Finland has decided for Eurovision 2023! The Grand Final of UMK 2023 was held tonight in Turku where Kaarija was crowned the winner of the competition!

What a night in Turku! Finnish broadcaster YLE put together a sensational show for the Grand Final of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailun 2023. Live from the Nordic country a selection was made: Käärijä will have the grand honour of representing Finland at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool with Cha cha cha.

Tonight’s show

A total of 7 acts battled for the golden ticket to Eurovision 2023. The show was held at the Logomo Arena in Turku, Finland and was hosted by Samu Haber. The 2023 Finnish Eurovision entry was determined via a combined international jury/ public televoting deliberation. Former UMK entrant Bess started the engines with a stunning performance at the beginning of the Grand Final.

These were tonight’s line-up:

1. Robin Packalen – Girls like you
2. KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen
3. Käärijä – Cha cha cha
4. Keira – No business on the dancefloor
5. Benjamin – Hoida Mut
6. Lxandra – Something to lose
7. Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan

Last year’s representatives The Rasmus performed as interval act.

We have a winner!

Excitement was at its climax when the international juries and the televote results were announced.

This was the ranking after the jury vote:

1. Käärijä – Cha cha cha with 72 points
2. Lxandra – Something to lose with 46 points
3. KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen with 44 points
4. Keira – No business on the dancefloor with 42 points
5. Benjamin – Hoida Mut with 34 points
6. Robin Packalen – Girls like you with 28 points
7. Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan with 28 points

Then… the televote set the final result:

1. Käärijä – Cha cha cha with 539 points
2. Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan with 152 points
3. Keira – No business on the dancefloor with 133 points
4. Robin Packalen – Girls like you with 109 points
5. KUUMAA – Ylivoimainen with 107 points
6. Lxandra – Something to lose with 70 points
7. Benjamin – Hoida Mut with 66 points

Fan and bookies favourite Käärijä respected all predictions to triumph in this year’s edition of UMK with his up-tempo Cha cha cha. The Nordic country will join this year’s Eurovision in the second half of the first semi final on Tuesday 9 May 2023.

Finland at Eurovision

Finland debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 and has won the competition once, namely in 2006 when Lordi brought the coveted trophy to home soil for the very first time with Hard Rock Hallelujah. The Nordic country has competed 55 times in Europe’s favourite television show.

In 2022 The Rasmus represented Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin with their entry Jezebel and placed 21st in the Grand Final with 38 points.

Source: YLE