TEAM REVIEWS: Finland 2025

Hyvää iltaa, everyone! We’re cranking out the Team Reviews this year like there’s no tomorrow, and in this post we tackle the highly awaited (I presume) FINNISH reviews!

As always, we have a diverse bunch of opinions and viewpoints ready for you, filleting the six entries hoping to fly the Finnish flag in Basel this May.

Because of the disqualification of One Morning Left last month, they will not receive their own review, as they no longer compete.

Let’s see how is participating in today’s reviews:

• Boris – please insert a coin for more heterophobic rants.
• David – yeah we don’t understand why he watches ESC either.
• “Dante” – lmao his name is Dennis.
• Emilija – goes by “Emma” but we’re using her Christian name because her opinions need Jesus.
• James – in his natural, surly maude.
• Jasmin – like always, positive and congenial because he’s ::shudder:: a YouTuber.
• Rebecca – she isn’t European, but don’t worry they have “Perth and Denmark at home” where she lives.
• Roy – our fourth favourite Eurovision content creator after Matt, ESC_Victor08 and ESC Gabe.
• Sam – on the hunt for something that bangs as hard as that bop Human Eyes.

Each editor gave their score out of 10 points and wrote a paragraph explaining their reasoning. Each reviewer looked at things form their own perspective and standards, which is ideal as it leads to mayhem. But just to be absolutely sure, here’s a disclaimer:

All opinions stated below belong to the person quoted and do not represent our team’s view as a whole, nor do they represent Matt’s views or those of the ESCUnited community.

And with that, it’s time to begin!

Boris – 5

“Costee bores me. His dank elektropop number plods along in the verses and then heads towards downtempo territory in the chorus that completely impedes whatever little momentum it has built up. Why do selections still add Vassamillets to their line-up? It worked out SO well for Belgium in 2019.”

Dante – 7

“The song is in F# minor, creating a moody, introspective vibe that aligns with the themes of confusion and emotional turbulence described in the lyrics. The interplay between F#m and A major mirrors the lyrical journey of navigating uncertainty while finding moments of hope. The use of dissonance and tension underscores the raw emotional intensity, making the song resonate with me quite a bit.”

David – 4

“A very modest and inoffensive pop song, it has a beat, it has rhythm, what else can you say? Despite the Finnish language can be a bit much and hard to handle, it does set off the appeal a bit. Musically however, as said before, it’s very inoffensive, but it does eventually were off and the song does become a bit bland as it goes on. It’s not bad, but nothing special either.”

Emilija – 6.5

“Oooof, I REALLY love his vocals. I wish it wasn’t overly produced in the studio version and I’m hoping this would come through much better live. The chorus might be the weakest part of the song, which isn’t great simply because the chorus has to be more memorable. The verses are very interesting though, I like the darker vibe but that does get lost in the weaker chorus, so, there’s that.”

James – 5

“UMK clearly does not want the reputation of being the broadcaster that panders exclusively to the anti-social ESC fandom, which would explain why a moody pop track that appeals to even moodier teenage girls shows up here. Lyrically, this is for people who think part of being a significant other is also being an emotional support animal (curiously, being the strong, solid one in a relationship is rarely the subject matter of a middling national selection entry). Musically, this is Ambien. Labradors with red vests deserve better.”

Jasmin – 7

“At first I expected it to be dark and moody but the chorus was surprisingly uplifting which I liked a lot. I have a thing for songs in Finnish, so that’s a plus by default. I wish the vocal was stronger but this isn’t a vocalist song in the first place, so that’s not something I can complain about. Overall, I enjoyed it, fun and catchy, works for me.”

Rebecca – 6

“Very cleanly produced, like all of the UMK entries. Feels a bit like tripping over lyrically, if that makes sense—the cadence has this stop-start flow to it in the verses that adds a bit of intrigue to the overall product. Beyond that, I’m mostly not a huge fan. The verses are better than the choruses, which dip a little too far into “generic breakup song” to get me interested. Unfortunately my last place for this selection, but by no means is this a terrible song, just really not my thing.”

Roy – 6

“Costee’s voice is nice and the song has a good mastering. I find him having a really nice diction of the words as well. It does feel the most skeleton-like out of all of these tracks. That being said, I can’t help but sing along with the song a little bit in the chorus. I sometimes go by my day and it just pops up in my head. A good sign, but for Eurovision it might be a bit too barebone.”

Sam – 5.5

I’ve been critical of Sad Boy Songs before, but for some reason I have a bit of a soft spot for this one. The melody is nice – it vaguely reminds me of Bryan Adams’ “Summer of 69.” The lyrics are a little trite, but in a way, I appreciate the bluntness. “I’m all fucked up over you and I can’t move on.” Can’t argue with that, I guess.

Boris – 7.5

“By all account, a competent EDM track. Appreciate the effort to avoid sounding like Loreen. However, “Nightmares” dropped for me as more interesting songs have been released in other selections – it has its sophisticated composition in its favour, tailored specifically for clubs and radio, but that also makes it hard to distinguish from the average David Guetta and Dimitri Vegas/Like Mike tracks the playlists are peppered with. “Nightmares” is a lot of bark for what it is, but its bite could have been just a bit stronger.”

Dante – 8

Starts off as a typical Eurodance song but the drop is so heavy that it captivates you. The theme of the song is empowering. The harmonic flow alternates between darkness (minor) and light (major), reflecting the theme of overcoming fear and nightmares. The use of modal interchange adds depth and emotional variety throughout. Overall, it does sound a little bit outdated.

David – 4

“This is a really well produced track, definitely cool to have it play in the club. Annoyingly, that’s probably the only place where it belongs, if it even does. It just seems like there are too much lyrics, and that this song needed far less of that, plus the lyrics don’t quite fit with the dance beat. It’s and interesting song for sure, but it just feels like something doesn’t quite add up.”

Emilija – 4

“Errrm. Am I the only one that hears the (robbed) hit Icebreaker by our lovely Agnete from Norway in this? It certainly feels like at least the bridge was inspired by it, but then it leads into yet another Cascada-esque track. This has some potential for a good dark staging, but other than that, I don’t hear or see much substance here. I think it would be a good party song for the Euroclub, and that’s as far as this goes for me.”

James – 6

“When the beats and the synths kick in, “Nightmares” is a compelling track. But this is too stop and start, with sedate verses undermining the concept of a song called “Nightmares.” The mood also doesn’t match the music, coming off more as an easy listening version of Eiffel 65’s “Blue” than one about overcoming nightmares.”            

Jasmin – 7

“An EDM realness and I’m here for it. While some aspects of the song could be better (mostly related to lyrics), I would be lying if I’d say I wasn’t bopping to this the whole time. I am slightly worried how she will deliver it live because we have seen that EDM songs haven’t been very successful in the past, but there is always the first time for everything. I expect a banging performance with a lot of energy.”

Rebecca – 6.5

“It’s very Saara Alto meets Cascada, and damn if it isn’t catchy. Neea has an amazingly good voice, and I’m looking forward to seeing if she can hit all these notes live and get enough power behind them to wow me. Where this one falls short for me is that the lyrics are not that good. There’s a couple of good metaphors in there but most of them are undercut by strange Max Martin-esque lyrical compression that churns out sentences like “with power of hearing your voice” or “devils on walls.” Does it bother me when I look at the lyrics? Yes. Does it bother me when I’m listening to the song? Also yes, but decidedly less so.”

Roy – 6.5

“Nightmares is fun, but also a bit dated. It sounds like the track was written as a cheaper version of already existing songs. Then they pasted the lyrics of the song on top of it. The ‘drop’ after the first chorus also takes you a bit by surprise. On the one hand it is a bit underwhelming, on the other it also makes you interested in what is to come and it is a good part to apply some nice staging. Overall a decent earworm that came a couple years too late.”

Sam – 3

“It’s fine. Basic EDM filler. “We Will Rave” Part II. The theme song for the bestselling video game of 2016. Not for me, but there’s an audience for this.”

Boris – 9

“The rare instance of when a clear radio hit also feels tailored for Eurovision. The star here is the strong percussion and bass guitar that create an enthralling rhythm you have to listen to on repeat. Goldielocks’s Welcome To My Keychain vocals would be a deterrent normally, but instead blend well with the metaphorical but strong lyrics, creating a minigame where you try to dissect what exact words she’s singing (A LUBBER // A DREIDEL // A POSEUR // A SAILOR). The message of “hey, let’s make this relationship work by not being clingy, relax I love you, silly bean” is a fun one, in a field where such pop songs are centered around break-ups gone bad. In sum, a great pop song with replayability and meme potential, that makes it lowkey my favourite in this UMK!”

Dante – 9

The harmonic structure of the song complements its lyrical themes of love, betrayal, and emotional conflict. The balance of tension and resolution mirrors the turmoil and vulnerability expressed in the lyrics and how she’s angry with probably someone who she loved in the past. My second favourite.

David – 2

“You know it’s a problem, when you have a song fully in English, but you still need to look up the lyrics, just to be sure. The way the verses are sung are quite unintelligible, meanwhile the song itself is rather simple and repetitive, it doesn’t sound like it’s going anywhere, which eventually leads to an eventual loss of interest.”

Emilija – 8.5

“Now this is how you make a good pop song that’s not dated nor boring. Her vocals jump on the beat so well, along with her presence, that it captivated me immediately. I am not entirely sure about the visuals and what they were going for in this, but there’s room for improvement. This is a solid choice!”

James – 7

“What in the hootenanny is that vocal style? It sounds like my Mom doing a Sean Connery impersonation. A pity, because it’s otherwise a fun, groovy song that could do well for Finland despite not being in Finland’s usual “obstinate weirdo” mode. Very catchy chorus, and it’s understated, but not to the point of anonymity. Could be a sleeper hit for Finland if it catches fire in the Semis.”

Jasmin – 6

“Hmmmm, the production in places makes me like this less than I’d want to. The chorus surely slaps and the song is by definition something I’d like. However, the production brings it down a bit for me. It’s one of those radio hits you listen to while driving on a highway, not sure if it’s meant to be for the live performance on stage tho but I’m willing to be convinced.”

Rebecca – 9

“Call me Hideki Naganuma, because there ain’t nothing like a funky beat. Goldielocks has a very interesting voice and intonation, and I’ve seen some people say that it really bothers them but for me it simply adds to the personality of the track. The lyrics are almost self-contained in each line, meaning that the song sort of reads as this little book of tangentially connected ideas rather than a whole linear narrative, but again, I find this quite charming! I’ve had “A lover / A traitor / A poison / A savior” running through my brain since I first listened to this, because god it’s so simple and catchy. I love this so much.”

Roy – 6

“Goldielocks sings her song with a really heavy dose of cursive singing. Something that I, as a listener really struggle with understanding what she is singing. Of course that is what cursive singing is, but I really can’t stand that type of singing unfortunately. Underneath it is a song that is well written for a radio station. Simple and pleasant instrumentally to listen to in the background. Maybe not the best recipe for Eurovision.”

Sam – 5

“My first thought was: “I wonder what James will have to say about the cursive signing.” There’s a…quirkiness? to this song that I find vaguely irritating. Remember “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I? That’s what this reminds me of. It’s not a bad song, necessarily, but I just find it a bit too grating.”

Boris – 6.5

“The big hurdle for Finnish language ballads is the ability to connect with international audiences, and “Aina” overcomes that issue with a catchy hook. As far as UMK ballads are concerned, it’s a safer and easier to execute premise than “Paksana” was, and perhaps for the best. In the event that every other relevant vocalist (GoldieLocks and Erika) deliver horrendous performances, Viivi should be able to come in and snag the win with a strong vocal performance. It’s difficult to become exicted for a song that I’d mostly consider a safety net however, if the selection itself doesn’t appear to need saving. (which it currently does.)”

Dante – 4

Typical ballad. Relying on the sombre atmosphere. This song is in F minor and uses simple yet emotional progressions to convey love and devotion. The chorus highlights a sense of commitment, with the singer expressing that nothing else matters but the person they love. Overall, dull and really didn’t pique my interest.

David – 4

“I feel like this is something I could get used to, but I feel no musical connection to it. Music can be a universal language, and I can feel it’s a touchy song… I’m guessing. However, the suspense and tempo are added quite quickly, before a connection can be felt. It sounds like it’s supposed to be a ballad, but it couldn’t resist to go with proper build-up.”

Emilija – 5

“The lyrics tell a story and it’s what drew me in. I’m somewhat famously not a ballad person but as far as those go (and I wouldn’t classify this as one, but it’s up there), this is solid. It’s gentle, the visuals match, the emotion is felt. I wouldn’t choose this personally, but I can see this being a decent Eurovision entry.”

James – 6

“Isn’t “Aina” what an Afrikaner says when you kick him in the balls? Anyway, it means “Always” in Finnish, an appropriate sentiment for a romantic ballad. It’s sweet, and that’s about all I have to say on the matter.”

Jasmin – 9.5

“Just win it, please! I am familiar with her discography and she just can do no wrong. I love everything about this and it’s hard for me to explain, but it got to me emotionally which means I’ll devour this any time any place. With a proper staging, this could be the song of the year for me. #teamviivi”

Rebecca – 7

“I’m not as against ballads as some ESC fans are, but whether they speak to me or not is always a bit of a toss-up. This one definitely has some magic in it. It’s a sweet, soft-spoken song about loving someone always, that swells and crescendos without feeling too loud. The visuals are stunning—I believe it was ESC Tom that mentioned how he can see this being the new Finnish wedding song, and frankly that imagery suits this perfectly. The biggest challenge for Viivi will be selling it with the live vocals, because a lot of the song’s impact will be riding on her performance.”

Roy – 9

“Viivi’s voice gets introduced in a very pure and minimal way. It is fragile and approachable. Het beautiful vocals open up and we get introduced to a slight raspy edge as well. The right vocal to nail this type of ballad. After a gentle first chorus, we slowly build towards the second chorus that instrumentally compliments her voice really nicely and still leaves room for some more. Which is exactly what we get straight after it ends with her vocal opening up even more. By the end of the song we have a beautiful orchestration with strings accompanying her nearly breaking vocals. This is fragile, beautiful and well written. Easily the best song in the Finnish selection this year! Maybe even the best ballad UMK ever had. It will be an uphill battle with 75% televote, but I hope her enchanting voice will convince many people in Finland to vote for her!”

Sam – 6

“This song joins “Sekaisin” in the ranks of co-dependency anthems. In all seriousness, this is – at least musically – a very nice ballad sung well by VIIVI, but it just doesn’t grab me (and I’m far from a ballad hater). That’s a matter of intangible personal taste, but this song’s one genuine flaw is its lyrics, which are beyond cliché, with lines like “let the rest of the world rush by” and “wherever the wind takes us, I will come along with you.” Granted, I’m going by the Genius.com English translation, but woof. Ironically, this might do well at Eurovision as most people don’t speak Finnish. Unfortunately, it would have to get past UMK first…”

Boris – 8

“On paper, this is a more original and better composition that “Nightmares” is. The building crescendo is strong and intense, and Nelli is a more spontaneous performer than Neea is. The issue is the Finnish language. It is very difficult as a foreign speaker to get into a verbose song like “Hitaammin Hautaan” when you don’t understand a single syllable. A strong act will be needed to turn this song into something piecemeal that you can digest.”

Dante – 6

Classic pop song, with another empowering message. The song’s harmonic choices create a peaceful, reflective atmosphere. The movement between minor and major chords reflects a balance between introspection and contentment, aligning beautifully with the lyrics’ message of embracing life’s slower pace.

David- 2

“This is just a personal view, Finnish comes very much out as a rather ruff and harsh language, plus Finland to me, is known for more metal and rock sound. With that said, it’s very unusual to hear a soft-pop song in this language, and there is just something that just doesn’t fit it either. I’m not compelled nor interested to care about this song.”

Emilija – 7.5

I really enjoy the pink/grey cloudy visuals of the video here and I hope they decide to keep it for the performance, too. I love that it’s in Finnish, the dancy vibe with the piano actually gets me giddy and the vocals are pleasant. The production of the song is also very decent. I’m not entirely sure what I’m missing here, perhaps I just hoped it would go for a key change at some point or something a liiiiiittle more interesting, but I actually really like this.

James – 8

“This has to be the fluffiest song about not living in the rat race that I have heard. Boston’s “Peace of Mind” it is not. But a fun, non-serious song it is about not taking life so seriously. Nelli’s voice lifts the light attitude of the theme and the song leaves you feeling like floating on air, even if the title, to the average foreigner, sounds like a beast of burden from a distant Star Wars planet.”

Jasmin – 8

“A pop excellence. Finnish pop has this disco vibe I just adore. This song is doing most thing right if you ask me. I like the production a lot and her vocal complements it really well. My only criticism is that the song stops in a way. I didn’t get the feeling we’re closing in to the end, it just stopped”

Rebecca – 8

“This took a couple of listens to grow on me, but once it did I was sold. The production has a retro quality to it without feeling dated, and an ethereal, dreamy sort of sound without feeling too sleepy. The lyrics hit very close to home for me with this idea of living life without thinking too much, and they’re quite beautiful in their simplicity. I also love the interpretive dance in the music video, because it just fits the vibe of the song so well.  Honestly the concept for the music video would work very well for the live staging—if Nelli can pull off the live vocals while dancing like that, that is.”

Roy – 7.5

“The best of the more radiofriendly songs. It is nicely structured and Nelli has a great soothing vocal. There is a natural build with how Nelli sings the lyrics and puts the emphasis on certain words. The instrumental comes in gently, but leaves itself for a nice staging with some dancers. From the videoclip we can already see that she has a good artistic vision and could pull of some good dancing herself. Very promising for the live performance.”

Sam – 7

“For a song whose titles translates to English as “Slower to the Grave,” and whose lyrics roughly translate to “Y’all go ahead, I’m gonna chill here…” it sure is upbeat. I really like this song. Y2K synth-pop vibes with a driving chorus that continuously builds momentum. The music video depicts her dancing wildly around her Spartan bedroom, singing about protecting her peace. She may be my spirit animal.”

Boris – 8.5

“When in doubt, root for the camp woman. The heterosexual mind simply cannot comprehend the absolute MOTHERING that’s going on here. Read the comments below: “Panic attack”, “scary woman”. Pathetic, grow up. Erika is the reason why I could never fully support Miriana Conte because “ICH KOMME” fully eclypses “Kant”. It’s SO cunty, SO vulgar, SO unapologetic. But that’s normal – it’s a pastiche, a kitschy satire, it’s supposed to not be taken seriously! However, now that P*ppy has been deleted from our timeline (brainrot that would have been an EASY 0/10), I no longer need Erika to save this selection for my sanity, and can now don my critical hat: “ICH KOMME” is less immediate than “Cicciolina” was. “Cicciolina”‘s live performance also wasn’t that good, in part because it demanded too much from Erika. If Erika is meant to go to Basel, I want her to be good, and demonstrate improvement compared to 2020. If not, I’d rather have Finland go for Goldielocks instead.”

Dante – 10

The song creates tension with the dominant chords A and G but then resolves to the tonic D. This is a typical harmonic arrangement used in trance and electronic music to maintain energy. The Fm chord then provides a slight deviation from the expected harmony, which can be an interesting harmonic shift that enhances the sensual/emotional impact. The transparency in lyrics is really what got me hooked. She is presenting a very taboo subject in a confident almost anthem – like way. Overall, my favourite.

David – 1

“This is VERY un-inviting. To begin with, I expected more German, but no, the only German is the title… for some reason? Instead, it’s just obnoxious loud with both the music and Erika competing for who is the loudest. The fact that it’s all in Finnish, as a non-Finnish speaker, it could’ve been gibberish and I wouldn’t have noticed anything differently.”

Emilija – 2

“Listen, I know this song is talked about a lot, but it’s such a disappointment for me personally. I just don’t see it. It was interesting in the first verse and then things go downhill. That 80s vibe is lost with the illusion of grandeur they tried to go for. The choir vocals in the chorus absolutely ruin this for me because they just don’t fit, and it’s just an odd addition. But they really go off the rails in the final portion of the song where I feel like I’m on a treadmill I can’t get off of, and it keeps speeding up. It kind of literally sends me into a state of panic, and not in a good way. I’m sorry, this is just not for me.”

James – 5

“Erika mines Scandinavian disco and sprays it with Rammstein-esque ick in the chorus and the visuals. To be frank, I was bored. I definitely get more jollies out of triggering Boris into a rant by reminding him of “Cicciolina’s” loss in 2020. Erika has a knack of turning topics that should be titillating and fun into results that are anti-septic and slightly off. “Ich komme” is the Eurovision national selection version of accidentally walking in on your Aunt having sex.”

Jasmin – 6.5

“There she is, just as I expected… I don’t mind the provocative and very obvious connotation of the title, and the lyrics in general because that is Erika’s brand in a way, so I appreciate those who are authentic. However, musically speaking, this isn’t exactly my style. The chorus let me down a bit, eh… I hoped for more. I am convinced her live performance will be the one to remember and possibly not for the kids and faint-hearted.”

Rebecca – 7.5

“Okay, so two things. Firstly, I’m personally not a huge fan of this, though I admit it’s a very strong entry. Secondly, this should be what Finland sends to Eurovision. While I personally don’t connect to the song as much as others, I have to admit that it ticks almost every box that makes a great ESC entry—solid and unique-sounding production, crowd-friendly lyrics, strong staging concept, a fan-favourite artist, double entendres, powerhouse vocals, and last but not least, it’s got that “I have no idea what’s going on but I’m kind of into it” vibe on the first listen. This is an honest-to-god Eurovision honey trap, and Finland could easily finish in the top 5 at the VERY least with this”

Roy – 6.5

Interesting song, but the song scared me. A lot of vocal effects are applied on her voice in many different ways and parts of the song. I am curious if she will be capable to sing this song well enough live. It pitches itself as an epic piece with the choir and consequent instrumentals supporting it. It is a bit messy, but definitely interesting and unique. I just can’t get past all the vocal effects on her voice. I fear it will just not be (as) impactful live as people hope it will be.”

Sam – 8.5

“I’m 100% here for an ode to the female orgasm. I’m less here for rolling around in bodily fluids, so I admit the music video was a turn off at first. Having now streamed the song enough times to divorce it from that context, I’ve really come around on it. This song is a stone-cold banger. It’s fun. It’s campy. It’s spunky. There are shades of the 80s and 00s, and yet it feels very modern. The pacing is perfect. I love her low vocals on the bridge, just before the climax. It does however feel like something is missing – something to give this song just a little more oomph to take it over the edge.”

And that concludes what our Editors had to say about UMK! But what does it look like when we have to order the songs according to our scores?

THE RANKING

01. Nelli Matula – “Hitammiin hauntaan” – 70%
02. Goldielocks – “Made of” – 69%
03. VIIVI – “Aina” – 62% (62.2% rounded down)
04. Erika Vikman – “ICH KOMME” – 62% (61.6% rounded up)
05. NEEA RIVERS – “Nightmares” – 58% (58.3% rounded down)
06. costee – “Seikasin” – 58% (57.7% rounded up)

As you can see, everyone got reasonably high averages, with costee -our last place- still doing respectable with a 58% average. Topping the list -perhaps surprisingly- is Nelli Matula‘s grower “Hitammiin hautaan”, solid and uncontroversial. Goldielocks takes second place. Erika Vikman’s Ich Komme – the favourite for tonight, strands in 4th place with mixed reviews, half a point behind the second favourite (Viivi’s “Aina”) in 3rd. Finally, Neea Rivers places 5th by half a point over costee.

VOTING CHART

Boris enjoyed Finland’s selection the most out of our editors, with a high 7.4 average mark. Dante, Jasmin and Rebecca were also decidedly positive towards UMK. James, Sam and Emilija follow with some clear reservations about some of the songs. David, as if often the case, wasn’t impressed and gave out only 17 points out of a possible 60.

UMK starts tonight at 20:00. his highest score went to costee, which was also costee’s lowest score overall.)

Do #YOU agree with our editors? Who are #YOU supporting in tonight’s show? Let us know in the comments, on social media or join the discussion in our Discord or on our Forum!