All Eurovision fans out there know that the staging is half of the performance and it can either kill you or raise you.
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu has had a track record of producing both over the recent years. Here are my top three for each category. The performances do not appear in my favourite order!
TOP3 THE BEST UMK STAGINGS that have managed to elevate the songs :
The Rasmus - Jezebel (2022 UMK winner)
Despite of being the biggest favourite when going in to UMK last year The Rasmus’ song didn’t quite reach the hights as a studio cut. However, the playful and colourful live performance elevated this one for me
Akseli Kankaanranta - Looking back (2020 winner)
Akseli pushed through passed the fan favourite Cicciolina back in 2020 with his well balanced and stylish live performance!
NormaJohn - Blackbird (UMK 2017 winner)
Back in 2017 Blackbird left many people cold with its studio cut but when performed live.... the emotion was real and very atmospheric!
TOP3 THE WORST UMK STAGINGS that have ruined the song’s success in the contest :
Bess - Ram pam pam (UMK 2022)
Bess Ram Pam Pam eventually became the biggest hit in Finland last year but her UMK staging ended up being messy, confusing and not meeting the hype of the song before going in to the UMK live.
Erika Vikman - Cicciolina (UMK 2020)
Can someone explain me what those bears and forest do on the same stage with sinful Cicciolina? This performance made no sense to me at all. Not then or not now.
Saara Aalto - Monsters (winning song in 2018)
Despite of winning the entry ticket to Lisbon’s Eurovision back in 2018 Monsters live performance was complex to start with. I liked the beginning with the cape and all but they ended up adding here too many elements (this got worse in Lisbon).
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu Final takes place tomorrow February 25th on Yle Areena at 9pm (FIN time zone)! Let’s see how the seven acts will do and if fan favourites are able to keep their positions!
CHOOSING SAARA AALTO in the fall 2017
For Eurovision 2018 Finland did things differently than expected. Instead of having the competition UMK (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) of 10 artists and their songs YLE, the local proadcaster chose one artist to represent the country in Lisbon in May. She would produce the songs where the ultimate track to Lisbon would be chosen by audience and jury votes in March 2018. And she was no one else but Saara Aalto, known to Eurovision audience already from UMK 2011 and 2016 (coming second). She also took part in X-Factor UK in 2016 coming second but this time making record deals with Sony Music and Warner. Therefore she has become quite a popular character in UK as in Finland gaining somewhat existing fan base in Europe but especially among Eurovision fans.
The Eurovision dream of hers has never been a secret. Her attempts during previous years however haven’t been good enough in my opinion. She knows how to sing, perform and write songs but there has always been something missing. X-Factor gave her the much needed push and tools to create Finland’s Eurovision entry 2018. There has been a lot of criticism about choosing her without the public vote but to be honest this kind of buzz that is happening around her won’t wait. Finland has rarely these kind of artists as willing and skillful to perform at ESC so I’m definitely standing behind this.
I will not review the videos cause in they don’t play much role in the final show of UMK or at Eurovision shows.
MONSTERS Feb 9th 2018
The song offers a big start for Saara’s Eurovision 2018 journey. I was super afraid that the songs for Lisbon wouldn’t be good enough because earlier when Saara performed in UMK the songs weren’t good! But clearly this isn’t the case here! Monsters is an upbeat track with a catchy sound. Uplifting theme about leaving your demons behind you. Suits Saara and her story in life as in Eurovision. Her voice is soaring. This is such a motivating track and works outside of contest! Some say Sweden is all over this and but I’d say it’s high quality and attention to detail more like. No more that feeling that something is missing like in previous Saara’s attempt. I was impressed by the song when I first heard it but the more I listen to it the more it grows on me. This is gonna be big.
Domino Feb 16th 2018
The ballad. To be honest I was expecting bigger power ballad and this kind falls into the mid tempo range. But it has a nice sound. This can be memorable. Strong chorus and beat. Her voice is slightly over produced I think but still good singing here also. I like especially the bridge here by the way. First impressions were not as good as with Monsters but this song has grown for me and I’m really thinking this might work better when performed live!
Queens Feb 23rd 2018
Another uptempo track but with a theatrical twist. Knew to expect this. Goes with the same theme as Monsters but does not have the same catchy sound as the two previous songs did. It has some memorable notes and lines but it doesn’t reach same level as Monsters so therefore is the weakest link out of these three. Again I have to save some space for the live performance which in Eurovision can change things dramatically.
Nevertheless which of these songs will be selected I feel super positive about this! It will be the best pop we’ve have ever sent to Eurovision. I’m feeling also confident about Saara’s performance. She knows how to pull a ESC performance whether I’ll like it - that’s just the question of taste.
The final track to Lisbon will be selected by jury and audience votes on March 3rd!