Eurovision 2015: Finland's PKN become contest favourites
Punk band with learning difficulties who sing about their hatred of chores becomes surprise favourite for Eurovision 2015
Finland's entry into this year's Eurovision Song Contest is a punk band made up of musicians with learning disabilities. The group, PKN, whose members have Down's syndrome and autism, will perform their song Aina Mun Pitaa (I Always Have To) after being picked by the Finnish public.
PKN (Pertti Kurikka's Nameday) are now ranked among the favourites for the contest by bookmakers, reports the BBC. They are 5/1 to win the contest, according to Betfred, making them third favourites behind Italy and Estonia.
Their song is about the frustrations of everyday life, whether it’s eating healthily or doing chores like washing up.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Every person with a disability ought to be braver," singer Kari Aalto said. "He or she should themselves say what they want and do not want," he told Finnish broadcaster YLE.
The group, made up of four middle-aged men, is the first punk band to compete at Eurovision. But not everyone was happy with their selection, reports The Guardian. Wiwibloggs, a website devoted to everything Eurovision, gave the song a score of one out of ten. A reviewer wrote: "This is not music. It's noise with a good backstory".
But the band members are unfazed by criticism. "We are rebelling against society in different ways, but we are not political," bassist Sami Helle told The Guardian. "We are changing attitudes somewhat, a lot of people are coming to our gigs and we have a lot of fans. We don't want people to vote for us to feel sorry for us. We are not that different from everybody else – just normal guys with a mental handicap."
PKN say they are aiming to raise awareness of people with learning disabilities, but also "have a f***ing good time".
PKN aren't the only outsiders to find themselves in the Eurovision spotlight. Earlier this month Australia became a first-time wildcard entrant to the song competition, scoring a one-off invitation to join in the event, the first in the competition's 60-year history. On May 23, Australia will be fast-tracked to the final in Vienna, but for the moment the act and their song is being kept a secret.
Some commentators though, thought the surprise inclusion was a bit of a joke. "Let's be honest: Australia only got allowed to enter #eurovision because most of the world confuses Austria with Australia," tweeted @kazonis.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
The insides and outsides of Helsinki's energetic art scene
The Week Recommends Finland's capital has an admirable mix of street art and museums
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Top outside saunas around the UK
The Week Recommends Finnish-style saunas are popping up everywhere, promising a slew of potential health benefits
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Last updated
-
Ruska: experience Finland's magnificent autumn foliage
The Week Recommends The 'fleeting' season lasts just three weeks
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Coolcations: where to escape from the heat this summer
The Week Recommends As southern Europe sizzles, try these milder destinations
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
The value of silence
Under The Radar In a world 'filled with constant yapping' some are making an effort to keep schtum
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Eurovision 2024: how is politics playing out in Sweden?
Today's big question World's most popular song contest 'has always been politically charged' but 'this year perhaps more so than ever'
By The Week UK Published
-
Eurovision stars weigh politics and principles as calls for boycott over Israel grow
Under The Radar One of the biggest artistic competitions on Earth finds itself in the middle of a widening debate about if — and how — to address the ongoing war in Gaza
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Luxury in Lapland: how to meet Santa in style
The Week Recommends From husky sleigh rides and tobogganing to searching for Father Christmas on a snowmobile
By The Week UK Published