Softengine

Softengine, an alternative rock quintet, came together in 2011 within the Finnish city of Seinäjoki. Their rapid ascent began when they earned the right to represent Finland at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest. Frontman and principal songwriter Topi Larukka gathered his bandmates—Ossi Mäkelä, Eero Keskinen, Henri Oskár, and Tuomo Alarinta—at his grandparents’ cottage, where the group started crafting original material. Following a series of regional performances and competition victories, they produced a demo that was entered into Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, Finland’s national selection process for Eurovision. Their entry “Something Better” carried them through the televised finals, securing victory and the opportunity to perform at the contest in Copenhagen. Sony Music signed the band amid this process. After placing eleventh overall, the group issued “Something Better” as a single that reached the charts in the United Kingdom and Germany while peaking at number two in Finland.