Finland: Windows95man wins UMK 2024 – To Eurovision with "No Rules"

After a night of seven great performances, the successor to Käärijä has been selected!

Once all the votes were in, it became official: Windows95man had won Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) and will represent Finland at Eurovision in May with the song "No Rules."

"No Rules" was written by Henri Piispanen, Jussi Roine, and Teemu Keisteri.

Tonight we also saw many familiar faces appear for special performances. Opening the show with the biggest opening number in UMK history were UMK 2023 participants KUUMAA and Benjamin. And we can't forget about this epic performance; UMK 2023 winner Käärijä took to the stage alongside UMK20 legend Erika Vikman.

Windows95man

Windows95man is an embodiment of the 90s, who frees a once timid family man from his everyday life. It all started when Teemu Keisteri’s home videos on YouTube began to circulate all over the world. One of the videos even ended up in a commercial aired during an NHL game.

In 2013, a DJ gig at the Flow Festival brought the character known as Windows95man to life. His artist costume consists of a pair of very cut-off shorts made by Keisteri’s friend and a Windows95 T-shirt ordered online. Since then, Windows95man has performed at Helsinki’s New Year’s celebration in 2022, as an opening act for Käärijä at the Helsinki Ice Hall, and at numerous smaller events.

Many have also come across his character, who is known for his wild and crazy stage performances, in a YouTube video where he gets an entire planeload of passengers to lose control to Darude’s Sandstorm.

At UMK, Windows95man will be releasing his very first single, No Rules. The song title refers to the artist’s motto, which appears in both his music and other artistic productions. In addition to his DJ gigs, Keisteri is a visual artist who is known for his artist persona, Ukkeli: a representation of cultural phenomena.

Henri Piispanen is the singer in No Rules. Keisteri explains that the chorus of the song was so challenging that he had trouble finding a singer with enough technical skill to pull it off. Piispanen was the only one whose voice could go high enough.

– In my opinion, all Finns are a bit looney-tunes deep inside, and I wanted to bring that out more. Now I can share my music with an even bigger audience as well as spread the joyous message of "No Rules," says Keisteri.

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024 (UMK) was Finland's national selection process to select their representative for Eurovision 2024.

UMK 2024 took place in Nokia Arena in Tampere and was brought to us live by Finnish broadcaster, YLE. Voting to determine the winner was made up of 25% jury vote and 75% public vote.

The hosts of UMK 2024 were Benjamin Peltonen (UMK 2023), Pilvi Hämäläinen, and Viivi Pumpanen.

Finland in Eurovision

Finland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961, and has participated ever since, except six years, mostly because of previous years' poor results.

The Finnish have won the competition once, in 2006, with the song "Hard Rock Hallelujah," performed by Lordi. Since then, Finland's best result is a 2nd place finish in 2023.

Since the introduction of the Semi-finals in 2004, Finland has qualified for the Grand Final 11 out of 19 times.