The Rasmus follow up Eurovision performance with new single, ‘Rise’

Following on from their appearance at Eurovision last month, The Rasmus have shared a new single, ‘Rise’ – check it out below.

• READ MORE: Ukrainian Eurovision entry Kalush Orchestra: “This is the highest responsibility possible”

Speaking about the new song, vocalist Lauri Ylönen said: ”COVID was the last straw for many people having mental health issues, including myself. In the music video the dancers playing ‘the roots’ represent the evil force and they are trying to pull us down underground.

“Still, the song has a positive message, which is not to give up no matter how hard life treats you.”

Like their Eurovision entry ‘Jezebel’, the song was again co-written and produced by songwriter Desmond Child (KISS, Aerosmith). It’s also the title track of their upcoming album, which arrives on September 23 via Playground Music.

Check out the new song here:

The band represented Finland at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest after winning a televised competition in February. 

The band won that contest in a landslide victory with their song ‘Jezebel’ after it was announced back in January that the band were hoping to represent their country at the ceremony.

Speaking after winning Finland’s selection process event – Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) – Ylönen said: “We did it! We are so happy. It was a super tough competition, all the other songs were very good.

“We were preparing so hard for this for six months. We are really taken and honoured and we will be working like pigs to represent Finland in the best way in Turin.”

The competition went on to be won by Ukraine overall, with the UK following in second place. 

Next year’s Eurovision Song Contest now looks set to be hosted in the UK after organisers ruled that Ukraine are not able to host the event.

Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won this year’s event with a massive 631 points and as is tradition with the competition, it was set to be staged there in 2023.

But the event’s organisers have now said “with deep regret” that it will not be possible to provide the security and operational guarantees required to host the contest in Ukraine.

The organisers went to say they will now begin discussions with the BBC, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision song contest in the United Kingdom after Sam Ryder came second in the competition.

They added: “In accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now begin discussions with the BBC, as this year’s runner-up, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision song contest in the United Kingdom. It is our full intention that Ukraine’s win will be reflected in next year’s shows. This will be a priority for us in our discussions with the eventual hosts.”

The competition was last held in Britain in 1998 after after the UK won with Katrina And The Waves’ ‘Love Shine A Light’.

The BBC has since responded to the findings by the EBU. “We have seen the announcement from the EBU. Clearly these aren’t a set of circumstances that anyone would want. Following their decision, we will of course discuss the BBC hosting the Eurovision Song Contest.”