‘Singed by a silver robot from 1984!’ The 11 biggest advertisers in Eurovision 2026 | Eurovision 2026

Ohh, Vienna. Production of Eurovision 2026 in Austria there have been conflicts. Five countries – including seven-time winners Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland – have boycotted the event in protest of Israel’s participation. Tuesday’s first semi-final saw chants of “Free Palestine” ring out around the Wiener Stadthalle. The word of the music competition, “Mixed with music”, is becoming more and more surprising. It’s not enough to plan the annual pop festival for the 70th anniversary.

However, the cheesy Euro-pop show must go on and Saturday night’s finale is expected to be as compelling as ever. In fact, the surprises have already begun. In fact, Boy George signed the entry for San Marino and gave the guests a voice, but failed to get through to the semi-final on Tuesday. Do you really want to hurt me? For poll watchers, it appears the answer was yes. Nul points for you, former leader of Culture Club.

A total of 150 million people are expected to tune in this weekend for a variety of international scores and visuals. We have selected 11 bangs to watch out for. good evening, Europe – good morning, Australia. From artists with silver paint to musicians on scooters, here are our favorite songs:

Norway – Ya Ya Ya by Jonas Lovv

The subject of Norwegian literature is a book Eurovision and he continues to the music, about half of which is “ya ya ya”. However this is no ordinary pop confection. Five years after the success of Måneskin, tattooed hipster Jonas Lovv is trying the stomp-rock route with a gem full of driving riffs and musical melodies. It has been compared to 00s indie hits like The Hives’ Hate to Say I Tell You So. Yes, and if you want, yes.

Finland – Liekinheitin by Linda Lampenius & Pete Parkkonen

Bookies’ favorite at the time of writing is the angsty techno-ballad Liekinheitin, which translates as “flamethrower”. Expect real pyrotechnics and peroxide-looking violinist Lampenius dressed in a Bacofoil dress and playing his 19th-century violin so that strings snap and horses fly. This is the second time a live instrument has been allowed on stage since 1998, trivia fans. They are aiming to become the second Finnish champion after metallers Lordi 20 years ago. Fun fact: I once met Lordi wearing it. Those clothes stink.

Armenia – Dove Rumba by Simon

“Paloma rumba, let’s go / Remove my number, burn the phone!” The UK See Mother No Computer He’s not the only one complaining about the 9 to 5 grind. Armenia is complaining about the bureaucratic environment, too. The lyrics to this gnarly rock song include the famous lines: “This meeting could be email / Free coffee won’t keep me here.” The scene sees Simón swinging around the sheets and heading back towards the exit. Take that, Man.

France – Look! and Monroe

Sung by the 17-year-old prodigy Monroe, this year’s youngest act, Regarde ! it is a famous history reminiscent of the modern beloved Rosalía. The last two Eurovision winners – Switzerland’s Nemo and Austria’s JJ – both had vocal performances. Can a dreadlocked warbler make a hat? His play nods to “Les Misérables and 19th century romantic comedy”. So maybe.

Australia – Eclipse by Delta Goodrem

If the name rings a bell, it’s not because Delta Goodrem sounds like a city bank or Star Wars. She is a superstar who has sold over 8m albums, survived cancer and is married to Westlife’s Brian McFadden. Australia has managed him well in his quest for a first victory, which will baffle geographers everywhere. Goodrem admits that she was inspired by Céline Dion for her bright, sun-kissed look. Scientifically implausible but like love, we think. Let’s check with Brian Cox (not that one).

Greece – Ferto by Akylas

The Greek made his first appearance in his homeland five years ago when his ukulele renditions went viral on TikTok. The bouncy dance track Ferto (meaning “bring it on”) mixes traditional instruments with Super Mario bleeps and house beats. The lyrics initially sound like fame-hungry (“I want glory, eternity and money”) before speaking poignantly to his mother, who raised him alone during Greece’s economic crisis. “I’ll make sure we’re never lost again,” Akylas vowed. Exercises include leopard print clothes, an old lady knitting, statues that come to life, video game images, a slippery antenna (not a loud voice) and Akylas riding a scooter down the street. It’s like a high school talent show.

Cyprus – Jalla and Antigoni

This year’s most viewed content on YouTube. A sign of… something maybe? North London-born Antigoni appeared on Love Island and is the daughter of TV chef Tonia Buxton (host of series such as My Greek Kitchen and My Cypriot Kitchen). The title of his song is close to Shakira and Cypriot that “too much” but the happy, fun video has gone down well with “concerns” and the people of his country, who called it “senseless” and “insulting the history of Cyprus”. Oops.

Lithuania – I Just Want More by Lion Ceccah

This man-v-machine ballad warns of the dangers of AI, urging us to leave ChatGP-free. Performed in six languages, the lyrics encourage listeners to reject the process, return to reality and reclaim our humanity. In order to reinforce this point, the Lithuanian drag artist Lion paints himself a head and a finger in silver, like a robot from 1984. Let’s hope that he does not risk death due to pore breathing, like Bond girl Shirley Eaton in Goldfinger. Nobody wants that.

Germany – Fire by Sarah Engels

Euro-stats augur well for Germany. For starters, she’s a single woman singing a pop song with love lyrics in English – which, according to seven decades of data, is the winning formula. Engels is also the most popular act on Instagram and TikTok with 2.5m followers. Cologne-born Engels’ song is infectious, Dua Lipa-like dance-pop, while backed by dancers akin to the Pussycat Dolls. We believe that “one of the fathers” is the word.

Bulgaria – Bangaranga by Dara

This comes with a reliable pop quality. After gaining fame as an X Factor finalist, Dara is a proven star with a track record of Top 10 hits. He is a two-time winner of The Voice of Bulgaria. His funky club music mixes Alanis Morissette-esque lyrics (“I’m an angel, I’m a demon, I’m emotional for no reason”) with teeth-rattling drums and raunchy dance moves. They will certainly be angry. It’s douze points from us.

Austria – Dance certificate by Cosmo

Can the host country win again and again? A former finalist on The Voice Kids, Cosmó is a 19-year-old with a frou-frou jacket and a blue Bowie star tattooed on his face. Her quirky synth-pop number Tanzschein translates to “dance license”, which appears to be an unnecessary EU document. By using a minimal cable, Cosmó encourages the footballers to stop singing, to let their inner animal out. So he will be accompanied on stage by gorillas and lions. Sadly not true, which can be a health and safety hazard. Imagine poop.