FINLAND EUROVISION 2023 - REACTING TO ‘CHA CHA CHA’ BY KÄÄRIJÄ (FIRST FULL LISTEN)
Hi guys, and welcome back to my channel! If you’re new here, my name’s Rachel and I’m a huge Eurovision fan as well as a musician.
In today’s video, I reacted to Finland’s entry for Eurovision 2023, ‘Cha Cha Cha’ by Käärijä.
Cha cha cha is a song that’s right up my street (in the words of our Cheryl Cole). I was genuinely blown away by the sheer blend of styles, instruments and genres that I honestly couldn’t care less that one chord was used in the first 1.5 minutes of the song.
What was especially good, was the use of the ‘Cha Cha Cha’ hook. It’s universally catchy, memorable, and incredibly well written into the song. The spoken shouted part, and then the melodic part at the end. Insanely good.
Winner vibes.
Initial Score: 9.5/10
Intro 00:00
Reaction 01:30
Thoughts & Comments 06:34
Outro 08:28
Please let me know what you guys think of this down below, and I’m excited to read the comments. Consider subscribing if you haven't already, and I'll see you soon. Thanks :)
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#eurovision2023 #Finland #Käärijä
I love love love this, this is what Eurovision is about for me, fun, original, in a country's native language. It stands out in a really good way. Definitely the winner for me.
Me too ❤❤
Ofcource IT IS👍👍👍👍
Glad to hear. Many finnish people have not liked it, but what they fail to understand, in my opinion, is that if Finland submits another typical semi-electronic pop song again, they have no chance of winning. Eurovision loves crazy, fun, catchy and non-typical songs. Like the idea alone, of a guy, whose whole brand is performing without a shirt, singing about drowning your misery into alcohol over a kind of rocky, but still electronic instrumental, which is somehow also connected to the chacha-dance, is something that you just can't really replicate.
What , 😂
Oh, actually your blue shirt did match Käärijäs neon green outfit and those pink outfits very, very well 😂❤❤❤😂
This is my absolute favorite 12 pina coladas from Belgium 🤩
💚
Hey, I'm from Finland. This song makes people smile and invite to dance. The Käärijä hopes that this song will bring joy to people. 🥰 That is what Europe needs now.
This song definitely brought me joy! I'm in a dark place right now, and this song is my light at the end of the tunnel. This song is the first thing that made me smile in months 😁
@@charlesalbertnisperos that's so lovely to hear that it makes you smile! Käärijä has brought a lot of joy and good energy for me too 💚 if you search youtube for Käärijä there's loads of clips of him being all goofy and charming 😊💚
@@sielukettu i have watched some of them. He actually reminds me a lot of my best friend
@@charlesalbertnisperos cool 💕 love free spirits.
It's crazy, it's party!
If this doesn't win or at least landslide the televote...I give up!
This and Austria are going to get big televotes in the semis and the final, I hope.
It's all up to you Europe 🤘
So interesting since this is one of my two least favorite songs with 4 more songs to go. I really don't like it at all.
@@freemangriffin4953 same! I find so weird that people genuinely like this...
I really hope Käärijä wins. 🔥
It's crazy, it's party. He will be an iconic winner if he wins!
My number one, I hope it manages to defeat the odds and beat Sweden and the rest!
The Arena is going to fall down with the echoes of the "Cha cha cha" like it happened in Turku. It's gonna be amazing to watch him live. The song is amazing but he elevates it even more. My current top1
I’ll be at semi final 1 so I’m actually so excited to see this one live!
How did the audience react ? From tv it seemed making good impact
mmm
Who cannot fall in love with Kaarija? He is really something special, and this is a breakout sensation that must win!
mmm
As a Finn and Brit, , I am gutted #käärijä didn't win the competition.. I don't want to take anything away from Loreen, she's an amazing singer, but I feel #käärijä and his dancers captured the spirit and inclusivity of the eurovision competition, and got everyone on their feet ! What a performance ! He's a man of the people, and won the public vote.. The UK Jury gave zero points. The UK public gave 12 points. Thank you UK 💚💚💚
Best comment!
bro loreen sounds like a dying banshee. she cannot sing and the song was one of the most outdated, boring, and absolutely horrid experience. her performance was just her standing up so there was nothing to it. sure euphoria is a okay song not good not bad but tattoo is absolutely horrible. its cool that she is the first woman to win eurovision twice but that doesn't mean she is any good
yes
Let's be honest... this is one of those songs/performances that will forever be included in compilations when explaining what's so great about Eurovision.
I watched Eurovision with my kids (who have just become teenagers) and we were all immediately captivated by Käärijä. We're Italian and don't understand a word of Finnish, as one would expect. But though we didn't understand the lyrics, at some level we understood that the song was not as shallow as would seem at first. Is it a party song? Yes, but apparently it's about Käärijä's social anxiety which by extension is also about the reserved nature of the Finnish people! Or so I gathered from an interview he did in Finnish - with subtitles! So my kids and I sat on the edge of our sofa during the final and would cheer loudly every time Käärijä got points. When Sweden won, my 13-year-old daughter threw a sofa cushion at the TV out of frustration and knocked over a house plant. 😅 It's funny how this bonkers little guy with a bowl haircut got us all so worked up: that's true charisma right there! Now my kids are Käärijä obsessed and won't stop showing me vids of him. If one entry ever exemplified the idea of "United by music", it was precisely Cha cha cha. It was nice to hear a technical explanation of why this song works so well, thank you, Rachel!
I'd say Germany had a great song for that as well
Fraud has occurred! The jury cheated!😡😡🧐
Rachel, HOW envious am I of you, getting to watch this performance live in the arena at SF1. This is one of those iconic performances that we will still be watching for years to come, no matter what the result. This is exactly what my Eurovision heart beats for.
I’m so so excited to see this live!
Oh dear this keeps putting the hugest smile on my face even though I’ve seen it about 50 times at this point😂 Your analysis was very interesting and brought this to a new level for me. Thank you!
I've been waiting for Finland to send a song in Finnish for so long and it finally happened and it is an absolute banger! The amount of love we are receiving is insane and I couldn't be happier, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I hear it all day long in my head. I love this so much. The perfect antidote for feeling depressed.
3min of pure energy. i can wait to hear whole arena singing cha cha cha
hahahha i had the same reaction, "what is this? who is this man? why am I blushing? am i in love?"
I watched the music video way too many times as well. He’s not my usual type at all so I’m hella confused 😂😂😂
@@ThePeaceAround girl same. i thought I knew what my 'type' was and he just cha cha cha'd his way into my heart. dammit.
This song has crazy energy in it, i actually love it. Manifesting Top 5 in ESC this year 😍🥳🥳🇫🇮
Still my number 1 in the Eurovision scoreboard since it was released. Love it! ❤
When a performance puts that kind of smile on someone's face, you know it's good! Loved this reaction!
I'm Estonian and this year I'm somehow not that much into our own entry but luckily I absolutey love both of our nearest neighbours' ones, Latvia and Finland ❤️. I'd like to see Finland winning the whole thing, honestly. Btw, I'm waiting for your reaction to France... It's also one of my favourites and I hope you'll love it, too.
Aijā is fantastic.
@@ristoravela652 It really is. I'm afraid they'll be undeservedly underrated (imo, it's the perfect example of a song that is literally too good for Eurovision) but I hope so much that they'll qualify though.
@@silencestation557 That semi1 is so tough... I do have some hope though, because it seems like a lot of people who like this also really love it and have it very high, and in the televotes the most important thing is to be someones favorite. I'll certainly vote for it.
@@ristoravela652 Yeah, I hope so much that people who love Aijā will vote it and thank you in advance 😊. I sadly can't vote in sf1.
Do you understand the Finnish lyrics easily as an Estonian?
If jury don't mess up, Finland can win. I love this entry. I am sure it will rock the televotes. I am not so sure about jury though :(
You basically predicted it perfectly😭
Your prediction was correct... unfortunately.
This check all boxes. Unique. Make you wanna dance. Makes you happy. The change from like rock/teq to pop is just genius, LOVE IIIIIIIT.
FUN FACT: Finland is world’s happiest country for sixt year running.😊 ❤🇫🇮
It is a winner alert! 🤩🤩 Ever since the first listen, I love everything about this song and performance! And...I haven't got tired of it so, looks promising!
I agree, this is so good. They are actually my favorites to win. I'm afraid that this is too strange a musical approach for the average Eurovision audience, but if the Maneskin won, then I hope that the Finns will succeed as well. And, of course, a big plus for singing in their language. Love from sLOVEnia.
Love this song! Also love how the dancers go from formal to crazy to infantile - those dancers are incredible!
i think cha cha cha will go down in eurovision history as one of those songs that didn't win the contest, but became more famous than the actual winner. käärijä himself will be immortalized as a eurovision legend. no disrespect to loreen, the winner this year. she's a highly talented performer and seems like a great person, and i respect her victory.
Gonna be really hard to beat, I think.. amazing energy, the audience will be screaming along :)
This is my favorite and there is nothing coming close to this. I love it!
I absolutely love the direction Finland have been heading in over the last 3 years as far as their selection of artists is concerned. They qualified for the final in both 2021 and 2022 with rock/metal bands, and even though the result wasn’t amazing in Turin, Finland has one of or if not the biggest rock/metal scenes in the world, so it’s good to see Finland playing to their strengths. As far as this song is concerned, although it isn’t metal, it still has an edgy quality & I have no doubt that it will qualify for the final. It’s catchy, the musical content is intriguing (and a song of two halves) & the choreography and the amount of charisma shown of the singer as well as the dancers is impeccable. If this doesn’t win, then I at least expect this to make top 5.
We’ve been doing this pretty much since 2006, so don’t give us too much credit 😅 especially since sending Rasmus was a huge mistake and just sososo embarrassing. We should have sent Bess with “Ram pam pam”. In conclusion, our “strengths” are also sometimes our downfall. But Käärijä is amazing! 💚
I am so happy you loved Käärijä. There is something so mesmerizing, hypnotic and charismatic about him. And the song it’s crazy it’s party. He really deserves to win this year ❤.
'I feel like I'm in love' LMAO you're me
Just wait until she finds out how cute and adorable he is. She'll be one of us then (crazy about him). 😄
i think i just saw you falling in love with him in the complete span of the video and honestly, you're not alone LOL XD
just sliding here to say you're one of the few Eurovision reactors that i respect. you actually analyze and not just react to the songs and performances. keep doing a great job! :)
Thanks so much! Means the world when you guys appreciate my analysis and review :)
I strongly recommend the latest episode of the official Eurovision podcast in which Käärijä is interviewed. He's a totally adorable person 😊
Thanks for the tip. I didn't even know that there was an official podcast. 🙂
If he’s an adorable person as well I just might die
@@ThePeaceAround he’s a super adorable person! Lots of funny stories. There’s one video where he talks about being skint and selling his moustache for €52 in a McDonald’s car park during Covid 😂
@@ThePeaceAround I love his goofy and comedic side, but when he really gets to talk to people and get serious, he comes across as an absolute sweetheart. He's also talked about his illness (ulcerative colitis) very openly hoping that it would help others. He's super lovable and sincere. There are more and more interviews with English subtitles now, worth checking out.
It's a real skill to mix so many genres together in one song.
It’s the best for me. I hope loreen hype doesn’t beat Käärijä. He deserves the win. Btw I love it when your face lights up. It makes the world a better place. You are my favourite human ⭐️
I love this song!! So funny, makes me dance, the rythm, performance and I fall in love whit Käärijä, his look😊...you are lovely too I love your comments about the songs...Lots of hugs from Fuerteventura!!🇪🇸🇮🇨❤🇫🇮🇬🇧
💚💚💚
This is my second favorite (after Spain), and I can't wait to see it in Eurovision! It will probably be the most fun entry in the entire contest. Really looking forward to your reaction of Serbia (my number 3). 💙
Same here. I had Spain as my #1 but then l heard this and now this is my #1 😊❤
Woah, we have the same top 3, but in a different order. :D Mine is 1. Serbia 2. Spain 3. Finland, but I feel like shuffling them everyday 😂 All three of them are masterpieces!
This is the best reaction video I’ve seen so far! Your analysis is beautiful.
Thank you! So kind ☺️
I loved your summary, ThePeaceAround. The song is like Firestarter by Prodigy meets Strictly. I love how they manage such memorable staging with just bits of wood, ribbon and glitter.
Been waiting for this reaction :D, so glad you love it. Love this song, it is definitely my #1 and I hope they keep the vibe and the outfit ;)
The high up keyboard melody is actually a rhythm hook - it's the "cha cha cha" part but instrumental! Basically it teaches the hook to people before they actually get to the hook! And people don't even realize they have heard the hook before.😅
Love your reaction: so cute and insightful at the same time.
So you can explain why I'm obsessed obsessed with this song? 😄 Love from 🇮🇱
I love this, too. It's not a cheap or clumsy - it's well produced, all the way thought & ambitious. Cha Cha Cha 💚🎶💃🕺💃
A great professional analysis, enjoyed listening to your comments. This song is really cool! Not flat at all!
Love your Eurovision react videos, they give me so much information and insight to songs. And I agree with you regarding Finland 😊
Nice to hear views from musicians liking the song, because a lot of people have this song more of a televote winner than being popular with jury's. Might be wrong but I think the musicians in the jury's will appreciate the surprising and risk taking structure of this song. Just because simple or repetitive sounds are being used as hooks, doesn't mean the song is as simple as it might sound at first.
I've been listening to this song on the repeat mode. I'm not a big fan of the lyrics but...who cares? I LOVE this! It really uplifts my mood. And thanks for sharing your technical point of view on it!
Thank you for reacting to Käärijä. 😊 I have been especially looking forward to your reaction, since you are the best at the musical things of all the KZheadrs. 🙂 Oh wow, and you gave him a great score too. 😃 I am so jealous of everyone that will get to see Cha Cha Cha live in Liverpool. It will be such a party.🥳
After Germany failed to send Electric Callboy, Finland went "BUCKLE UP BUCKAROOS!" And they're going for the win, you just cannot stop listening and it's not going to be forgotten by anyone. Very close second to Spain for me, but I feel like this will be even more engaging in May.
This is gonna so so well! Everyone is Liverpool will be singing along :)
@@ThePeaceAround CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHAAAA. (in comes a 1960s tea lady with a trolley) How many sugars, love? (cause, char and "cha"? I'll close the door.)
This is my winner!!
Käärijä is so iconic! ❤
It's crazy, it's party 🎉🎉😂😂 but it's also love ❤❤❤
First time I was like 'wtf it is?!' And now I like it! It's one of my fav of this year with many others bc we have again a big year with a lot of high quality.
Gotta be honest, I'm still at "wtf?!" 😅 Maybe I'm just old. 😏
@@aekelly I don't think tastes have anything to do with age. You are free not to like it. You can watch the mv with subtitles maybe you will understand the meaning and he's really funny in it😂
This entry is a spiritual descendant of Ukraine’s 2007 entry by Verka Serduchka - Dancing Lasha Tumbai.
That's Käärijä's favorite Eurovision song :)
Not agree that one was much funny and danceble, this one for me dont have the vibes of rythm as that one. Just yelling chachacha over and over again..
And fittingly, Käärijä became the new Verka, a 2nd place crowd favorite.
@@ristoravela652 💚💚💚 Cha Cha Cha
Just imagine the party in Liverpool once this is announced as the Winner! Sorry to say, but Euphoria 2.0 lacks the elements of fun and novelty, no matter how technically good it is. Hope the juries realise how much the people love this.
Agree. I was so disappointed that Loreen won, and that the juries put her first. 😞
love to see you love it haha
Probably the best analysis of this song so far, I watched it twice! 😅Thank you.
Aw thanks, means a lot!
Thanks for the insightful and deep reaction! Your voice is also pheraps the most calming any reactor has😊
Awww so sweet! Thank you :) that’s made my day
It's so appealing that at first listening you got it and want more! I am obsessed with the song and him, he is kinda crazy but I love him! :v
Cha cha cha and EA EA ....my favourite ones!!!!
I have the same favorites
I learned things watching your reaction video! Thank you.
Winner vibes ❤️🔥
Idk about insanely good but it just works very well for what genre it is.... and i wouldnt mind seeing it win. The dancers are elevating it alot
I don't know anything about music theory but this performance makes me forget all my worries for a moment and makes me smile and that's all that matters to me, this is my winner.
This was the best reaction video and analysis I've seen of this song. Most "reaction" videos don't even have a lot of "reacting" going on.
Lovely reaction, thank you! ❤ My favourites here are the DANCERS and the repeating "EI!" (engl. "NO!") on the backbeat just after Cha Cha -Chant. The dancers are so expressive. The "EI!" is so dominant, a real statement and takes the focus right back to the lead singer. Otherwise the lyrics are quite witty, really compressed and must sound to a non-native speaker like a machine gun. I guess its a designed effect. 😊
Måneskin's win in 2021 brought so much joy because it wasn't an obvious win for Eurovision and was a show of pure talent, charisma and uniting people by music. The song was in Italian (again, not a concession to Eurovision), which was a plus. Käärijä was 2023's EQUIVALENT of Måneskin in terms of specialness, in terms of really standing out, being out of this world charismatic and unique and would have brought exactly the same amount of joy as 2021. Käärijä would have been a win for the heart, whereas Loreen was a win for the brain. It just isn't the same... it doesn't give you the same joy. Maybe we need to ask ourselves what the point of Eurovision really is. With this I am not meaning to diss Loreen, for whom I have a deep respect.
if you listen this when volume is like 100...it forces your head to bash in the rhythm :D lol
I think its so cool and competitive Spain sweden finland the best this year One of them will win.
This performance is so amazing and unique. I feel like I'm in love too
This have "winner" vibes all over it. And to think that the entire song is about someone getting so drunk that they collapse is icing on the cake.
I love how you analyze songs that I really like! Miles ahead from different reactors!
Thank you Rachel again for reaction and analysis. You are the best ❤. We are very hyped in Finland for Cha Cha Cha and Käärijä, who is such a nice, funny and sweet character.
I always admire and love your intelligent insights. You're analysis of songs is on point and honest. Great review. I too love this. I get rap/techno/rock metal that eases into this europop sound seamlessly whilst still feeling like a natural progression. My fav this year. Congrats BTW on reaching 16k subscribers. Well deserved x
Thank you!!!
Nice to hear some musical analysis!
Winner alert in my opinion
For me the best this year🇫🇮♥️
Fun little wordplay in the live performance: those pallets they have on the stage? They are euro-pallets. A pallet in Finnish is called a lava, so those are specifically called eurolava. Lava also means stage, so "eurolava" can either mean euro-pallets or the euro(vision) stage. Already at UMK they are dancing on the euro stage!
like you as a person, such likable and 'easy to watch' :) thanks for this reaction video! :) And yeah, song is so.. you cannot undance it! :D simply cannot start moving along with song :D
Just love watching these eccentric reaction videos. Cha cha cha : it’s fun, it’s crazy, it’s party, it’s hypnotic, let’s forget about tomorrow and stay in our Käärijäbubble ❤❤❤❤❤
Hienosti analysoitu. Olen täysin samaa mieltä, tämä on todella hyvä ja monipuolinen biisi 🤗
Cha cha chaaaa 🎉❤😊💥💃🔥👍🏻🇫🇮
It’s the winner. The end. 😂🎉
Wow, your perception and analysis were GREAT! Awesome music theory points of view. Subbed!
Thank you!!
Hello you, I´m Pekka from Finland. I am a House music person but this track just gets to me!!! I so wish that Finland would win this years competition!
The character is shy and suffers from toxic masculinity. He drinks pina coladas and feels liberated on the dance floor dancing and partying like crazy. Käärijä 💚💚
Social anxiety, not toxic masculinity 🙂
I LOVE this! So relatable :)
I freaking fell love in YOU, the musical analysis, ability to articulate your feelings, and at the same time actually live the moment: those subtle emotions on your face (sorry not a native speaker, but try to understand the meaning of mine)
🥰
love it!!
I really think the dancers need some cred too. And Käärijä's tounge play :P
One reactor called it tongue-ography 🫠
Enjoyed your reaction😁🤗thanks a lot! Smile on your face the whole time😄 same with me!👍🤘😂
Thank you, hope we win.
Best review I've watched so far, thank you!
If this doesn't win, then I would be shocked.
Just subscribed to you 🥰 I am also a big Eurovision Enthusiast 🎉 i have partecipated and written Songs for the Eurovision pre-selection for Svizzerland 3 years in a row, so the ESC is always a big Part of me. I think he will win this Eurovision, closed followed by Loreen. Cha Cha Cha has everything it needs to physically and mentally move people, even If you don't know the language. Everything you Said ist perfectly right and we both Share the Same taste of music i see😊 well done and thanks for this Video. Cheers from Germany
Thanks for a nice review and reaction, pretty lady! Was interesting to hear this kind of analysis from that song.
Every song in UMK was decent and Finland are definitely taking the contest seriously. This has a minimum of 200 points from the public in the final written all over it. The juries may be more wary but in a year in which Sweden may win comfortably, Finland may push them hard, who knows?
So joyful - possibly my fave, but there is a high standard this year...
You did such a good musical breakdown, and got the energy and fun part of the song too.