25 February 2026

No surprise that Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2026 is another classic edition of Finland’s national final to select their participant for the Eurovision Song Contest. This small, select competition of just seven entries ensures great quality each year. This year is no exception, if perhaps a little weaker than last year’s.

Among the names are artists I’ve never heard of it before. That’s good! It’s always nice to explore new artists and their styles, and be pleasantly surprised.

Playlist of My Top 7 Here

My Top 7

07 Komiat – Lululai

A fun, folksy and charming effort. It gets a little repetitive.

06 Antti Paalanen – Takatukka

Quirky Finland does it again! This time a song about mullets. That’s the hairstyle, not the fish. Probably a little too repetitive to sustain much interest beyond the short term novelty factor.

05 Sinikka Monte – Ready To Leave

It would not be UMK with a beautiful ballad. While this one is impressive, it pales compared to some of recent years, especially Viivi last year. The best ones are in Finnish too.

04 Chachi – Cherry Cake

Even if this is the most generic of the lot, it’s still top quality! Chachi started her career as a dancer before moving into singing, so expect to see her excel in both disciplines on the UMK stage! Curiously, she was born in Texas, is half Mexican, and moved to Finland for love.

03 Kiki – Rakkaudenkipee

Some absolutely stunning vocals here, and an equally dramatic song. Watch the reaction video below because that encapsulates better my feelings towards this song than my own words can. Also, Kiki and Etta are good friend’s, so Etta’s reaction is priceless. The title translates to “Lovesick”.

02 Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin

A mix of rock, dance and classical violin make for a very dramatic and powerful song. Borrowing from Erika Vikman’s Ich Komme last year, it includes a hectic and climatic finale. If you can already imagine an amazing presentation for this, double the intensity when you realise the song’s title translates to “Flamethrower”. The likely winner.

01 Etta – Millon Dollar Smile

The mood and melody is intoxicating and mesmerising here, and I love how the song really builds, and that includes the rap for the second verse. I try not to listen to it often because it will get stuck in my head for days! Did I mention that Etta’s voice is gorgeous too? Curiously, I had no idea Etta was singing “Million Dollar Style” in English during the chorus until I left the English translation captions on. I don’t like the distraction of those, so early listens are always without them. The song is about Etta always possessing a million dollar smile regardless of anything that life throws at her.

Meet the 7 acts that will go head-to-head at UMK 2026

Running Order & Prediction

01 Komiat – Lululai
02 Etta – Millon Dollar Smile
03 Kiki – Rakkaudenkipee
04 Antti Paalanen – Takatukka
05 Chachi – Cherry Cake
06 Sinikka Monte – Ready To Leave
07 Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin

As the overwhelming favourite in the betting markets, and performing last and after a ballad, the winner of UMK 2026 will almost certainly be Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen. Antti Paalanen is a distant second while the rest are barely registering any interest. Of course, announcing the winner of a national final plays a distant second to the show itself, so sit back and enjoy another classic UMK. Remember, it’s about the music, and the performances!

UMK 2026 takes place on Saturday 28 February 2026, starting at 21:00 local time. An option for English commentary is traditionally provided, so check the YLE website or app for those closer to the date.

Finland: Erika Vikman wins UMK 2025 in throbbing style with Ich Komme