tracks you would hear across Europe. The deep lyrics will be lost to any non-Finnish speakers – I think the jury could be a saving grace but not in the semi-finals. A lot depends on staging and running order, but if Sara does represent Finland, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that it would… Read more »
I want Vox populi but Sara would be my other choice. It’s gotta be one of them honestly. Finland will probably manage quite a good result again.
Yes, Sara Siipola please. For a change, that would be something completely different from Finland, after Blind Channel, The Rasmus and Kaarija.
Also team Sara !
Preach! Team Sara here!
A really good selection from UMK again this year. Hard to pick a winner, it will come down to how they do on the national final ie. Staging, vocals.
Vocals and performance will shuffle things up. Let’s wait and see!
She is my favorite. I hope that she win the ticket to Sweden