A Finnish Eurovision singer has revealed the bizarre request that organisers made after they deemed her performance of ‘I’m Coming’ too raunchy for the competition.
Erika Vikman, 32, won Finland’s national selection in February with her song Ich Komme (I’m Coming), a pop track featuring cheeky lyrics, provocative choreography, and a bold, skin-baring outfit.
The song is performed primarily in Finnish, but the chorus is in German, with the repeated phrase Ich komme – which translates to I’m coming in English – raising eyebrows over its suggestive double meaning.
Now, ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, from May 13 to May 17, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has reportedly demanded changes to her act, requesting that she make her spicy performance less explicit.
Speaking to Finnish media, Vikman confirmed that organisers had asked her to tone down her routine, particularly calling for her to ‘cover her backside’ and adjust her movements on stage.
‘It’s not just one thing, it’s everything. My clothes, what the song is about, how I move on stage. The EBU has said it’s a bit too sexual. They want to cover my butt,’ she told Swedish newspaper, Expressen.
Her original hot-blooded performance featured a fetish-inspired black corset, revealing chaps, and a pole-dance-style routine using her microphone stand, all set to pulsating electronic beats and provocative lyrics.
Eurovision singer Erika Vikman, 32, has reportedly been requested by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to make her spicy performance less explicit
Speaking to Swedish newspaper, Expressen, she said the EBU have asked her to ‘cover her butt’
Erika Vikman, 32, won Finland’s national selection in February with her song Ich Komme (I’m Coming)
The singer explained: ‘I’m wild, I have more to give. I’m sexual on stage – and after two years of tango, I wanted to be a pop diva’.
She went on to state that people in Finland are conservative and tend to steer away from expressing themselves, leaving her feeling ‘difficult for them’ to handle at first.
‘It’s still like that, although some are starting to get used to it. Half of Finland hates me, half loves me,’ Vikman said.
Despite the controversy, Vikman played down the dispute, stating that her performance was already definitively being fine-tuned before the EBU’s intervention.
In a statement, Vikman said: ‘The show is still evolving, and I had already chosen a different costume before hearing any feedback from the EBU.’
However, since her comments the Finnish broadcaster YLE’s Eurovision Song Contest Executive Producer Anssi Autio, said the EBU did not direct Vikman to change the performance.
YLE went on to say: ‘Anssi Autio says he cannot comment on Vikman’s remarks. However, he confirms that discussions have taken place with the EBU, but no direct demands have been made.’
The debate over her act follows previous Eurovision controversies, including Malta’s Miriana Conte’s entry earlier this year.
The singer explained: ‘I’m wild, I have more to give. I’m sexual on stage – and after two years of tango, I wanted to be a pop diva’
Her original hot-blooded performance featured a fetish-inspired black corset, revealing chaps, and a pole-dance-style routine using her microphone stand
Finnish singer Erika Vikman poses at a press conference after winning the ‘Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu’ (UMK, New Music Competition) in Tampere, Finland, February 8, 2025
This entry was forced to change its song title Kant after concerns it sounded rather too similar to an English vulgarity.
The chorus sees Miriana sing ‘serving kant,’ and it’s believed to sound like a phrase used in drag culture — with the c-word — as a term of empowerment.
Speaking via video link to BBC2’s Newsnight on Friday, the star said she was ‘disappointed’ that broadcasters as ‘influential as BBC’ would raise such concerns, when it is simply a case of lost in translation and she never intended to offend.
Ofcom rules state the word ‘c**t’ cannot be used on British television before 9pm, and BBC Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills also previously said he’s not allowed to play the song due to its rude lyrics.
She said: ‘Honestly, it was a bit surprising, and those were a bit disappointing. I’ve had incredible feedback when it comes to my song.
‘Obviously, the word Kant means singing in our language. So you can imagine what power it holds. It’s unfortunate that, broadcasters influential as BBC would raise such concerns.
‘Especially considering Eurovision spirit of celebrating cultural diversity and languages. That said, we’ve made the adjustments, to ensure the focus remains on the music and the message. I believe and also my team believes that Eurovision is an opportunity and we want to make sure that nothing dissects it.’
Miriana had previously shared her disappointment at being asked to change the title of her song.
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