It was a bit of a shock last year to see Finland miss out on the final, but it also marked the third year in a row that the nation has missed out on reaching the Eurovision final. This year, the guns are out and Finland is in it to win it. Early on in the national final season, it was announced that the usual UMK format would be scrapped, and instead the broadcaster chose Saara Aalto as their Eurovision act, with a national final to choose which of three songs she would sing at Eurovision. In the end, the song Monsters was chosen, but will this bring Finland their second Eurovision win?
Speaking of second, poor Saara has come second each and every time she’s been on a televised singing competition. From The Voice to X Factor, to the numerous times she’s tried to represent Finland at Eurovision. Always second. That must really sting, but at least this year she didn’t have to fight anyone for the spot to represent Finland!
Now let’s get into the song. In the first moments of the track, we hear Saara’s unique voice backed by a mysterious sounding backing track. As we get closer to the first chorus, it becomes pretty clear that this song is going to turn into a total banger. I love how the song builds into that banging beat, then we have a brief moment to enjoy the introduction of the pop beat before the second verse hits – it’s the perfect sassy dance break! I think the chorus on this song is a total earworm, and I think that’s a huge reason why this song was chosen in the national final, and why it’s got momentum going into the contest. In the last minute or so, we really get to hear some huge notes, and if they are nailed on the night, this is going to get the whole arena cheering.
Compared to the other two songs in the national selection, this is the clear winner, and most fans agreed. I think this song is a bit edgier than the other two options, and perhaps better represents Saara’s uniqueness as an artist. I think this song also opens better opportunities for an epic staging. That’s one thing that I’m very keen to see, as this song deserves something totally epic. I trust Finland with this, and I expect something pretty memorable. Provided that the vocal performance is strong, this will probably do well at Eurovision.
All aboard… the second place train!
Well, for her sake, it would be nice if she came anywhere other than second, but ultimately, I don’t think I can see this taking the top spot, so she may have to settle for something lower than second. I see the potential in this, but it doesn’t scream winner. It would take something pretty damn spectacular to change my view on this, but it’s Finland’s best chance of breaking their non-qualification streak.
Our rating: 7.5/10
If you support Finland at Eurovision, make sure to vote for Saara in our Eurovision 2018 poll! Watch her official video below, and check out our Eurovision 2018 playlist on Spotify.
