Just two years after his first challenge, Sian Kix has returned to Finland’s Uden Mushkin Kilpile (UMK). They are more confident, more experienced, more determined and will no longer take home second place. They want to win and that’s why they came back. This time it’s a song called “Dancing With Demons.”
In 2022, the band lost to The Rasmus and ultimately took “Jezebel” to Turin, finishing 21st in the grand final. This loss was not easy to deal with, but it was immediately after the result that Cyan Kicks frontwoman and vocalist Susannah Alexandra decided she needed to make a comeback.
– We knew we had to go back, and we were going to do everything we could to get us back. It was a great experience and now we really want to win…that’s why we came back. We want to represent Finland at Eurovision and are very happy to be back.
I’m talking to Susannah Alexandra. She has the freedom to speak alone and on behalf of her three other members: Nyla Perchio, Levi Erkkila and Pietari Leijonen.
It may be hard to believe, but when they first joined UMK in 2022, Cyan Kicks had performed less than 30 shows. That changed dramatically after “Hurricane” was announced at the national selection stage. They played multiple shows and toured Europe (including serving as the opening act). Shatter into pieces), released an album and multiple singles. That’s the big difference between then and now.
– Well, we didn’t have that much experience. Currently on Cyan Kycks 2.0. We’ve been making more music, playing all over Europe, and growing. This time I’m going to actually deliver it.
It has already been delivered in 2022.
– We did everything we could and we’re proud of it, but I think this is our moment. At the time, I had a huge fear of performing. Before the finals, I was panicking and going crazy. All I wanted was to focus and not fail. I couldn’t enjoy the moment. Now I’m confident and very excited, she claims.
Susanna Alexandra admits she’s glad she didn’t win in 2022.
– If we had won, we wouldn’t be here now. I believe everything happens for a reason, and this was just the right time. That was very disappointing for us because obviously at the time our goal was to win and I wasn’t good at losing. Anyway, it was great to take part in the competition and I’m so grateful for everything it did for us. This was a game changer.
Kalya effect
UMK is truly a massive platform for up-and-coming artists. We inevitably talk about Kaaliya (Finland, 2023), which gained immense popularity from an unknown artist.
– Exactly, no one knew about him.
It was also last year that the two met.
– I didn’t know him before I joined UMK, but we started getting to know each other and have been friends for a while now. He is a big supporter of Cyan Kicks and I really like him. His character, his integrity… there’s something very special about him and he’s such an inspirational person. I’m very happy for what he did for UMK and what he did for us at Liverpool last year.
We continue to talk about Kaaliyah and bring up his number two “tattoo” of Loreen.
– I was sad and shocked because I really thought he was going to win, but even though I love Laureen too, the fact that he won on TV almost feels like a win, she says .
The huge success of Kaaliya’s “Cha Cha Cha” increased interest in UMK and Eurovision. Suddenly all the finishers are following UMK and know all about their upcoming songs. There are positive aspects to it, but there are also negative aspects.
– I have to admit that my expectations were too high and a lot of negative opinions were spread, which is a shame. Many people don’t like this song. Because I was expecting something like “Cha Cha Cha”, I was expecting something like Käärijä, but no other she is Käärijä.
When asked about her favorite Eurovision memory, Susanna Alexandra laughed and said: “It was a great experience.
– As you can probably imagine, I have two favorite memories.
Yes, Lordi (Finland 2006) and Käärijä (Finland 2023).
Susanna admits that it is an honor for the band to be on stage at Eurovision. Not only will they be introduced to a wider audience, they will be representing their country, and the music competition will be important and a massive conquest for the band, but Cyan Kicks is more than just Eurovision. is. I asked her about the beginnings of the band.
– I started with Neela [Niila Perkkiö] We met in our previous band that year and quickly realized we needed each other and needed to be together to find our own style. In 2016 we invited Leevi [Leevi Erkkilä] and pietari [Pietari Reijonen] The transition to Cyan Kicks, and at first we were really just spending time in the studio and trying to find our own thing. It took a while and many moments I felt like my faith was gone, but they kept me going. Little by little, things started to happen.
To this day, they remain strong and a “great group of friends”, even if it sometimes gets in the way of Susanna Alexandra and the band’s drummer Pietari Lajonen.
– We easily explode, but lately we haven’t had any fights, she says with a laugh.
“Dancing with Demons”
In 2022, the band performed “Hurricane” on the UMK stage, but this time they performed an improved version of “Dancing with Demons,” the vocalist says.
– “Dancing With Demons” is bolder and more surprising. It’s also more energetic. She says we are better songwriters than we were two years ago and our next album will follow this standard.
The song was written with three-time Grammy nominee Dan Lancaster and Sian Kicks’ favorite songwriters Elise Ride and Sarah Ryan. In fact, it was Elise who sparked the song’s theme.
– In fact, she says, “Dancing With Demons” has some scary stories.
– We were in the studio and Elise told us about a paranormal experience in which she had seen real ghosts at certain moments in her life, although she doesn’t remember why. She told us about this dark figure that stood in front of her and moved between rooms. And then one day her mother saw it too. That’s when she realized it wasn’t just a figment of her imagination. This led to the idea of demons, inner demons, and what if instead of being afraid of them, we could flip it and make them one of us.
Music videos make that a reality. In it, Susannah tames her inner demons and sits quietly with them. Will part of the music video be seen on the UMK stage?
– You can say that there is no rain or water, but there is also a connection with the music video, you can say that too.
– Actually, there is also a connection to our first UMK performance, where she teased that she would be silent after that as she didn’t have much more to share.
It’s clear that Cyan Kicks is looking for a win. Competition seems to be fierce, and this is no longer an easy task. Will it put pressure on them?
– Everything is so great and I’m so excited, but I’m mainly focused on our show and making it the best it can be. To be honest, I don’t feel too stressed. A little nervous, but mostly excited. I’m always thinking about choreography and I’m so obsessed with it. I don’t consider UMK as a whole a competitor.
Cyan Kicks promises to stand out by listening to this experience. They are working hard and are determined to do what they couldn’t do in 2022. The band will take to the UMK stage on February 10th, where they will perform “Dancing With Demons.”
Do you have a message for the Eurovision community?
– We would like to thank the Eurovision community for all their support, it means the world. We hope you like our songs and enjoy our upcoming shows. We also wish you a great Eurovision selection season. let’s have fun!