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Finland's Blackbird is ready to fly

26 March 2017 at 09:30 CEST
Norma John will represent Finland at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. Anton Sucksdorff
Norma John are an indie pop duo formed by two friends, Lasse and Leena, and will represent Finland at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest with their song Blackbird.

In January 2017 Norma John won the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest (UMK) beating nine other participants for the ticket to Kyiv. The song Blackbird brought them a clear victory and Norma John are now Finland's 51st representative in the Eurovision Song Contest.

"We wanted to take the next step with our music and UMK was perfect for this. We felt that it was time to do this. The Eurovision Song Contest is a fine way of bringing cultures and people together through music," they said.

What is Blackbird about? "We made Blackbird like we always write our songs. We get together and just start writing what feels good at the moment. The song deals with the idea that when you have a broken heart you want to forget the one who broke it. We felt the song was simple but very strong and dramatic."

Do the pair have a favourite Eurovision memory? "We both remember Lordi, because it was the first and only time Finland has won the Eurovision Song Contest! We both feel that one of the best songs in Eurovision has been Loreen's Euphoria. It was powerful and fresh sounding when it came out! It is an honour to represent Finland this year. The Eurovision Song Contest is great, because it brings different countries and people together, and crosses borders through the power of music!"