Time to update my Top 5 of Finland as we’re about to be treated to Krista Siegfrids at Eurofest at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (on Friday 11 January). Sadly the update does mean Krista drops out of the top 5 in favour of Saara Aalto – but she’s still there in a top 6 if I was making one 🙂
As well as Saara entering the top 5, I’ve shuffled the top somewhat and my new number one may raise eyebrows (in surprise or incomprehension perhaps for younger readers). Slightly controversial in my ordering of the top 5 – do comment below though and let me know your thoughts on your Finnish favourites!
5. Hanna Pakarinen “Leave Me Alone” (2007, 17th place, 53 points)
An underrated track, it went down well in the hall – not surprising since this was the Finnish entry when Finland hosted the competition for the first (and so far only) time.
4. Lordi “Hard Rock Hallelujah” (2006, winner, 292 points)
Lordi at number 4? Well yes, as while it is one of the most memorable and widely known recent Eurovision winners, I do have other Finnish songs I prefer more. While they are a heavy rock/metal band, their winning entry is actually quite pop sounding. With the pyrotechnics and the costumes and the enormous points haul (they won by a mile), Finland’s sole win remains a memorable one.
3. Softengine “Something Better” (2014, 11th place, 72 points)
A surprise package at 2014’s contest, doing much better than originally expected, but a deserved good result, and the best Finnish result since Lordi. You don’t get alt pop/rock that often in Eurovision and a combination of that, great chorus and good live performance put it in my top 5, albeit it has slipped from number 1 (where I put it in the previous version of this top 5).
2. Saara Aalto “Monsters” (2018, 25th place, 46 points)
So I may be a little guilty of bias here – in terms of recency but also as I think Saara is great, and having wanted to go to Eurovision for so long, seeing her reach the final was heartwarming to see. I do think this song deserves to be here on merit as well – it’s a banger and much played and enjoyed at Eurovision nights.
1. Monica Aspelund “Lapponia” (1977, 10th place, 50 points)
I think this may have some fans out there but may well still be a surprise for most! I think I must have heard it on ESC Radio a few times. It did pretty well for Finland and it was the last Finnish song to be awarded a douze points until Lordi in 2006. My appreciation of this song has continued to grow and it has (deservedly) moved to being my favourite Finnish Eurovision song of all time.