The artists for UMK 2026 have now been revealed. The contestants were announced in a live TV broadcast on Wednesday evening. You can also watch the programme afterwards with English commentary here.

All UMK songs and their music videos will be released on weekdays between 15–23 January 2026 at midnight. The songs will be available from midnight on each artist’s release day on Yle Areena, YouTube, Spotify, and other music streaming services.

We will also publish a background article on each contestant on their individual release day.

The artists are presented below in the order in which their songs will be released.

Etta – Million Dollar Smile

Etta, whose real name is Emmalotta Kanth, describes herself as a singer, rapper, and a direct processor of emotions, whose journey has taken her from the suburbs of Vantaa to Finland’s biggest stages. She grew up with a single mother alongside four older siblings.

Her childhood was filled with music: there was always music playing at home, her older brothers were highly musical, and at family gatherings the youngest sibling was always put on stage to sing. At school, she spent her days in a music class, singing and playing the flute.

– I didn’t choose music – music chose me, Etta says.

Her debut single Ballerina (2018) quickly made Etta one of Finland’s most exciting new artists. She says she has had to work three times as hard to receive the same respect as her male colleagues.

– I’ve been boxed in as a female rapper, sometimes as a pop artist. But really, I’m just an artist. Being able to both rap and sing is my superpower, Etta says.

Etta processed her deepest wounds in the song Demoneista ystävii released in 2023, followed by her album Tähtisumua the next year.

– Demoneista ystävii was the first song where I dared to be completely exposed. After that, I realised that the more personal the song I write, the more universal it becomes, she comments.

In 2024, Etta was selected as the opening act for PMMP’s arena tour – a band she had listened to since childhood.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

– Etta is one of Finland’s most-streamed pop stars, mastering both rap and beautifully melodic choruses. This song delivers both, along with a very hit-ready chorus that carries a strong Eurovision vibe. The slow-tempo yet highly danceable groove brings to mind the biggest Swedish-produced pop hits of the 1990s. The song could easily become a major radio and summer festival hit this year.

Million Dollar Smile will be released on Thursday 15 January at 00:00.

Linda Lampenius & Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin

Pop star Pete Parkkonen and internationally acclaimed violin legend Linda Lampenius form a striking UMK duo.

Although the artists only recently began collaborating, their career paths have been very different – yet both share a deep love for music and performing.

– We both feel that the stage is our home. When we step onto it, we own that space, Parkkonen says.

Lampenius is internationally best known as a classical violinist. She joined the Helsinki Junior Strings at the age of eight and toured North America, Europe, and Asia already as a teenager. Later, Andrew Lloyd Webber personally invited her to perform as a soloist in England, and her classical solo album released by EMI Classics made her the best-selling Finnish classical artist of her time.

During the same decade, international media also highlighted Lampenius’ pop image and Baywatch-era persona. Her classical record label demanded the same level of sex appeal as the entertainment industry.

In the 2020s, Lampenius made a major comeback in Finland. Her Shanghai Lights interval performance at UMK 2025 gained massive attention, and younger audiences in particular rediscovered her.

Pete Parkkonen’s versatile career has been built through bands and live stages. He began as a drummer in childhood and became a singer in his teens when his friends’ band’s vocalist failed to show up for rehearsals one day.

Parkkonen rose to national fame through Idols in 2008, finishing third. Since then, he has released multiple albums, toured nearly every club and festival stage in Finland, and established himself as a leading Finnish pop and soul artist. In 2014, he won Dancing with the Stars together with Katri Mäkinen.

His 2018 album PETE went platinum, with hits such as Mitä mä teen (feat. JVG) and Kohta sataa. Later singles Voimaa ja valoa and Portaat increased his radio airplay, and Oon tässä (2022) further cemented his status as a powerful interpreter of emotional pop music.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

“This is a brilliantly functioning duet between two very different artists. The elegant dialogue between vocals and violin, surrounded by a delightfully crazy production, keeps a firm grip for the full three minutes and culminates in an explosive climax. Both Pete and Linda sound stunning on their own instruments. Liekinheitin is bold and surprising, yet straightforward and instantly engaging.”

Liekinheitin will be released on Friday 16 January at 00:00.

Komiat – Lululai

The band Komiat consists of vocalist Aleksi Yli-Sissala, guitarist-vocalist Samuel Järvinen, accordionist Antero Linden, drummer Eero Nummela, and bassist Juho Eskola.

Each member comes from a different background, but together they form a band whose music they describe as “straightforward accordion-driven dance music with a good vibe.”

– Our music and gigs are a great way to escape everyday life for a moment. You can just breathe, be present, and enjoy the moment,” Eskola says.

Now the band is aiming to move from dance halls to victory in Finland’s biggest music show.

Komiat was formed in the mid-2010s with the idea of creating an accordion-led dance band that would play traditional schlager music without unnecessary gimmicks. Their first borrowed songs were arranged in 2016, and their debut gig took place in July 2017.

Their rapid rise began in 2018 when Komiat won the Finnish Dance Orchestra Championship at Tangomarkkinat, leading to greater visibility, more gigs, and collaboration with composer Esa Nieminen.

Between 2022 and 2024, the band released hit songs such as Pakka sekaisin, Soittajat soittaa, and Minähän vien. Their 2025 album Kaihosielu produced a platinum-streaming title track that stayed on radio playlists for over six months and peaked as the fourth most played song in Finland.

A major milestone came in summer 2025 when Komiat performed at Katri Helena’s stadium concert. The band also received four Emma Award nominations and won the Kullervo Linna Prize in 2025.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

– Riding a strong upward wave, Komiat brings its own positive energy to UMK. Dance-hall schlager has not been heard in UMK before, but now feels like the right time both in terms of trends and the band’s popularity. The song features a powerful sing-along moment for next summer’s festivals, where Komiat could easily be imagined on even bigger stages. The universal chorus, suitable for any language, perfectly completes the package.

Lululai will be released on Monday 19 January at 00:00.

Sinikka Monte – Ready To Leave

UMK contestant Sinikka Monte is a 23-year-old artist whose roots span three countries and cultures. She was born in Scotland, grew up in Austria, and is half Finnish and half South African.

– I’m incredibly proud of being able to speak Finnish. Mastering such a difficult language feels like a superpower, Monte laughs.

Monte says she makes music “for people who are sad and need a hug.”

Her UMK entry Ready To Leave is a dark, cinematic ballad capturing a painful moment: a relationship that has gone on too long, leaving only bitterness and the need to let go.

There were no musicians in Sinikka’s family, but performing fascinated her from an early age. She danced ballet from the age of five until her teenage years, and the stage quickly felt like the right place for her.

After ballet, her focus shifted to singing. Her debut single It Ain’t You was released in 2019, followed by Play Pretend and a long-term collaboration with trusted producer Florian “Flo” Spies.

Sinikka describes herself as an emotional artist for whom music functions as therapy. Most of her songs begin as something written for herself before she later considers the listener.

The hardest moments of her career have involved insecurity and comparison, which at times drained her joy of writing. Still, she knows exactly who she wants to make music for.

Monte describes her style as a “crying in the club” feeling: sad songs you should still be able to dance to, with a tear in the corner of your eye.

For many Finns, Sinikka was unknown before UMK – but that is about to change.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

– This is a truly international-sounding entry! A beautiful voice, a highly musical composition, powerful lyrics, and a distinctively growing production make this song a strong addition to UMK26’s musical lineup. Together with the producer, the artist has created a unique sound world that reflects influences from major international artists while remaining entirely her own. This could easily be the theme song of a big-budget film.

Ready To Leave will be released on Tuesday 20 January at 00:00.

Antti Paalanen – Takatukka

Based in Kokkola and originally from Alavus, Antti Paalanen is a folk musician, accordionist, and throat singer.

His instrument of choice is the diatonic two-row accordion, which he first picked up at the age of eight – the same instrument once played by both of his grandfathers.

Paulanen is fascinated by the idea that South Ostrobothnian folk tradition and Mongolian throat-singing can naturally coexist within a pop and rock framework – and now he wants to bring that idea to a wider audience.

His musical journey took him from community-college accordion circles to rock bands. After military service, he studied folk music at the Sibelius Academy, immersing himself in traditions ranging from rune singing to improvisation. In his doctoral studies, he composed new music for the diatonic accordion and systematically built his solo career.

His international breakthrough came in 2011 at a WOMEX showcase concert in Copenhagen. The release of the album Rujo (2019) elevated his international profile further, leading to performances across Europe, the USA, Japan, and especially France.

Paalanen’s vocal trademark is a growling style based on throat-singing technique. Using the kargyraa method, he produces a deep, rumbling sound through a special form of throat resonance.

– Whenever I start singing, I relax myself as well. It’s very therapeutic – there’s something deeply cleansing and spiritual about it, Paalanen says.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

– Antti Paalanen is an award-winning, Europe-touring innovator of his genre. The song features a brilliant lyrical hook that anyone can join in on. Antti is a master of his instrument and has a unique vocal sound that instantly grabs the listener. And if you thought vocal effects were used, think again – that sound comes directly from Antti himself through an ancient throat-singing technique. This has never been heard in UMK before.

Takatukka will be released on Wednesday 21 January at 00:00.

CHACHI – Cherry Cake

CHACHI, whose real name is Chachi Hildén, describes herself as a Mexican-American family-oriented performer who has lived her entire life surrounded by music and dance.

Born in Houston, Texas, she was the youngest of five siblings. Dance, which she began at the age of four, became her lifeline through a difficult childhood.

– I grew up in a place where I was scared and lost most of the time. But dance kept me sane. Through it, I could say everything without words, Chachi says.

At nine, ballet gave way to hip-hop. Michael Jackson on MTV and R&B music left a lasting impression on her.

Her career exploded in her teens when she joined America’s Best Dance Crew at just 15 years old – the first season that allowed minors. Her team won the competition, making Chachi the youngest winner in the show’s history.

In the mid-2010s, her career expanded into television and acting, including her own reality series Chachi’s World.

In 2017, her life changed dramatically while filming Ultimate Expedition in Peru and climbing the over-5,000-metre Ishinca mountain. At the summit, she also found love: fellow participant Jukka Hildén, known from The Dudesons, was part of the expedition. Chachi says she was drawn to Jukka’s exceptional kindness and radiant presence.

Love led her to move across the world. For the first time, she felt she had found a place she could honestly call home. She has embraced Finnish everyday life so deeply that she considers herself Finnish.

CHACHI prioritised family life and motherhood for several years. In 2020, she decided to participate in Masked Singer Finland, which ultimately led to a record deal in 2023.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

– Cherry Cake is this charismatic artist’s debut release – an explosive dance banger guaranteed to set club dance floors alight around the world this year. Beneath the tight beat lies a stylish and highly musical composition that allows the singer’s voice to truly shine. The mid-song dance break will undoubtedly be a major moment in the UMK show, and we are eagerly awaiting the full staging concept.

Cherry Cake will be released on Thursday 22 January at 00:00.

KIKI – Rakkaudenkipee

UMK contestant KIKI, whose real name is Petra Gavalas, builds her career on dual cultures, sensitivity, and a strong inner world. Her mother is Finnish and her father Greek.

Although KIKI’s music is known for its dramatic quality, its core lies in empathy and the desire to make listeners feel less alone.

– I hope my music evokes emotions and brings people a sense of safety, KIKI says.

Growing up, pop and rap echoed through the walls of her home side by side. Hip-hop came from the room of her younger brother, rapper Lukas Leon, while pop played from KIKI’s own room. Music and singing became her emotional outlet from an early age.

Her artistic path truly began in her early twenties when she met producer Jimi Pääkallo through her brother. KIKI’s debut single 666 was released in autumn 2021, became a hit the following year, and earned her the title of YleX Breakthrough Artist.

She describes her artistic persona with three words: authentic, emotional, and dramatic. Her music combines Finnish melancholy with Greek darkness.

KIKI describes herself as a spiritual person who believes in something greater – that things happen for a reason.

Her own experiences have also reshaped her relationship with manifestation.

– UMK is my most successful manifestation. For a year, I told myself I would make it in. I cried with happiness when I found out I’d been selected.

UMK26 Jury Statement:

– Kiki has long been one of the most promising artists in Finnish pop, and Rakkaudenkipee is the best song of her career so far. The dramatic piece grows from something small and fragile into an explosive climax. Within three minutes, it contains all the elements of a traditionally effective UMK entry, while surprising compositional turns give the song a strong identity of its own. The artist’s expressive voice truly shines, and the closing ad-lib sections push both the tempo and the emotions to the maximum.

Rakkaudenkipee will be released on Friday 23 January at 00:00.

Professional jury and audience panels made the pre-selection

A total of 491 songs were submitted to UMK during the August 2025 song search for the 2026 season. In addition to the music industry professional jury led by YleX Head of Music Tapio Hakanen, five audience panels composed of representatives from various fields also took part in selecting the UMK26 artists and songs.

– This UMK season is shaping up to be unique in many ways. From a record number of submissions, the final selection spans pop, folk music, dance, and traditional dance-hall schlager, Hakanen comments.

– In UMK, the song truly is what matters – both self-released artists and seasoned legends can make it into the competition. I’m thrilled that this year also features artists completely new to most Finns, and an instrumental palette that includes violin, accordion, whistling, delicate vocals, club bass drums, and rap, he continues.

This year’s professional jury also included Johan Lindroos (Head of Music, Radio Suomi), Amie Borgar (Head of Music, Yle Svenska), Katri Norrlin (Music Journalist, YleX), Samuli Väänänen (Music Industry Professional), Pietu Sepponen (Promoter, Sunborn Live), Jussi Mäntysaari (Head of Music, Nelonen Media), Stella Kylä-Liuhala (Project Director, Ohlogy), and Aija Puurtinen (Lecturer at the Sibelius Academy and UMK Vocal Coach).

The winner of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu will be selected on 28 February 2026 at the UMK26 show at Nokia Arena in Tampere. The live broadcast will air on Yle TV1, Yle Areena, and Yle’s radio channels. The winner will be determined by combining public votes and international jury points: 75% audience vote and 25% international jury.

Find the latest UMK news in English at yle.fi/umk.