The Finnish broadcaster Yle announced that the duo Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen will represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. The artists won the domestic qualification event with the song Flamethrower (Liekinheitin). The event occurred alongside public demonstrations against Israel’s participation in the European competition.
Decisive victory at the Finnish selection
The duo secured their spot by winning the New Music Competition (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu), the official qualification event in Finland. The final took place at the Nokia Arena in Tampere. Lampenius, an internationally recognized violinist, and Parkkonen, a popular pop singer, received a total of 570 points.
This score combined the votes from international juries and the Finnish public. Furthermore, the audience cast nearly 447,000 votes. This set a voting record and indicated a significant increase in public engagement compared to the previous year. Consequently, the runner-up, Antti Paalanen, finished second with a distant 210 points.
The artists behind Flamethrower
The track brings together two well-known Finnish musicians from different backgrounds. Linda Lampenius is a classically trained violinist. She achieved international fame in the 1990s as a crossover artist. She has performed globally, combining classical music with pop, rock, and electronic elements.
Meanwhile, Pete Parkkonen is a singer-songwriter. He gained public recognition after participating in the Finnish reality television series Idols in 2008. He subsequently built a successful career in the domestic pop and rock scene. Fans know him for his energetic live performances. The production team contacted Parkkonen to join the project while Lampenius was already developing the track’s structure in the studio. Consequently, the single reached number one on the Official Finnish Singles Chart (Suomen virallinen lista) shortly after its release in January 2026.
Political context and Eurovision boycott calls
The selection event occurred alongside public demonstrations. Activists gathered to demand a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The protesters object to the participation of Israel in the event. They cite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) organizes the contest and maintains that the event remains strictly non-political. The EBU permits the participation of the Israeli public broadcaster. Therefore, the Finnish broadcaster Yle has not indicated any intention to withdraw its artists from the competition.
Prospects for Finland in Vienna
The winning entry, Flamethrower (Liekinheitin), is a pop-rock track performed entirely in Finnish. The composers state that the lyrics explore the dynamics of an intense and volatile relationship.
Currently, bookmakers position Finland as a strong contender to win the entire contest in May. A victory in Vienna would mark the second time the Nordic country wins the competition. Previously, the heavy metal band Lordi achieved first place in 2006. Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen will perform in the first semi-final of the contest.
