Weekly Update

Participation Updates: Iceland, Poland & Netherlands

🇮🇸 Iceland: RÚV (Iceland’s broadcaster) has confirmed its Eurovision 2026 participation. The broadcaster opened song submissions for Söngvakeppnin 2026, the national selection. The 2026 edition will mark 40 years of Iceland in the contest, and artists can send entries until September 23. Iceland’s 2025 act Væb reached the final in Basel, and the country is now aiming to build on that success in Vienna. source: eurovoix.com

📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming

🇵🇱 Poland: TVP is likely to announce its decision on participating in Eurovision 2026 by mid-September. The head of the Polish delegation confirmed the plan, emphasizing that Poland will make its statement within the deadline required by the EBU. While no official confirmation has been issued yet, all signs indicate Poland does intend to compete in Vienna. source: escspot.pl

📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming

🇳🇱 The Netherlands: Broadcaster AVROTROS has so far given “no comment” on the Netherlands’ Eurovision 2026 participation status. The Dutch broadcaster says it is in ongoing talks with the EBU and other countries about “geopolitical influences” on the contest. As long as these discussions continue, AVROTROS is withholding any further details – leaving the Netherlands’ Eurovision plans uncertain for now. source: rtl.nl

📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

Song Submission Windows: Albania Opens, Norway Closes

🇦🇱 Albania: The search is on for Albania’s next Eurovision entry. RTSH opened the song submission window for Festivali i Këngës 64 on September 1. Artists and composers have until September 30 to send in their songs (via email) for the long-running festival, which is expected to once again select Albania’s representative. FiK has been Albania’s Eurovision selection method since the country’s debut, and this year’s edition will likely be held in December. source: eurovoix.com

📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

🇳🇴 Norway: In Norway the submission period for Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) 2026 has just closed. September 1 was the last day for artists and songwriters to submit entries to NRK’s national selection. The song window opened back on June 20, and with it now shut, NRK will sift through the entries and is set to announce further MGP details later in the autumn. Norway will choose its Eurovision act in early 2026 through the MGP shows. source: eurovoix.com

📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming

🇦🇹 Host City Preparations: Vienna 2026

Vienna: As host city, Vienna is considering special measures to accommodate the influx of Eurovision fans next May. Deputy Mayor Bettina Emmerling has proposed a temporary suspension of the usual Sunday and holiday store closures during the week of Eurovision 2026. With one show falling on Ascension Day (Thursday, May 14) and the Grand Final weekend including Sunday, Emmerling argues that allowing shops to open on those days would help the city maximize economic benefits from the event. The idea – last implemented during Euro 2008 – would require discussions with labor unions and business groups before it can be approved. City officials are weighing the plan to ensure visitors can enjoy Vienna (and shop) throughout the contest week. source: vienna.at

📷 Needpix.com

Wiener Stadthalle: Meanwhile, Vienna’s Eurovision venue is ramping up preparations. A job listing has been published. ORF is seeking an Event Manager for the Wiener Stadthalle, specifically to support the organization of Eurovision 2026. The new hire will work on contest-related event logistics alongside the venue’s management team. Applications for this role are open until September 30. This recruitment drive underlines that planning is in full swing to deliver a spectacular 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next May. source: wienholding.at

📷 Wikimedia Commons

Israel’s 2026 participation speculation

Israel’s potential Eurovision 2026 participation is the subject of fresh speculation this week after the EBU released an Instagram reel addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In the post, the EBU acknowledged severe conditions in Gaza and placed direct responsibility on Israeli government policy. A notable public stance that quickly caught fans’ attention. Eurovision news outlets report that discussion is growing about a possible temporary ban or suspension of Israel from the contest as a result. The EBU had previously ruled out excluding any country. However, Israel’s status for 2026 now appears to be under increased scrutiny, with officials saying participation remains “under review” amid the evolving situation source: eurovisionfun.com.

Stay tuned for more Eurovision updates next week. The road to Vienna 2026 is just beginning. New developments are coming fast. We’ll keep you informed on all the Eurovision news as the season unfolds!

Martijn

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Blast from the past

Blast from the past: Slovenia 1997

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today, we go back to 1997, when Tanja Ribič represented Slovenia with her song “Zbudi se”. Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest Slovenia has competed in Eurovision since 1993, representing RTV Slovenija after the Yugoslav era. Its best results are two seventh places: Darja Švajger in 1995 and Nuša Derenda in 2001. Recent years illustrate range and ambition: LPS with “Disko” (2022), Joker Out with “Carpe Diem” qualifying for the 2023 final, and Raiven’s opera-pop “Veronika” placing 23rd in 2024. In 2025, Klemen won EMA with “How Much Time Do We Have Left” and finished 13th in Semi-Final 1, so Slovenia missed the final. EMA 1997 Evrovizijska Melodija, mostly shortened as EMA, was and is the Slovenian national selection. In 1997, it was held in RTVSLO Studio 1 in Ljubljana. Mojca Mavec hosted the show on 22 February. No less than 13 songs competed. “Nekdo“, sung by Natalija Verboten, 265 pts, 12th “Zaradi nje“, sung by Dominik Kozarič, 650 pts, 9th “Zbudi se“, sung by Tanja Ribič, 4,493 pts, 1st “Veter z juga“, sung by Tinkara Kovac, 574 pts, 10th “Kadar boš ob njej zaspal“, sung by Irena Vrčkovnik, 1,010 pts, 7th “Daljave“, sung by Melita & Klarisa, 512 pts, 11th “Le en poljub“, sung by Grom, 895 pts, 8th “Prosim ostani“, sung by Napoleon, 1,794 pts, 5th “Korak v dežju“, sung by Katrina, 213 pts, 13nd “Jagode in čokolada“, sung by Rok ‘n’ Band, 2,226 pts, 3rd “Vsakdanji čudež“, sung by Darja Švajger, 4,076 pts, 2nd “Ti in jaz“, Vili Resnik, 1,521 pts, 6th “Objemi me nežno“, M4M, 2,047 pts, 4th No former Eurovision participants took part this year. However, no less than three artists would get to the Eurovision stage on later occasions: Tinkara Kovac, Darja Švajger and Vili Resnik. Tanja Ribič Tanja Ribič (born 28 June 1968) is a Slovenian actress and singer whose career spans theatre, film and television. She studied acting at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) in Ljubljana; she enrolled in 1987 and joined the Ljubljana City Theatre (MGL) in 1992, where she has remained a long‑standing member. On television, she became widely known to Slovenian audiences through the sitcom Naša mala klinika. On film, she appeared in regional and domestic productions, among them Kajmak i marmelada (2003) and Traktor, ljubezen in Rock’n’Roll (2008). Her stage and screen work shows a mix of comedy and drama, and she has also performed music alongside acting. Ribič reached an international audience in 1997, when she represented Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin with the song “Zbudi se”. She finished tenth with 60 points, a result that consolidated her visibility beyond the theatre. After Eurovision, she continued to work across media, taking roles in television series and films while returning regularly to the MGL ensemble. Later film work includes the comedy‑horror Prekletstvo Valburge (2019) and a role in the 2024 feature Tartinijev ključ. Ribič married Bosnian actor and director Branko Đurić in 2000, and the couple has occasionally collaborated professionally; they have two children. She continues to appear on stage and screen in Slovenia. Zbudi se “Zbudi se” (“Wake Up”) was Slovenia’s Eurovision 1997 entry, performed by Tanja Ribič. It placed 10th with 60 points in Dublin. The song is a gentle Slovene-language pop ballad from the live-orchestra era, built on piano and strings with a mid-tempo lift and a lilting chorus. Its lyric is an invitation to awaken and embrace love, giving the performance a warm, romantic tone rather than showy drama. The arrangement leaves space for Ribič’s voice and backing vocals to blend, creating an accessible, radio-friendly sound. An English version, “Waken Now,” later circulated, but the original “Zbudi se” remains the standard version. Share

August 31, 2025 No Comments

Eurovision 2026

Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly update on Eurovision! Broadcasters across Europe continue to firm up their plans for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. There are new participation developments and national selection news emerging. Vienna itself is gearing up to host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest 2026, as city officials begin preparations. Here are this week’s top stories: Participation Updates: Iceland, Poland & Netherlands 🇮🇸 Iceland: RÚV (Iceland’s broadcaster) has confirmed its Eurovision 2026 participation. The broadcaster opened song submissions for Söngvakeppnin 2026, the national selection. The 2026 edition will mark 40 years of Iceland in the contest, and artists can send entries until September 23. Iceland’s 2025 act Væb reached the final in Basel, and the country is now aiming to build on that success in Vienna. source: eurovoix.com 📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming 🇵🇱 Poland: TVP is likely to announce its decision on participating in Eurovision 2026 by mid-September. The head of the Polish delegation confirmed the plan, emphasizing that Poland will make its statement within the deadline required by the EBU. While no official confirmation has been issued yet, all signs indicate Poland does intend to compete in Vienna. source: escspot.pl 📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming 🇳🇱 The Netherlands: Broadcaster AVROTROS has so far given “no comment” on the Netherlands’ Eurovision 2026 participation status. The Dutch broadcaster says it is in ongoing talks with the EBU and other countries about “geopolitical influences” on the contest. As long as these discussions continue, AVROTROS is withholding any further details – leaving the Netherlands’ Eurovision plans uncertain for now. source: rtl.nl 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Song Submission Windows: Albania Opens, Norway Closes 🇦🇱 Albania: The search is on for Albania’s next Eurovision entry. RTSH opened the song submission window for Festivali i Këngës 64 on September 1. Artists and composers have until September 30 to send in their songs (via email) for the long-running festival, which is expected to once again select Albania’s representative. FiK has been Albania’s Eurovision selection method since the country’s debut, and this year’s edition will likely be held in December. source: eurovoix.com 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett 🇳🇴 Norway: In Norway the submission period for Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) 2026 has just closed. September 1 was the last day for artists and songwriters to submit entries to NRK’s national selection. The song window opened back on June 20, and with it now shut, NRK will sift through the entries and is set to announce further MGP details later in the autumn. Norway will choose its Eurovision act in early 2026 through the MGP shows. source: eurovoix.com 📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming 🇦🇹 Host City Preparations: Vienna 2026 Vienna: As host city, Vienna is considering special measures to accommodate the influx of Eurovision fans next May. Deputy Mayor Bettina Emmerling has proposed a temporary suspension of the usual Sunday and holiday store closures during the week of Eurovision 2026. With one show falling on Ascension Day (Thursday, May 14) and the Grand Final weekend including Sunday, Emmerling argues that allowing shops to open on those days would help the city maximize economic benefits from the event. The idea – last implemented during Euro 2008 – would require discussions with labor unions and business groups before it can be approved. City officials are weighing the plan to ensure visitors can enjoy Vienna (and shop) throughout the contest week. source: vienna.at 📷 Needpix.com Wiener Stadthalle: Meanwhile, Vienna’s Eurovision venue is ramping up preparations. A job listing has been published. ORF is seeking an Event Manager for the Wiener Stadthalle, specifically to support the organization of Eurovision 2026. The new hire will work on contest-related event logistics alongside the venue’s management team. Applications for this role are open until September 30. This recruitment drive underlines that planning is in full swing to deliver a spectacular 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next May. source: wienholding.at 📷 Wikimedia Commons Israel’s 2026 participation speculation Israel’s potential Eurovision 2026 participation is the subject of fresh speculation this week after the EBU released an Instagram reel addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In the post, the EBU acknowledged severe conditions in Gaza and placed direct responsibility on Israeli government policy. A notable public stance that quickly caught fans’ attention. Eurovision news outlets report that discussion is growing about a possible temporary ban or suspension of Israel from the contest as a result. The EBU had previously ruled out excluding any country. However, Israel’s status for 2026 now appears to be under increased scrutiny, with officials saying participation remains “under review” amid the evolving situation source: eurovisionfun.com. Stay tuned for more Eurovision updates next week. The road to Vienna 2026 is just beginning. New developments are coming fast. We’ll keep you informed on all the Eurovision news as the season unfolds! Share

September 2, 2025 No Comments