The Rasmus is Finland’s visa representative. Matti Matikainen
With his song Jezebel, The Rasmus won the New Music competition and thus represents Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin.
This year, UMK was the best UMK ever. Since 2020, UMK has risen in level year after year, and fruit was picked last spring when Blind Channel was sixth on Eurovision.
The Rasmus’ sovereign victory was the only disappointment of this year’s UMK. There is, of course, nothing wrong with The Rasmus or the Jezebel song. The Rasmus just was too superior. It has always been bomb-proof that The Rasmus will win the UMK. There was really no excitement at UMK this year. It is a pity, because UMK is a competition.
Lauri Ylönen performed without a shirt. Matti Matikainen
That’s where those annoyances remained. The Rasmus is absolutely brilliant to represent Finland in Turin. The Jezebel song is functional and catchy. The animation buddy Jezebel seen in the show, who also worked live, brought a great addition and much-needed boost to The Rasmus ’performance. There was no very bad bet Lauri Ylönen performance without a shirt.
So The Rasmus looked and sounded good. The whole visual look was great, but maybe Lauri’s shirt could fly to the corner earlier in Turin, the whole final lift could come a little earlier.
The way in which you appear in front of the international press also matters. At least at the UMK press conference, The Rasmus assured. They answered my questions honestly and directly about the situation in Ukraine. Lauri even showed her feelings and said that crying is about to come while following the situation in Ukraine.
This year, UMK was held at the Turku Logomo, which was sold out before the artists were even known. UMK is interesting and also attracts young viewers. Logomo had to hold ears as Blind Channel and Cyan Kicks fans screamed at their hearts. Great! Not everyone is yet aware of the new nature of the UMK, as the stewards commanded enthusiastic fans to sit in the general exercises. Fortunately, the studio director noticed the situation and guided the stewards; you can dance.
Gone are the days of trying to get excited about Günther’s participation in the New Music Competition. Or about rejoicing after the Swedes made the song To Sarah Aalto.
It’s different now. All seven UMK songs were excellent. Bess has cemented its position as number one on Finland’s Spotify list. Younghearted has been just as firmly in the top 10 and the others have not gone badly.
Even when the camera work, especially the camera runs and the mixing of the songs would get a degree better. Specially Isaac Senen in the performance, the camera was occasionally lost.
The UMK has gradually moved to larger arenas, and when the corona pandemic sometimes finally subsides, one may ask whether the next step for the UMK is to make the race a Swedish-style folk festival?
Yle may have such plans, at least the UMK producer could conclude Anssi Aution When I asked the answer, should UMK hold a new Nokia arena in Tampere next year.
– Looks like we could go to bigger arenas. But it doesn’t go that far yet, although of course it would be nice to go towards it, Autio said.
The Rasmus will leave for Turin in the spring, and maybe the UMK’s journey will continue to Tampere?