We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Finland.
Windows95man
Teemu Keisteri, born in 1985 in Espoo, Finland, has emerged as a prominent figure in the visual arts scene, celebrated for his creation of the Ukkeli character in 2008. This iconic figure, a testament to Keisteri’s whimsical and culturally insightful style, adorns apparel, postcards, and tableware, capturing the essence of Finnish life with humor and personality. Known also as the Windows 95 man during his DJ performances, Keisteri’s diverse talents span across visual and video arts. Educated in photography at the Lahti Institute of Design, he discovered his passion lay with visual arts, leading him to establish Kalleria in Helsinki’s vibrant Kallio area, further solidifying his status as a dynamic artist and DJ.
Henri Piispanen
Henri Piispanen, born in 1994, is a multifaceted Finnish talent, acclaimed as a voice actor, singer, and presenter. Noteworthy for voicing characters in “PAW Patrol,” “Lego Ninjago,” and more, Piispanen’s diverse skills shine through his roles and as the lead vocalist and bassist for Pasa. His collaboration with Teemu Keisteri as Windows95man won the 2024 UMK, highlighting his dynamic presence in Finnish entertainment.
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK)
In the past, the national final for Finland was called Euroviisut. Since 2012, we have Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK). The last few years, it’s a contest with 7 contestants. The winner is chosen by jury and televote. This year, Sara Siipola was the hot favourite to win the contest. She won the jury vote with a landslide. However, televote overruled them; windows95man gained 32,35% of the televote.
Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest
The first ever Finnish contestant for the Eurovision Song Contest was Laila Kinunen, back in 1961. A long road with bad scores and even 3 zeros followed; in 2006 the monsters of Lordi broke the spell and brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Helsinki with “Hard Rock Hallelujah”. Käärijä almost did it again last year. With his “Cha cha cha” he won the televote and became 2nd overall.
The Bookmakers
Finland is currently no. 14 in the betting odds to win the contest. Looks like it is likely that Finland will reach the final; it is also likely that a score like last year is a bridge too far for the country of the thousand lakes.
And this is the song:
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