A Finnish sauna transported from Tampere is open to visitors at Vienna's Prater amusement park during the Eurovision Song Contest. Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen pose for curious fans and give interviews with journalists from all over Europe.
We are enjoying this moment because tomorrow it could all be over. We are grateful for the pressure that comes with being the favourites; it motivates us to do our best, says Pete Parkkonen.
"Not planning to compete"
Ever since Käärijä was snubbed for the win by Loreen in Liverpool 2023, the Finns have been waiting for a win and now it could be within reach - thanks to Linda Lampenius.
It's actually because I was an intermediate act in UMK (Finnish Melodifestivalen, editor's note) last year that we're here now. I hadn't planned on competing myself, but I was offered a record deal afterwards and was completely free to choose the song and duet partner.
Lampenius herself has lived in Sweden since 2002. So the task was difficult, she says.
I didn't know much about the Finnish pop scene because I'd lived abroad for so long and everyone was so young these days. I found Pete on Spotify and thought he would be a good fit. He's a fantastic singer.
"Liekinheitin" means flamethrower in Finnish and the lyrics are about a relationship in decline. Lampenius' violin playing is meant to symbolize one side of a dialogue - which is carried out between the song and the music.
When I was asked to come to the studio and meet Linda, I said yes straight away. I've never dreamed of singing in Eurovision; it's just because of the song. Then it turned out that I also knew the producer, says Pete Parkkonen.
Ruined career
In a notable interview in Dagens Nyheter, Linda Lampenius has told how a Finnish equivalent of Jeffrey Epstein ruined her career. She did not play in Finland for 20 years after being exposed to his methods.
In Finland, everyone knows about the whole thing and the Finnish media has even publicly apologized for how they treated me. In a way, I see this as revenge against the man who ruined my life.
The duo also takes the opportunity to praise Sweden's contribution before heading to their next interview.
Fantastic. It's really my kind of music, says Pete Parkkonen.
Linda Lampenius fills in:
Felicia is a wonderful girl too.
Facts: "Liekinheitin"
Finland's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The title, "Liekinheitin", means flamethrower, and combines pop rock with classical influences.
The song was written by Jonas Olsson and Aleksi Liski together with Lampenius and Parkkonen. On the Finnish singles chart, "Liekinheitin" went straight up to first place and it has been one of the year's most talked about Eurovision entries.
The entry won the UMK final with 570 points, which is one of the highest points totals in the program's history.
Linda Lampenius plays the violin live on stage - and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has given special permission for this, as it has been banned in the competition since 1998.
Linda Lampenius, born in 1970, is internationally known as a violinist and has worked in both classical music and pop, while Pete Parkkonen, born in 1990, broke through on Finnish "Idol" in 2008 and is an established artist in his home country.
