This year's Finnish selection consists of three semifinals on the 7th. the 14th and the 21st of February with the national final taking place on the 28th of February. A total of six participants were featured in tonight's semi-final and these three qualified for the final after the votes of the TV viewers:
- Satin Circus - Crossroads
- Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät - Aina mun pitää
- Norlan "El Misionario" - No Voy A Llorar Por Ti
The rest of the line-up included:
- Hans On The Bass - Loveshine
- Vilikasper Kanth - Äänenkantamattomiin
- Pihka ja myrsky - Sydän ei nuku
Get to know the participants
Satin Circus - Crossroads
Satin Circus was formed in 2010 by four fellow students and released their debut album (Expectations) four years later. Their high-octane live performances are always stunningly breathtaking and these young gentlemen are bound to play their modern pop in big arenas all over the globe very soon.
Hans On The Bass - Loveshine
This group was formed in 2008 by two admen, Klaus Suhonen and Hans Täckensröm (yes, he’s the one on the bass). According to the band, their music is “a perfect soundtrack to either chilling out on a Mediterranean hotel terrace with a glass of rosé or just hanging out in a Finnish summer house”.
Vilikasper Kanth - Äänenkantamattomiin
Vilikasper combines pop melodies with urban folk sound. This chill skateboarder works in a kindergarden and has charmed, among others, the Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, who personally called Finnish record companies about Vilikasper's excellence after hearing him perform.
Pihka ja myrsky - Sydän ei nuku
Beautiful stadium pop with influences such as Kent (from Sweden) and Coldplay – that’s how this quintet describe their music. With brothers and domestic partners playing in the band together, Pihka ja myrsky is actually a big happy family.
Norlan El Misionario - No Voy A Ilorar Por Ti
Originally from Cuba, Norlan has been a Finnish-based ambassador (“El Misionario”) for various styles of latin music since 2005. Sung in Spanish, No Voy A Ilorar Por Ti tells about Norlan’s father, with whom he was very close. Unfortunately Norlan couldn’t be there when his father passed away.
Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät - Aina mun pitää
This four-piece came together at a cultural workshop for the learning disabled and they’ve been making fierce punk rock ever since. A documentary on the band, The Punk Syndrome, was released in 2012 and has won several awards both in Finland and abroad.
Each show will be streamed live at the website of YLE the Finnish broadcaster, starting at 20:00 CET.
