Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1994

{{Short description|none}} {{more citations needed|date=April 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox song contest national year | Year = 1994 | Broadcaster = {{lang|fi|Yleisradio|i=no}} (Yle) | Country = Finland | Selection process = {{lang|fi|Euroviisut}} ''1994'' | Selection date = 5 March 1994 | Song = Bye Bye Baby | Artist = {{ill|CatCat|fi}} | Writer = {{ubl|Kari Salli|Markku Lentonen}} | Final result = 22nd, 11 points | Next = 1996 }}

Finland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 with the song "Bye Bye Baby", written by Kari Salli and Markku Lentonen, and performed by the duo {{ill|CatCat|fi}}. The Finnish participating broadcaster, {{lang|fi|Yleisradio|i=no}} (Yle), organised the national final {{lang|fi|Euroviisut}} ''1994'' in order to select its entry for the contest. Ten entries were selected to compete in the national final on 5 March 1994 where votes from the public selected "Bye Bye Baby" performed by CatCat as the winner with 25,834 votes.

Finland competed in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 30 April 1994. Performing during the show in position 2, Finland placed twenty-second out of the 25 participating countries, scoring 11 points.

== Background == {{main|Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest}} Prior to the 1994 contest, {{lang|fi|Yleisradio|i=no}} (Yle) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Finland thirty-two times since its first entry in 1961. Its best result in the contest achieved in {{esccnty|Finland|y=1973|t=1973}} where the song "Tom Tom Tom" performed by Marion Rung placed sixth.<ref>{{cite web |title=Finland – Participation history |url=https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/countries/finland |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=10 May 2026}}</ref>

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, Yle organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster has been selected its entries through national final competitions that have varied in format over the years. Since 1961, a selection show that was often titled {{lang|fi|Euroviisukarsinta}} highlighted that the purpose of the program was to select a song for Eurovision. The broadcaster selected its entry for the 1994 contest again through the {{lang|fi|Euroviisut}} selection show.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2002-10-27 |title=Suomen Euroviisut - 1994 Bye Bye |url=http://www.yle.fi/euroviisut/suomen.php?1994 |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=yle.fi |language=fi |archive-date=27 October 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021027110746/http://www.yle.fi/euroviisut/suomen.php?1994 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Before Eurovision== === {{lang|fi|Euroviisut}} ''1994'' === {{lang|fi|Euroviisut}} ''1994'' was the national final that selected the Finnish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1994. The competition consisted of a final on 5 March 1994, held at the Tampere Hall in Tampere and hosted by Jukka Laaksonen, {{ill|Juha Laitila|fi}} and {{ill|Joonas Myllyveräjä|fi}}. Ten entries selected for the competition from 470 submissions received during a submission period as well as from composers and music publishers directly invited by Yle competed and "Bye Bye Baby" performed by CatCat was selected as the winner based on the results from a public vote, which were revealed by Finland's five telephone regions along with the votes of the venue audience. 119,322 votes were cast during the show, which was broadcast on Yle TV1 and watched by 1.17 million viewers in Finland. During the voting, it was discovered that the votes were incorrectly announced but were shortly amended following the competition.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Murtomäki |first=Asko |title=Finland 12 points! Suomen Euroviisut |date=2007 |publisher=Teos |location=Helsinki, Finland |isbn=978-951-851-106-2 |language=fi |pages=174–175, 177}}</ref>

In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the interval acts featured Plavka performing "Contagious", Jam and Spoon featuring Plavka performing "Right in the Night", and Kaija Koo performing "Kylmä ilman sua" and "Tule lähemmäs Beibi".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://areena.yle.fi/1-4042968|title=Euroviisut 1994 Suomen karsinta|publisher=Yle Areena|access-date=28 July 2025|language=Finnish}}</ref>

{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center" |+ Final – 5 March 1994<ref name=":0" /> |- ! {{Abbr|R/O|Running order}} ! Artist ! Song ! Songwriter(s) ! class="unsortable" | Televote ! Place |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1 | align="left" | {{ill|Tarja Lunnas|fi}} | align="left" | "Kuka tykkää suukoista" | align="left" | Jari Holm, Seppo Matintalo, {{ill|Veikko Juntunen|fi}} | 13,857 | 4 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2 | align="left" | {{ill|Dario (singer)|lt=Dario|fi|Dario}} | align="left" | "Ateljee" | align="left" | Darius Witkowski, Timo Puheloinen | 6,567 | 9 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 3 | align="left" | Sari Sakki | align="left" | "Jäisit mun luo" | align="left" | Esa Rimpiläinen | 6,809 | 8 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 4 | align="left" | Indiana | align="left" | "Hän lähtee tänään" | align="left" | {{ill|Liisa Akimof|fi}} | 7,738 | 6 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 5 | align="left" | {{ill|Rio (Finnish band)|lt=Rio|fi|Rio (suomalainen yhtye)}} | align="left" | "Rakkauden tiellä" | align="left" | {{ill|Make Tommila|lt=Markku Tommila|fi}}, {{ill|Hannu Perälä|fi}}, Timo Niemi | 13,633 | 5 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 6 | align="left" | Janita | align="left" | "Enkeli" | align="left" | Tomi Ervi | 14,646 | 3 |- style="font-weight:bold; background:gold;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 7 | align="left" | {{ill|CatCat|fi}} | align="left" | "Bye Bye Baby" | align="left" | Kari Salli, Markku Lentonen |25,834 |1 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 8 | align="left" | {{ill|Susanne Sonntag|fi}} | align="left" | "En dans på livets vågor" | align="left" | {{ill|Kari Kuusamo|fi}}, Susanne Sonntag | 17,348 | 2 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 9 | align="left" | {{ill|Tauski Peltonen|lt=Tauski|fi}} | align="left" | "Seitsemänteen taivaaseen" | align="left" | Tauski Peltonen | 6,009 | 10 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 10 | align="left" | Marina Sigfrids | align="left" | "Lyft mig upp" | align="left" | Clas Holm | 7,445 | 7 |}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;" |+ Detailed Voting Results<ref>{{cite book |last=Murtomäki |first=Asko |title=Finland 12 points! Suomen Euroviisut |date=2007 |publisher=Teos |location=Helsinki, Finland |isbn=978-951-851-106-2 |language=fi |pages=177}}</ref> ! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|R/O|Running order}} ! rowspan="2" | Song ! rowspan="2" | Audience ! colspan="5" | Televoting Regions ! rowspan="2" | Total |- ! Northern<br />Finland ! Eastern<br />Finland ! Central<br />Finland ! Southwestern<br />Finland ! Southern<br />Finland |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1 | align="left" | "Kuka tykkää suukoista" | 63 || 3,281 || 1,497 || 1,930 || 1,675 || 5,411 | 13,857 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2 | align="left" | "Ateljee" | 23 || 501 || 1,686 || 481 || 304 || 3,572 | 6,567 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 3 | align="left" | "Jäisit mun luo" | 80 || 398 || 1,730 || 526 || 275 || 3,800 | 6,809 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 4 | align="left" | "Hän lähtee tänään" | '''213''' || 522 || 260 || 1,023 || 538 || 5,182 | 7,738 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 5 | align="left" | "Rakkauden tiellä" | 112 || 2,180 || 1,452 || 2,019 || 2,537 || 5,333 | 13,633 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 6 | align="left" | "Enkeli" | 45 || 2,621 || 2,010 || 2,223 || 1,328 || 6,419 | 14,646 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 7 | align="left" | "Bye Bye Baby" | 140 || '''7,885''' || '''3,697''' || '''4,026''' || '''3,343''' || 6,743 | '''25,834''' |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 8 | align="left" | "En dans på livets vågor" | 76 || 3,054 || 2,368 || 2,649 || 2,374 || '''6,917''' | 17,438 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 9 | align="left" | "Seitsemänteen taivaaseen" | 12 || 583 || 486 || 670 || 588 || 3,670 | 6,009 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 10 | align="left" | "Lyft mig upp" | 29 || 1,213 || 508 || 575 || 541 || 4,579 | 7,445 |}

==At Eurovision== According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the bottom six countries in the {{escyr|1993||1993 contest}} competed in the final on 30 April 1994.<ref name="ESC1994">{{cite web |title=Dublin 1994 – Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102092740/https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994 |archive-date=2 November 2022 |access-date=8 November 2022 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}</ref> Following the allocation draw which determined the running order, Finland was set to perform in position 2, following the entry from {{esccnty|Sweden|y=1994}} and before the entry from {{esccnty|Ireland|y=1994}}. CatCat was accompanied by James Black and Charles Salter as dancers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Murtomäki |first=Asko |title=Finland 12 points! Suomen Euroviisut |date=2007 |publisher=Teos |location=Helsinki, Finland |isbn=978-951-851-106-2 |language=fi |pages=176–177}}</ref> The Finnish conductor at the contest was Olli Ahvenlahti, and Finland finished in twenty-second place with 11 points.<ref>{{cite web |title=Final of Dublin 1994 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994/final |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417121756/https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994/final |archive-date=17 April 2021 |access-date=17 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}</ref>

The show was televised in Finland on Yle TV1 with commentary by Erkki Pohjanheimo and Kirsi-Maria Niemi.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 April 1994 |title=Televisio & Radio |language=fi |pages=D11–D12 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |url=https://nakoislehti.hs.fi/54822c5e-a702-4008-b8d5-359c830ff348/48 |access-date=4 November 2022}} {{subscription required}}</ref> Yle appointed Solveig Herlin as its spokesperson to announce the Finnish votes during the final.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

=== Voting === Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Finland and awarded by Finland in the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Hungary.<ref name="scoreboard2">{{cite web |title=Eurovision Song Contest 1994 – Scoreboard |url=https://eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=309#Scoreboard |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043416/http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=309#Scoreboard |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=25 October 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}</ref>{{col-begin}} {{col-2}} {| class="wikitable" |- |+ Points awarded to Finland<ref name="1994detailed">{{cite web |title=Results of the Final of Dublin 1994 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994/final/results/finland |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417123611/https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994/final/results/finland |archive-date=17 April 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! scope="col" width="20%" | Score ! scope="col" | Country |- ! scope="row" | 12 points | |- ! scope="row" | 10 points | {{Esc|Greece|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 8 points | |- ! scope="row" | 7 points | |- ! scope="row" | 6 points | |- ! scope="row" | 5 points | |- ! scope="row" | 4 points | |- ! scope="row" | 3 points | |- ! scope="row" | 2 points | |- ! scope="row" | 1 point | {{Esc|Bosnia and Herzegovina|1992|y=1994}} |} {{col-2}} {| class="wikitable" |- |+ Points awarded by Finland<ref name="1994detailed" /> |- ! scope="col" width="20%" | Score ! scope="col" | Country |- ! scope="row" style="background:gold" | 12 points | {{Esc|Hungary|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" style="background:silver" | 10 points | {{Esc|Cyprus|1960|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" style="background:#CC9966" | 8 points | {{Esc|Poland|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 7 points | {{Esc|Ireland|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 6 points | {{Esc|Malta|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 5 points | {{Esc|Portugal|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 4 points | {{Esc|Greece|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 3 points | {{Esc|Germany|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 2 points | {{Esc|Bosnia and Herzegovina|1992|y=1994}} |- ! scope="row" | 1 point | {{Esc|Iceland|y=1994}} |} {{col-end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest}} {{Eurovision Song Contest 1994}}

1994 Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 Eurovision Eurovision