Road to Liverpool: Denmark

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Denmark.

Reiley

Reiley won Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, the Danish final for the Eurovision Song Contest. His song, “Breaking my heart”, was written and composed by Reiley himself with Bård Mathias Bonsaksen, Sivert Hjeltnes Hagtvet and Hilda Stenmalm.

Reiley (real name: Rani Petersen) is the first ever Faroese representant in the Eurovision Song Contest. His career started on TikTok, where he published a song in 2019 and meanwhile has over 10 million views. His first single was “Let it ring” in 2021, followed by “Superman” and an EP, “BRB, having an identity crisis”. In 2022 he also released a new single, “Blah blah blah“. Reiley worked together with K-Pop band AB6IX for the single “Moonlight”. 25 year old Riley was chosen in February to represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix

Danish entries for the Eurovision Song Contest have always been chosen through a national final with multiple artists. Already the first national final, in 1957, had the name Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. Only in 1965, Birgit Brüel was chosen internally. We saw the Olsen Brothers taking part very often, from their first Melodi Grand Prix song “San Francisco” in 1978 until their last one, “Little yellow radio” in 2005. And let’s not forget their winning song “Fly on the wings of love”, or the Danish version “Smuk som et stjerneskud“. Another one coming back year after year was Tommy Seebach. Three times he managed to win the contest. However, his “Hipp hurra – det’ min fødselsdag” became a Grand Prix classic.
Another one we will not forget to mention was a song from 1979: “Faders bøn“, sung by Rasmus Lyberth. It was the first ever song in Greenlandic in Melodi Grand Prix.

Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest

Denmark’s debut in the Eurovision Song Contest was a very remarkable one: Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler sang “Skibet skal sejle i nat”, a song about a fisherman saying goodbye to his girlfriend. The song ended with a very long kiss, especially when you know that we are talking about 1957. The first Danish win was also a duo: Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann got the trophy in 1963 with “Dansevise”. However, unsatisfied with the way the voting went, Denmark withdrew in 1967. Europe had to wait for their comeback until 1978. The country became quite successfull after this comeback, with several top-5 places. The victory came in 2000 with Olsen Brothers and “Fly on the wings of love”. A third victory was for Emmelie de Forrest and her “Only teardrops”.

Bookmakers

Currently, Denmark has a 29th place in the betting odds. The specified top-10 for the 2nd semifinal gives a 10th place, so Denmark might reach the final but will not do very well there. Is it true? Or will the TikTok viewers vote Reiley into a high place.

The song:

And of course, here is the song: 

Related news

Eurovision 2026

In the Spotlight: Søren Torpegaard Lund

Tomorrow the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Wiener Stadshalle in Vienna . 15 countries compete for a spot in the final. One of them is Denmark, represented by Søren Torpegaard Lund But who is he? Let’s give him a spotlight Danish singer and musical theatre star Søren Torpegaard Lund is quickly becoming one of the most exciting names in Scandinavian entertainment. With a background deeply rooted in theatre and a growing catalogue of heartfelt pop songs, the Danish artist combines emotional storytelling with impressive stage presence. In 2026, his journey reached a new milestone when he won Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and secured the ticket to represent Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. Early Life and Education Søren Torpegaard Lund was born on 23 December 1998 in Gudme, a small town on the Danish island of Funen. From an early age, it was clear that performing would play a major role in his life. As a teenager, he already appeared in short films, while musical theatre became his true passion. After completing secondary school, Lund decided to fully dedicate himself to the performing arts. Between 2016 and 2019, he studied at Den Danske Scenekunstskole in Fredericia, one of Denmark’s most respected performing arts academies. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in musical performance and developed the versatile style that would later define both his music and theatre career. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix Debut Lund first entered the Eurovision spotlight in 2023, when he competed in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix with the emotional ballad “Lige her”. Although the song did not qualify for the final round, his performance stood out thanks to his warm vocals and sincere delivery. Eurovision fans quickly took notice of the young performer’s theatrical charisma. Following the competition, Lund released an English version of the song, titled “In a Perfect World”, introducing his music to an international audience. Later that same year, he released “Stor Kunst”, his first original single as a songwriter. The track, created together with Tim Schou, showcased a more contemporary pop sound while still maintaining the emotional depth that characterizes his work. In 2024, Lund continued building his musical identity with releases such as “De ting, jeg hvisker” and “En dreng som mig”. The latter originated from the Danish musical Matador, in which Lund also starred on stage. In October 2024, he released his debut EP Øjesten through the Little Yellow House label. A Rising Star in Musical Theatre Alongside his recording career, Lund has become a familiar face in Danish musical theatre. Shortly after graduating, he landed roles in several major productions, including Oliver!, Grease, Dirty Dancing, Kinky Boots and Jersey Boys. One of his most notable performances came in 2022, when he played Tony in West Side Story at the Copenhagen Opera House. The role further cemented his reputation as one of Denmark’s most promising musical theatre talents. Audiences also praised his portrayal of Daniel Skjern in the successful stage adaptation of Matador. It was during this production that he performed “En dreng som mig”, a song he would later officially record and release. His work in theatre has not gone unnoticed. In 2021, Lund received the prestigious Reumert Talent Prize, honoring exceptional emerging performers in Danish theatre. He later appeared as a featured soloist during Denmark’s nationally televised Christmas celebrations and at Queen Margrethe II’s 50-year jubilee concert. Outside the theatre world, Lund has also made occasional television appearances, including a guest role in the crime drama Sommerdahl. As an openly queer artist, he has become an important voice for visibility and representation in Danish entertainment. In 2024, he received a nomination for “Artist of the Year” at the Danish Rainbow Awards. Road to Eurovision 2026 After his first Dansk Melodi Grand Prix experience, Lund openly expressed his wish to return to the competition with a song he had personally helped create. That ambition finally became reality in 2026. Competing with the upbeat pop track “Før vi går hjem” (“Before We Go Home”), Lund delivered one of the evening’s most energetic performances during the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix final on 14 February 2026. Both the jury and the televoters embraced the performance, leading him to a surprise victory over strong favourite Sissal. Denmark’s entry is massively popular and currently ranked third with the bookmakers. The question is not whether Søren will qualify for the final — the real question is: just how far can he go once he gets there?        

Read More »
Eurovision 2026
Anja Kroeze

In the Spotlight: Søren Torpegaard Lund

Tomorrow the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Wiener Stadshalle in Vienna . 15 countries compete for a spot in the final. One of them is Denmark, represented by Søren Torpegaard Lund But who is he? Let’s give him a spotlight Danish singer and musical theatre star Søren Torpegaard Lund is quickly becoming one of the most exciting names in Scandinavian entertainment. With a background deeply rooted in theatre and a growing catalogue of heartfelt pop songs, the Danish artist combines emotional storytelling with impressive stage presence. In 2026, his journey reached a new milestone when he won Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and secured the ticket to represent Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. Early Life and Education Søren Torpegaard Lund was born on 23 December 1998 in Gudme, a small town on the Danish island of Funen. From an early age, it was clear that performing would play a major role in his life. As a teenager, he already appeared in short films, while musical theatre became his true passion. After completing secondary school, Lund decided to fully dedicate himself to the performing arts. Between 2016 and 2019, he studied at Den Danske Scenekunstskole in Fredericia, one of Denmark’s most respected performing arts academies. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in musical performance and developed the versatile style that would later define both his music and theatre career. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix Debut Lund first entered the Eurovision spotlight in 2023, when he competed in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix with the emotional ballad “Lige her”. Although the song did not qualify for the final round, his performance stood out thanks to his warm vocals and sincere delivery. Eurovision fans quickly took notice of the young performer’s theatrical charisma. Following the competition, Lund released an English version of the song, titled “In a Perfect World”, introducing his music to an international audience. Later that same year, he released “Stor Kunst”, his first original single as a songwriter. The track, created together with Tim Schou, showcased a more contemporary pop sound while still maintaining the emotional depth that characterizes his work. In 2024, Lund continued building his musical identity with releases such as “De ting, jeg hvisker” and “En dreng som mig”. The latter originated from the Danish musical Matador, in which Lund also starred on stage. In October 2024, he released his debut EP Øjesten through the Little Yellow House label. A Rising Star in Musical Theatre Alongside his recording career, Lund has become a familiar face in Danish musical theatre. Shortly after graduating, he landed roles in several major productions, including Oliver!, Grease, Dirty Dancing, Kinky Boots and Jersey Boys. One of his most notable performances came in 2022, when he played Tony in West Side Story at the Copenhagen Opera House. The role further cemented his reputation as one of Denmark’s most promising musical theatre talents. Audiences also praised his portrayal of Daniel Skjern in the successful stage adaptation of Matador. It was during this production that he performed “En dreng som mig”, a song he would later officially record and release. His work in theatre has not gone unnoticed. In 2021, Lund received the prestigious Reumert Talent Prize, honoring exceptional emerging performers in Danish theatre. He later appeared as a featured soloist during Denmark’s nationally televised Christmas celebrations and at Queen Margrethe II’s 50-year jubilee concert. Outside the theatre world, Lund has also made occasional television appearances, including a guest role in the crime drama Sommerdahl. As an openly queer artist, he has become an important voice for visibility and representation in Danish entertainment. In 2024, he received a nomination for “Artist of the Year” at the Danish Rainbow Awards. Road to Eurovision 2026 After his first Dansk Melodi Grand Prix experience, Lund openly expressed his wish to return to the competition with a song he had personally helped create. That ambition finally became reality in 2026. Competing with the upbeat pop track “Før vi går hjem” (“Before We Go Home”), Lund delivered one of the evening’s most energetic performances during the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix final on 14 February 2026. Both the jury and the televoters embraced the performance, leading him to a surprise victory over strong favourite Sissal. Denmark’s entry is massively popular and currently ranked third with the bookmakers. The question is not whether Søren will qualify for the final — the real question is: just how far can he go once he gets there?        

Read More »
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