Erika Vikman, the artist who represented Finland in last year's Eurovision, has voiced her opinion regarding the absence of the famous band Lordi from the upcoming Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK). In an interview with Iltalehti, Vikman remarked on the controversy surrounding Yle's decision to omit Lordi, especially considering that 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of their Eurovision victory, Finland's only win to date. She acknowledged the difficulty of pleasing everyone with show decisions but insisted that Lordi deserved a place in the competition, stating, 'I love Yle and the whole UMK team, but I was a bit, well, surprised.'