Cha Cha Cha

Finnish rapper, singer, and songwriter Käärijä placed second in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. After a tense showdown in the voting stages, which temporarily saw Finland shoot to the top of the leaderboard, it was bookies’ favourite Loreen who ultimately clinched the win a second time for Sweden . Loreen previously triumphed in the 2012 competition with her hit song “Euphoria”. It is unlikely that viewers will forget Käärijä anytime soon, however, with the Finnish star turning in one of the most memorable moments of the evening – which also featured a royal cameo from Kate Middleton. Käärijä’s wacky rendition of his song “Cha Cha Cha” – performed with a cohort of dancers dressed in pink – won over fans, earning Finland an extraordinary 376 points in the public vote. Käärijä – real name Jere Pöyhönen – has been making music since 2014 and gained more fans following the release of his debut album Fantastita in 2020. (Beware of lookalikes; the BBC awkwardly mistook a Eurovision superfan for the Finnish singer .) His Eurovision entry – titled “Cha Cha Cha” – is characteristic of his genre-defying approach, fusing rap, electronic music, metal and schlager. A celebration of delicious pina coladas and refreshing pints, the track is a surefire party anthem. “Cha Cha Cha” was written together with his two friends, multi-platinum-selling producer and songwriter Johannes “Kiro” Naukkarinen, and producer Aleksi Nurmi. If you’re interested in what the Finnish lyrics mean in English, you can check out both the original lyrics and their English translation (courtesy of the official Eurovision website ) below.