The second song of UMK 2020 is out – listen to the song ‘Cicciolina’ by Erika Vikman here!
The second song of this years Finnish national selection for Eurovision, Uuden musiikin kilpailu (UMK) is now out! You can watch the music video of the song Cicciolina by Erika Vikman here:
Erika Vikman is a 26-year-old Finnish singer, who started participating in singing competitions already as a teenager. In 2008 she won Finnish tango singing contest Tangojuniori (Tango junior). After that Vikman has taken part in many other singing competitions too, including the seventh season of the Finnish Idol in 2013, where she made it to the live shows. Vikman has also done acting jobs, not only in musicals, but she also had a role in Finnish TV-series Parasta aikaa (The Best Time) in 2009-2010.
In 2016 Vikman’s singing career took a real big step forward when she won the women’s series of the Finnish tango singing contest Tangomarkkinat and she became The Queen of Tango 2016. After her victory Vikman has continued her career and also participated in some Finnish tv-shows, including the reality series Iholla (On skin) in spring 2017, where her everyday life was followed together with four other Finnish celebrity women. In autumn 2017 Vikman participated in the series Tähdet, tähdet (Stars, stars) where Finnish singers compete in singing different music styles. In that show Vikman performed a true Finnish Eurovision classic, when she sang Eläköön elämä by Sonja Lumme (ESC Finland 1985):
Vikman’s UMK-song Cicciolina is the only Finnish language song in this year’s contest, and according to Vikman, she felt that the song would be suitable for Eurovision right after the song had been made. Cicciolina is an up-tempo Finnish disco song, and according to Yle the song wants to remind that a bold female touch and feminism are by no means mutually exclusive.
I think my song has an important message and I stand behind it 100 per sent. I hope that this will also empower the listeners and make them think.
UMK 2020 finalists have been chosen by a professional jury, which consists of many Finnish music industry professionals. The jury has given some comments of the six competing song. This is what the jury said of Erika Vikman’s song Cicciolina:
This song may very well become a pop hit that will still be played at Finnish bachelorette parties ten years from now. The songs of Mökkitie Records are in many ways at the heart of Finnishness and with her charismatic artist personality, Erika is the right person to perform it.
The next UMK 2020- song, Looking Back by Aksel Kankaanranta, will be published tomorrow, on Tuesday, January 28th.
What do you think of Erika Vikman’s song Cicciolina? Would it have that it takes to win UMK and do well in Rotterdam? Let us know in comments and our social media channels!