The article from Iltalehti discusses the Uuden musiikin kilpailu (UMK), Finland's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Yle, the broadcaster, announced that the winner of UMK can choose not to represent Finland at Eurovision, as explained by Yle’s entertainment chief Juha Lahti. Lahti emphasized that they cannot force any artist to participate in the contest, despite rules indicating otherwise.

Several artists are competing in UMK, including groups and solo artists like Komiat, Etta, Antti Paalanen, Chachi, Sinikka Monte, and Linda Lampenius with Pete Parkkonen. Iltalehti sought responses from some contestants about their willingness to represent Finland if they win the competition, and four artists expressed enthusiasm about participating in Eurovision. For example, Antti Paalanen stated that the world needs more accordion music, while Chachi expressed pride in potentially representing Finland.

The article reflects on the current atmosphere surrounding the contest, noting some artists' disappointment about how politicized the decision to participate has become. This sentiment indicates not only the personal aspirations of the artists but also the broader implications for Finland's representation in international music events, as public and political sentiments may influence the artists' decisions.