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PKN (Pertti Kurikan Nimipaivat) has been knocked out of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in the first semi-final last night.

The Finnish Punk band is the first Eurovision act to all have developmental disabilities.

They are one of six entries going home, along with Danish boyband Anti Social Media.

It is the first time Denmark has failed to get to the final since 2007.

Ten acts – Russia, Serbia, Armenia, Belgium, Greece, Estonia, Hungary, Albania, Romania and Georgia – are all through to final on Saturday, May 23, in Vienna.

Netherlands also made a surprise exit.PKN Eurovision 2015

Last year their act, The Common Linnets, came second in the contest.

Fans of PKN reacted angrily to news they had not been voted through to the final, after they ranked among early favorites with bookmakers.

Moldova, Macedonia and Belarus were also knocked out, with another 17 acts set to compete in the second semi-final on May 21.

This year, long-time Eurovision fans Australia will also go straight through as a wildcard entry, competing for the first time with their act Guy Sebastian to celebrate the song contest’s 60th anniversary.

Last year’s winner Conchita Wurst – who earned host country Austria an automatic place after storming to victory in Copenhagen – opened the semi-final with a performance of Rise Like A Phoenix, before switching to her other role hosting this year’s green room.

Votes from viewers in all 16 countries appearing in last night’s semi-final made up 50% of the acts’ total scores, with the other half supplied by professional juries.

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PKN, a Finnish punk band made up of musicians with learning disabilities, is to represent Finland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The quartet was chosen by Finnish viewers on February 28 and has now been ranked by bookmakers as among the favorites for the contest.

PKN, whose members have Down’s syndrome and autism, will perform their 85-second song Aina Mun Pitaa (I Always Have To) at the event in Vienna in May.

“Every person with a disability ought to be braver,” singer Kari Aalto said.

“He or she should themselves say what they want and do not want,” he told Finnish broadcaster YLE.PKN Finland Eurovision 2015

PKN – full name Pertti Kurikan Nimipaivat (Pertti Kurikka’s Nameday) – will also become the first punk band to compete at Eurovision.

They first got together during a charity workshop and appeared in an award-winning 2012 documentary called The Punk Syndrome.

The song deals with the frustration of the rules of daily life, like having to eat healthily and doing chores like cleaning and washing up.

“We are rebelling against society in different ways, but we are not political,” bassist Sami Helle told The Guardian.

“We are changing attitudes somewhat, a lot of people are coming to our gigs and we have a lot of fans.

“We don’t want people to vote for us to feel sorry for us, we are not that different from everybody else – just normal guys with a mental handicap.”

PKN is 5/1 to win the contest, according to Betfred, making them third favorites behind Italy and Estonia.

Heavy metal band Lordi gave Finland its only Eurovision win to date with Hard Rock Hallelujah in 2006.

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