Get ready for a spectacular start to Finland's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest! Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) 2026 has announced that Finnish superstar Erika Vikman and Austria's Eurovision 2025 winner JJ will be the highly anticipated opening act for the Grand Final. Their performance, described as an 'ultimate mashup,' is set to electrify the Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland, this Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Erika Vikman is no stranger to the UMK stage or Eurovision fans. She previously represented Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with her song "Ich komme," after winning UMK 2025. Her earlier participation in UMK 2020 with "Cicciolina" also captured significant attention, where she placed second. Vikman has also been a guest performer at previous UMK events.

Joining Vikman is Austrian singer JJ, whose full name is Johannes Pietsch. He achieved global recognition by winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 for Austria with his powerful entry, "Wasted Love." Pietsch's journey to international fame also includes appearances on The Voice UK in 2020 and Austria's Starmania in 2021, where his distinctive voice and operatic range impressed audiences and led him to the Knockout rounds of The Voice UK and the finals of Austria's Starmania. This star-studded opening act promises an unforgettable start to UMK 2026, where Finland will select its representative for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna.