Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen’s “Liekinheitin” (“Flamethrower”) triumphed as Finland’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Vienna, chosen at the UMK national qualifier held at Nokia Arena in Tampere. The duo won with 570 points, significantly ahead of Antti Paalanen’s “Takatukka,” which garnered 210 points. The event broke viewership records, attracting over 2.5 million viewers, or 44% of Finland’s population, with nearly 447,000 votes cast.
Lampenius, a renowned crossover violinist, is known for her diverse music career and her 1998 Playboy cover as ‘Linda Brava.’ Parkkonen, 20 years younger, gained fame with a third-place finish in the Idols singing competition, a Dancing with the Stars Finland victory, and a platinum album. International betting sites have pegged Finland as the frontrunner, with “Liekinheitin” leading the rankings at eurovisionworld.com.
Meanwhile, protests occurred outside the venue, with 70 demonstrators opposing Israel’s participation in Eurovision due to its actions in Palestine. The protest, led by the Tampere with Palestine collective and Finnish Palestine Network, called for a boycott of UMK and Eurovision until Israel is excluded from the competition.