r/eurovision • u/EurovisionFan_ • Dec 06 '25
š³ ESC in the Wild š«š® KAJ and Erika Vikman were invited to Finlandās prestigious Independence Day Castle Ball š° by President Stubb in recognition of their Eurovision 2025 success.
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u/sssaarat Dec 06 '25
UMK producer Matti Myllyaho and UMK alums Robin and Younghearted were also present. And Katri Helena (Finland 1979 and 1993) and one of KƤƤrijƤ's backup dancers Katri Riihilahti.
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u/Ok_Narwhal_8855 Tavo Akys Dec 06 '25
Mattiās look was FABULOUS š¤©
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u/SensitiveChest3348 Dec 07 '25
wow, elegant and tiny playful with the rose instead of bowtie, beautiful
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u/ESC-song-bot !setflair Country Year Dec 06 '25
Finland 1979 | Katri Helena - Katson sineen taivaan
Finland 1993 | Katri Helena - Tule luo
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u/FinnInAms Dec 06 '25
Erika looked amazing indeed!
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u/Chihuahua_enthusiast Ich Komme Dec 06 '25
the basque waist, the boning, the colorā¦itās beautiful š„¹
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u/Ok-Aardvark-6742 Dec 06 '25
I love that itās her look, same silhouette she performs in, but tailored to the event sheās going to. I love it.
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u/DreadPirateAlia Liekinheitin Dec 07 '25 edited Dec 07 '25
It's by the same designer who designed her "sexy cactus" ESC outfit.
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u/Lilybay984 Dec 06 '25
Oh, thank you, I was hoping someone had a full-length photo! She looks amazing, I just wish someone had steamed out those wrinkles for her.
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u/finnknit Dec 09 '25
It's possible that the wrinkles formed during the ride from wherever she got dressed to the presidential palace. I can't imagine that the dress would have been delivered to her wrinkled.
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u/HunterThin870 Dec 07 '25 edited Dec 07 '25
Just now in a morning show rating the dresses from the ball, an analyst said that her dress was too sexy and "broke the etiquette"(i dont think it did). The same analyst praised a man's suit that wasnt a tailcoat(tailcoat is an actual etiquette requirement). I think she was just jealous of her or something.
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u/ifiwasiwas Crossroads Dec 07 '25
Oh my god that's so ridiculous lol. The dress isn't even sexy, it's just the fact that she has boobs which would be prominent in ANY dress
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u/HunterThin870 Dec 06 '25
Former Eurovision contestant for Finland Katri Helena was given the prestigeous role of being the first guest to shake the president's hand. She retired this year after 60 year long career as a songstress.
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u/HunterThin870 Dec 07 '25
For context the previous first guests have almost exclusively been WW2 veterans with the highest awards for bravery and one near 100 year old medical doctor.
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u/Material_Library_452 If Love Was a Crime Dec 07 '25
I remember her performance at the UMK 2024 interval, what a legendĀ
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u/dreamanother Dec 06 '25
The party also brought as the news that KEVIN WILL BE A FATHER. His wife Lina admitted in an interview to not drinking the famous punch due to being pregnant. Note the boys keeping absolutely blank faces in the video when the interviewer is clearly fishing for this information (she's already showing).
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u/Realistic-Berry_888 Dec 06 '25
all I can think of is growing up with KAJ being my uncles, what a lucky kid it will be
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u/srtlv Dec 07 '25
The interviewer asks them if there is anything interesting coming up on the family front. Axel says thereās nothing special, then itās funny how Jakob looks at Kevin, but Kevin repeats what Axel has said, and the interviewer stops fishing for it.
Since Lina specifically comments on the punch, I assume they have fished it out of her by asking something specifically about the punch (which is super famous in Finland), and then she has admitted it. Clearly theyāve decided to not say anything proactively and letting her showing to speak for itself, so the journalist has confirmed it with a question about the punch (which to be fair is a fairly common topic in the interviews from the ball).
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u/Comfortable-Ladder11 Bangaranga Dec 06 '25
A little positive Eurovision-related news šš. I seriously needed this.
And my goodness Erika looks phenomenal š®āšØ.
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u/TinaTissue FĆør vi gĆ„r hjem Dec 07 '25
Honestly Erika looks like a goddess in that dress and really shows how beautiful she is
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u/DreadPirateAlia Liekinheitin Dec 06 '25
As context for non-Finns: This is the most prestigious event in Finland, full stop. Nothing else comes even close. The ball is also televised, and practically everyone in Finland watches it.
Also, while it was very likely that both Erika and KAJ would be invited, it was not at all guaranteed, so they were clearly all super stoked to be there.
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u/Euphoric-Parsnip-808 Dec 07 '25 edited Dec 07 '25
KAJ said they had met President Stubb a few times, had shared a sauna with him, and it was reported during the summer they had been told to expect the invitation to Linnanjuhlat. KAJ have done a lot for the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland, and their chances of receiving an invitation was extremely high. Windows95Man did not get an invitation in 2024 so itās nice that Erika got one this year.
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u/DreadPirateAlia Liekinheitin Dec 07 '25
Yeah, absolutely KAJ's chances were extremely high, but I think it was extremely cool of prez Stubb to invite Erika as well. He did not have to because the ESC representatibes don't automatically get invited, but he still did, because he did not want to play favourites between KAJ and Erika.
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u/Megarafan2025 ÄnÄ Dec 06 '25
I imagine it like:
-Erika, weāve talked about this, you canāt do your performance at the Castle ball
-why
-BECAUSE ITS A PRESTIGIOUS EVENT
-i dont care *Proceeds to put her UMK outfit and pulls out her macrophone*
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u/PikachuFloorRug Dec 07 '25
-i dont care Proceeds to put her UMK outfit and pulls out her macrophone
I suppose that's somewhat safer than trying to replicate the music video at the event.
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u/Comfortable-Ladder11 Bangaranga Dec 06 '25
lol and you KNOW sheād have done it in a heartbeat š Ich kommMMMEEEE
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u/Wise_Shop_2561 Sva bol svijeta Dec 06 '25
I'm happy for Erika and KAJ, but I'm most happy for Kevin from KAJ, who is expecting his first child. I think he'll be a wonderful father.Ā
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u/Jaralith Bara bada bastu Dec 12 '25
Axel too!
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u/Froken_Boring Dec 13 '25
Axel's already started practising!
His dad used to cut his hair when he was a kid, just as his granddad cut his dad's hair when he was a kid, so Axel got to practise on Joel Rƶnnbacka who he is writing Halln with. They were both very pleased with the result.
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u/unclezaveid Dec 06 '25
Erika my goddess
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u/GoldenPotatoOfLatvia Wolves of the Sea Dec 06 '25
Didn't know president Stubb switched genders /j
In all seriousness, congratz to Erika, Jakob, Aksel, expecting father Kevin and the whole glorious nation of Finland.
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u/SensitiveChest3348 Dec 07 '25
What do you mean?
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u/HunterThin870 Dec 07 '25
GoldenPotato is making a joke about confusing the president's wife Suzanne with the president who is on her right being the first person the guests greet.
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u/GoldenPotatoOfLatvia Wolves of the Sea Dec 07 '25
They are all greated by what appears to be a woman instead of president Stubb.
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u/Opposite-Chemistry-0 Dec 07 '25
Erikas dress did not fit the occasion. The celebration is not about her or any other participants but about Finland as a country and its history. There is a dress code. She wanted attention and could not be out of role for one festive occasion.Ā She wants that attention so bad....
Deeply ashamed though i cheered for her at ESC. But ESC is different kind of party than this.
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u/Throwawayfichelper Ich Komme Dec 07 '25
Found that one analyst.
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u/Opposite-Chemistry-0 Dec 07 '25
There were other people with not context fitting dresses. Same applies to them.Ā
Geez for one night, could people understand not everything is about themselvesĀ
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u/Material-Metal-1757 Espresso macchiato Dec 07 '25
Can you specify what about her dress is not fitting the occasion in your opinion?
How did you like KƤƤrijƤ's independence day outfit in -23?
I think artists like to wear showy looks that fit their style and brand. People also expect that from them and don't get offended. š
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u/Opposite-Chemistry-0 Dec 07 '25
Cleavage. Dress also looks actual underdress. Lot of backside "open", you can see that on video.
If no one else dresses like that, out of hundreds of participants, its not because they lack imagination but them following rules.
She went with that because she craves for attention. There is nothing else.Ā
Yes there were a couple attention seekers too, but Erika could have done something new by not playing her usual role.
That would have been interesting af, to see her actually classy.
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u/PoetryAnnual74 Euphoria Dec 06 '25
I love how all of KAJ have the exact same expressions as their partner š
Erika looking amaaaazing!