Finland send Käärijä to Liverpool with 'Cha Cha Cha'

Saturday 25 February saw one of the most hotly-anticipated national finals in this year's pre-selection season take place. In Turku, Finland's UMK saw the Nordic country select its entry to the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

7 highly-tipped songs competed for the UMK trophy, which in the end went to Cha Cha Cha performed by Käärijä.

The Finns watching at home had a majority say in how the voting went. The public vote held a 75% weighting towards the final result, while an international jury contributed 25% of the scores.

As a result of the Finnish fondness for his song, Käärijä will now be representing his country in Liverpool. The artist won both the public vote and the jury vote, with Cha Cha Cha.

Finland will perform in the First Semi-Final at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

You can listen to all 7 songs that competed in Saturday night's UMK right here.

Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest

Finland made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961. Despite the relatively early participation, however, they had never placed in the Top 5 until Lordi won the contest in 2006, with Hard Rock Hallelujah.

The Top 5 finish has eluded Finland further since 2006. Though they did come close at the 2021 Contest in Rotterdam, when Blind Channel finished in 6th place with Dark Side.

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