This year’s Uuden musiikin kilpailu (UMK) will take place this Saturday in Tampere, and the Finnish broadcaster YLE has revealed some more information of the upcoming show. Four former UMK contestants return to the stage of the Finnish national final as guest artists.

UMK24 will be opened by two of last year’s UMK contestants, when Benjamin and KUUMAA take the stage of Nokia Arena. According to UMK’s social media accounts, the opening act will be the biggest of UMK-history, and it’s going to be ”too epic” and ”too hot”.

After participating in UMK23, KUUMAA has become one of the most successful bands in Finland, and their UMK entry ”Ylivoimainen” was the most played song of the Finnish radio stations last year. Johannes Brotherus, the vocalist of KUUMAA, tells YLE his thoughts of the upcoming show:

Benjamin is an incredible performer, with whom we have the honour to climb to the stage for the first time together. Several different musical worlds’ collision and bund is in for. A performance that has not been seen before from either artists.

Benjamin, who is also one of the hosts of UMK24, tells YLE that it is an honour to be back in UMK:

It feels so incredibly great to be invited back to the stage of Finland’s greatest and biggest music show. It is a big honour to get to perform and this year also carry the show as a role of a host. The most exciting part will probably be the opening number of the show, since it’s going to be the biggest and greatest opening act of the UMK history. I’d be brave enough to claim so!

The interval act of UMK24 will be performed by two UMK legends, when last year’s UMK winner and Eurovision runner-up Käärijä takes the stage together with UMK20 runner-up Erika Vikman. The duo will be releasing a song ”Ruoska” (”Whip”) on Friday February 9th.

Käärijä tells YLE that it’s great to be back on UMK stage:

It’s so cool to return to UMK-stage, the place where this whole crazy ride began. When two very unique persons are put on the same stage, the unforgettable show is guaranteed.

Also Vikman promises that their show is going to be iconic:

It is a great honour to return to UMK stage now that the show is bigger than ever. In the interval act performed with Käärijä the craziness and love for entertainment that combines us is culminated. I promise our performance will be iconic.

UMK24 takes place on Saturday February 10th 2024 at 20:00 CET. You can vote for your favorite to win the Finnish national selection in our poll:

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