It’s that time of year where we are desperate for our next Eurovision fix. And what better way to cope with those winter blues than to ponder which artists would be fantastic picks for their countries at Eurovision? Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing our top wishlist pick for various countries at the Eurovision Song Contest.
The greatest thing about our wishlist is that there’s no rules. No “they would never do Eurovision!” No “but that wouldn’t be possible because…”. Not even a “but that country hasn’t participated in x amount of years.”
Welcome to the Wiwi Wishlist, where we fantasize about the perfect contest line-up.
Wiwi Wishlist: Runo for Finland
Runo, whose real name is Lisa Nikula, is a rising alt-pop star from Finland. With a modern pop sound, she places a strong focus on meaningful lyrics in every song, making tracks that are both catchy and deep. Her debut album, Rikos ja rangaistus, released in March 2024, was very well received.
She writes and composes most of her songs herself, and she is also involved in directing her own music videos, such as for the magical “Poltan kaiken.”
Earlier in her career, Runo won the Finnish TV show YleX Nosteessa, a program dedicated to showcasing and promoting new, self-produced, or up-and-coming artists. The jury recognised her as an exceptional talent with enormous potential. Judges included Vilma Alina (Eurovision jury member in 2018), Tido, Kalle Lindroth (he worked with Lithuanian band The Roop in 2021 for their entry and with 2020’s UMK winner Aksel for “Hurt” — his competing entry in UMK 2021), and Benjamin (UMK 2023).
Runo is also a big Eurovision fan. When asked by wiwibloggs if she would like to represent Finland in Eurovision, Runo answered:
“I’ve watched the Eurovision Song Contest ever since I was a kid, and I’ve always been fascinated by it. Honestly, it’s been my dream to one day represent Finland on that stage. I’ve applied a few times. The competition to get in is tough, and at times I’ve decided to step back, as the contest can sometimes be influenced by political factors. But that dream is still very much alive. I’d love to sing for all of Europe in the show I grew up watching and loving.”
Runo’s mystical alt-pop sound would be a perfect fit to captivate audiences across Europe.
Discography must-listens: “Jumala armahtaa” (2025), “Poltan kaiken” (2024), “Raudasta tehty” (2025)
Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest
ChatGPT said:
In 2025, one of Eurovision fans’ biggest wishes came true when Finland was represented by national music icon Erika Vikman with her song “ICH KOMME.” The entry placed 11th in the grand final and quickly became one of the most iconic performances of the year, elevating Erika’s popularity to new heights. Seeing a female artist perform so confidently—embracing her sexuality and power—was simply inspiring, proving that confidence and boldness on stage are not reserved only for male performers.
After Finland’s last Eurovision victory with Lordi in 2006, the country went through years of ups and downs, alternating between qualifications, non-qualifications and being mostly in the second half of the chart. However, following the pandemic, Finland entered a new era of reinvention, achieving a record streak of five consecutive qualifications, their best since Lordi’s win.
The country decided to embrace diversity and to be as experimental as possible: iconic rock bands (Blind Channel reaching sixth place, The Rasmus qualifying), rap mixed with pure stage madness (Käärijä’s unforgettable “Cha Cha Cha,” runner-up in 2023), and eccentricity (Windows95man’s performance that was impossible to go unnoticed). Then came Erika Vikman, proving that Finland makes its own rules.
Finland doesn’t repeat patterns, they innovate. And Eurovision is known for being a perfect platform for rising stars to shine. Runo, with her mystical alt-pop style, would bring yet another refreshing layer in Eurovision: a modern, atmospheric performance and even a lyrically rich direction. With her, Finland can bring something entirely new compared with the performances from the recent years.
Runo is our dream pick for Finland, but who would yours be? Who would you love to see take to the stage in Vienna in May 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
