Swedish and Nordic media praise Finland’s Eurovision performance as groundbreaking

Finland’s Eurovision Song Contest entry has drawn widespread acclaim from Nordic broadcasters, with Swedish public service broadcaster SVT urging its own Melodifestivalen to “take notes” from Finland’s selection process, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

SVT’s Rebecca Haimi described the performance by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen as “art and top-tier athleticism,” adding in a video analysis: “Melodifestivalen, sit down and learn from UMK [Finland’s national selection]!”

Danish broadcaster DR called Finland the “clear favourite” this year, citing bookmakers and fan expectations. Its Eurovision commentator, Ole Tøpholm, wrote that while victory isn’t guaranteed, Finland has struck the right tone at the right time. DR also highlighted Lampenius’s rare live violin performance, which required special permission from contest organisers.

The UK’s BBC described the act as “hotter than a Finnish sauna” on its Eurovision Instagram account, while Norway’s NRK called it a “magical experience.” NRK’s critic Jim Ødegård Pedersen praised the staging—featuring a wall of fire—as “fantastically executed,” noting the song’s musical sophistication and the artists’ ability to make the Finnish language sound “sexy.”

“They’re as far from Moomintroll and Niiskuneiti [a Finnish children’s character] as you can get,” Pedersen said, predicting the act could win the contest. The Eurovision final takes place on Saturday, May 16 in Vienna.