The submission period for Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2015, the Finnish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, opens today for artists to send their songs for consideration.

Artists will have from noon today, September 1, until the same time on September 8 to send their songs to the Finnish broadcaster, YLE.  A jury of experts appointed by YLE will then chose which songs will progress to the live shows.

In May, YLE released the rules of this years competition, which state that all entries must adhere to the European broadcasting union’s rules. Also, at least one person involved in the production of the song must be a Finnish citizen or a Finnish resident, and that the demo must not have been sent to compete in other Eurovision national finals.

Unlike in previous years, all of the shows will be live and there will not be a jury beyond the initial phase of the competition. Therefore, from the live shows onwards the results will be decided purely by a public vote.

The exact dates of the live shows are yet to be announced, but the final will be taking place in March of next year where the winner will go on to represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna.

This year Finland was represented by Softengine at the Eurovision Song Contest. After progressing from the semi-final, the band finished 11^th in the final with their song Something better.

The result was the country’s best placing since first and only win in the contest in 2006.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for all the latest news from Finland and the Eurovision Song Contest