Finland at Eurovision 2025: Erika Vikman reveals drastic changes to her performance on the Eurovision stage in Basel, Switzerland, due to requests from the EBU. How did Finland respond? All the details in the article!
Erika Vikman, Finland’s representative for Eurovision 2025, revealed in an interview with the Swedish newspaper “Expressen” that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has requested changes regarding her performance of the song “Ich Komme” (translated as: “I’m comming”), which will be performed in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2025, taking place on May 15th in Basel, Switzerland.
“They want to cover my butt,” the singer said directly, explaining that the requests aren’t just about her clothing but encompass many aspects of the performance. The changes won’t be limited to costume selection; they will also include the way she moves on stage, the message conveyed through the song itself, and even the coordination with the stage direction. Vikman revealed that the EBU claims that her performance carries too many sexual connotations, which could influence the viewing audience of the contest.
“It’s not just one thing, it’s everything together: my clothes, what is written in the song, and how I move on stage. They claim it’s all ‘too sexual,'” Vikman shared. In another interview with the Finnish newspaper “IS”, she mentioned that the changes will not only focus on visual elements but also on musical content. “We need to meet their requirements and change my look,” she added, “but it feels a bit ambiguous. For them, it’s ‘too much,’ but my entire concept is to be ‘too much.'”
Despite the required changes, the singer is not worried. She explains that the colors and overall concept of the song will remain nearly identical to what was seen by the audience in Finland’s national selection final. However, she hinted that some important details would change, especially the beginning of the song. “We will do a different start. The change will happen at the beginning of the song. It’s good because I didn’t like the static nature of the national selection. Now we can make changes to things that still bothered me. It will be much better,” she said.
Conflicting Responses
On the other hand, a response was issued by Anssi Autio, the well-known Finnish producer and the creator of Finland’s national selection for Eurovision, UMK. The senior producer stated that no official request had been made by the EBU for changes to Vikman’s performance. He confirmed that there had been discussions with the union but emphasized that no direct requests for changes to the performance or her wardrobe had been made. “Everything is fine,” said Autio, “there is nothing to worry about. The information mentioned is not accurate.”
While Vikman’s interview has garnered significant public attention, the senior producer stands firm, reiterating that no upgrades or changes have been required by the EBU for the Finnish performance. He adds that, in fact, all the artistic and creative aspects of the song and performance remain intact, and there is no reason to change them or Vikman’s attire.
Drama Beyond Finland’s Performance
The drama surrounding changes to Finland’s performance does not stop here. Beyond Finland’s entry, the EBU also refused to accept the entry from another country—Malta—due to a word in the song that also serves as the title, “Kant” (in Maltese: “Singing”). The word sounds in English like a term considered vulgar and inappropriate. As a result, Malta was required to change the lyrics if they wished to participate in the contest. Although Malta’s national broadcaster is working to challenge the decision with the European Broadcasting Union, it seems that a potential solution is on the way for the controversial word, with “Kant” likely to be replaced by the word “Conte” (which also happens to be the surname of Miriana Conte, Malta’s representative).
Despite the fact that the Finns have confirmed discussions with the EBU, the main claim made by the singer remains unsupported by the producers themselves. However, the ongoing battle between the artists and the influence of the EBU will certainly remain a topic that attracts much attention as the upcoming Eurovision approaches. While Finland waits to hear the European Broadcasting Union’s final word, the global audience is already on edge, eagerly awaiting to see how the performances will evolve and what will happen ultimately on the Eurovision stage.
Finland at Eurovision 2025
“Ich Komme” is the title of the song that will be performed by singer Erika Vikman, who will represent Finland in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2025, taking place on May 15th in Basel, Switzerland. The song was written by Christel Roosberg and Jori Roosberg. This is the first song by these writers to compete in Eurovision. The song is performed in Finnish, with the title in German.
Erika Vikman – Who Are You?
Erika Vikman, born on February 20, 1993, is a Finnish singer-songwriter. Erika is one of Finland’s biggest pop stars and is known to Eurovision fans for her participation in the 2020 national selection, where she finished second with the song “Cicciolina“, which became a sensation in Finland and subsequently led to her rise to fame and status. Erika is known for her provocative performances and catchy yet clever pop songs. She described her song “Ich Komme” as a “crazy” creation, an unusual pop song with a lot of thought behind it, which also achieved great success in Finland.Eurovision 2025: This will be Finland’s 58th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Finland joined the competition in 1961 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2006, winning the contest with Lordi and their song “Hard Rock Hallelujah”.
