Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2013 was the second edition of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the music competition that selects Finland's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition consisted of four shows that commenced with the first of two heats on 17 January 2013 and concluded with a final on 9 February 2013. The four shows were hosted by Yle youth radio channel YleX DJs Anne Lainto and Ile Uusivuori.[3] All shows were broadcast on Yle TV2 and online at yle.fi/umk. The final was also broadcast online at the official Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.tv.[4]

The format of the competition consisted of four shows: two heats, a semi-final and a final. Six songs competed in each heat and the top two entries from each heat qualified directly to the final, while the entries placed third to fifth qualified to the semi-final. Six songs competed in the semi-final and the top four entries qualified to complete the eight-song lineup in the final. The results for the heats, the semi-finals and the final were determined by the 50/50 combination of public voting and a four-member jury panel who each assigned scores to each entry ranging from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). Public voting included the options of telephone and SMS voting.

The four-member jury panel participated in each show by providing commentary and feedback to the competing artists and selecting entries to qualify. The jury panel consisted of:[5]

• Toni Wirtanen – Heavy metal singer and leader of the band Apulanta
• Aija Puurtinen – Singer and music professor
• Tomi Saarinen – Head of Music at YleX
• Redrama – Rapper

A submission period was opened by Yle which lasted between 3 September 2012 and 16 September 2012. Each artist could only submit one song, while songwriters were allowed to submit more than one song. At least one of the writers and the lead singer(s) had to hold Finnish citizenship or live in Finland permanently in order for the entry to qualify to compete.[3] A panel of experts appointed by Yle selected twelve entries for the competition from over 470 received submissions.[6] The competing entries were presented over three introduction shows between 27 December 2012 and 10 January 2013.

The first heat took place on 17 January 2013 at the Club "Circus" in Helsinki.[7] Based on a 50/50 combination of public votes and the jury panel, "We Should Be Through" performed by Mikael Saari and "Colliding Into You" performed by Diandra qualified directly to the final, while "Last Night" performed by Iina Salin, "Saturday Night Forever" performed by Last Panda and "Ilmalaivalla" performed by Rautakoura qualified to the semi-final.[8]

The second heat took place on 24 January 2013 at the Club "Circus" in Helsinki.[9] Based on a 50/50 combination of public votes and the jury panel, "Marry Me" performed by Krista Siegfrids and "Lost" performed by Arion qualified directly to the final, while "Dancing All Around the Universe" performed by Lucy Was Driving, "He's Not My Man" performed by Elina Orkoneva and "Flags" performed by Great Wide North qualified to the semi-final.[10]

The semi-final show took place on 31 January 2013 at the Club "Circus" in Helsinki and the top four from the six competing entries that qualified from the preceding two heats qualified to the final based on a 50/50 combination of public votes and the jury panel.[11] "Saturday Night Forever" performed by Last Panda, "He's Not My Man" performed by Elina Orkoneva, "Flags" performed by Great Wide North and "Dancing All Around the Universe" performed by Lucy Was Driving qualified to the final.[12]

The final took place on 9 February 2013 at the Barona Areena in Espoo where the eight entries that qualified from the preceding two heats and the semi-final competed. "Marry Me" performed by Krista Siegfrids was selected as the winner.The winner was selected by a 50/50 combination of public votes through telephone and SMS voting and the jury panel.[1]

In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the interval act featured Teflon Brothers, Stig, Emma Salokoski and Suvi Teräsniska, 2007 Finnish Eurovision entrant Hanna Pakarinen and 2012 Finnish Eurovision entrant Pernilla Karlsson.[13]