The Finnish public television network, YLE, held the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2023 (UMK) at the end of February, a national final to choose their representative in Liverpool for the competition that will take place in the M&S Arena in the English city.
In the Finnish national final, considered by many to be the best of this year’s Eurovision, 7 artists sought to represent the Nordic country in the European competition. Käärijä emerged as one of the top favorites from the start, and with the votes from both the jury and the public, he won with the song “Cha Cha Cha”.
Meet Käärijä (Eurovision 2023 Finland)
Jere Pöyhönen, better known as Käärijä, is a Finnish rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was born in Helsinki on October 21, 1993, and discovered his passion for music while learning to play the drums, starting to produce his own music in 2014. With his innovative style and ability to write deep and emotional lyrics, Käärijä has become a reference for urban music in Finland and an artist to follow internationally.
After releasing his music independently for several years, Käärijä signed with the Monsp Records record label in 2017 and has been on a constant rise ever since. In 2020, he released his debut album titled “Fantastista”, which has received very positive reviews from both the specialized press and his fans.
Käärijä’s career is not slowing down. In January 2023, he was announced as one of the participants in the UMK, the Finnish national final for Eurovision 2023, with his song “Cha Cha Cha,” co-written with Aleksi Nurmi and Johannes Naukkarinen. After sweeping the televote and jury, he became the representative of the Nordic country in Liverpool.
“Cha Cha Cha,” his song for Liverpool
“Cha Cha Cha”, as defined by Käärijä himself, aims to be an “anthem of wild parties.” The song, which mixes such distinct styles as rap, metal, and electronic music, was composed by Aleksi Nurmi, Johannes Naukkarinen, Jukka Sorsa, and Käärijä himself.
The artist himself described the song, at the presentation of the song, as a perfect summary of what his country is, “Finland is a country of partying, heavy metal, and pop, and this song brings all of that together.”
«Cha Cha Cha» Lyrics
Original lyrics
Rankka viikko ja paljon pitkii päiviä takan
Mielenkiintona piña colada ja rata
Ilta on vielä nuori ja aikaa kumota
Tää jäinen ulkokuori on aika tuhota
Pidän kaksin käsin kiinni juomista niinku
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, ei
En mieti huomista ku tartun tuopista niinku
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, ei
Haluun olla sekasin ja vapaa huolista niinku
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, ei
Ja mä jatkan kunnes en enää pysy tuolissa niinku
Muutama piña colada on jo takana
Silti mul on vielä naamataulu vakava, yeah, yeah, ye, ye, yeah
Ilta on vielä nuori ja aikaa kumota
Tää jäinen ulkokuori on aika tuhota
Parketti kutsuu mua ku en oo enää lukossa
Niinku cha cha cha mä oon tulossa
Pidän kaksin käsin kiinni juomista niinku
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, ei
En mieti huomista ku tartun tuopista niinku
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, ei
Haluun olla sekasin ja vapaa huolista niinku
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, ei
Ja mä jatkan kunnes en enää pysy tuolissa niinku vou
Nyt lähden tanssimaan
Niinku cha cha cha
Enkä pelkääkään tätä maailmaa
Niinku cha cha cha
Kun mä kaadan päälleni samppanjaa
Cha, cha, cha
Toinen silmä jo karsastaa
Ja puhe sammaltaa ku tää toinen puoli must vallan saa
Cha, cha, cha
En oo arkena tää mies laisinkaan
En oo mut tänään oon se mies, tänään oon se mies
Nyt lähden tanssimaan
Niinku cha cha cha
Enkä pelkääkään tätä maailmaa
Niinku cha cha cha
Kun mä kaadan päälleni ѕamppanjaa
Niinku cha cha cha
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, aha
Niinku cha cha cha
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha
Cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, cha, chа
English lyrics
This exhausting week and the many long days are behind
There’s only bar and piña colada on my mind
There is some time for a few, the night is still youngish
This icy shell is something I have to demolish
Holding on the drinks with both hands tied on them like a
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, no
There’s no tomorrow when I grab a pint tightly like a
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, no
Wanna mess my head up and to free my mind of fear like a
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, no
And I stay on this seat until I have to climb off it like a
A couple piña coladas I have devoured
Yet the expression I have on my face is sour, yeah yeah ye ye yeh
There is some time for a few, the night is still youngish
This icy shell is something I have to demolish
The floor is calling me when I’m no longer so frozen
Like a cha cha cha I am approachin’
Holding on the drinks with both hands tied on them like a
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, no
There’s no tomorrow when I grab a pint tightly like a
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, no
Wanna mess my head up and to free my mind of fear like a
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, no
And I stay on this seat until I have to climb off it like a whoa
I head towards the dance floor
Like a cha cha cha
And this world ain’t making me scared no more
Like a cha cha cha
When Champagne all over myself I pour
Cha cha cha
One eye keeps turning crossed too far
And talking is so hard when this different side of me does its part
Cha cha cha
I don’t usually go and drop my guard, not me
But now I am that guy, now I am that guy
I head towards dance floor
Like a cha cha cha
And this world ain’t making me scared no more
Like a cha cha cha
When Champagne all over myself I pour
Like a cha cha cha
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha aa-aah
Like a cha cha cha
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha
Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha
Finland in Eurovision
Finland has been participating in Eurovision since 1961 with a total of 51 participations throughout history. With only one victory, achieved by Lordi and their legendary “Hard Rock Hallelujah”.
It is the Nordic country with the most discreet track record, as its only top 5 is the one achieved with its victory, being the sixth place the second best historical position of the country, achieved in 2021 by Blind Channel with the song “Dark Side” and in 1973 by Marion Ruig with her “Tom, Tom, Tom“.
In the 2022 edition, The Rasmus were chosen as winners of the UMK with the rock song “Jezebel” with which they obtained the pass to the final of Eurovision. In that final, the legendary Finnish band finished in a bland twenty-second position with only 38 points.