Weekly Update

It is Tuesday, April 21, 2026, which means it is time for another weekly Eurovision update! Pre-party season wrapped up in style this week, with events in Bucharest and London. In Vienna, the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle is nearly ready. The bookmakers still have Finland firmly in the lead. And American fans finally have a free way to watch Eurovision. Here are this week’s top stories.

Pre-Party Season

🇷🇴 Eurovision Pre-Party Bucharest 2026

Pre-party season continued in Romania this past weekend. The Eurovision Pre-Party Bucharest 2026 took place on Saturday at the Arenele Romane in Bucharest. Four acts performed their entries for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest: Bulgaria’s DARA, Greece’s Akylas, Malta’s Aidan, and Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu. The event was organised by eMagic in collaboration with TVR, AIMR and OGAE Romania. 

🇬🇧 London Eurovision Party 2026

One of the biggest pre-parties of the season took place on Sunday night. The London Eurovision Party 2026 was held at the Outernet in London. Over twenty acts performed their Eurovision entries. Here’s a recap:

Eurovision 2026

🇦🇹 Stage Construction Almost Complete in Vienna

Things are coming together fast at the Wiener Stadthalle. ORF has released new images showing that stage construction for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest is nearly finished. The main screen and LED panels are in place, with finishing touches being completed ahead of stand-in rehearsals before delegations arrive in Vienna next week.

The scale of the production is impressive. Forty commentator booths, 2,135 lighting fixtures with 8,500 individually controllable LEDs, and a full green room have been installed. The production will use 28 cameras in total. That’s including two camera cranes, three aerial camera systems, and four steady cams. For the first time at Eurovision, a system will be used to give the entire broadcast a cinematic look. 

📷 ORF/Christian Öser

source: ORF

🇦🇹 Emily Busvine to Host the Green Room

ORF has confirmed the face of the Eurovision green room. Emily Busvine will serve as the green room host for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. She is the presenter of the FM4 Morning Show. Busvine was born in Vienna in 1996 and studied at the University of Cambridge before joining Radio FM4 in 2020. While Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski host from the main stage, Busvine will interview the competing acts live in the green room, in front of an estimated 180 million viewers. 

This year, the green room will reflect Viennese coffee house culture, giving international audiences a taste of one of Austria’s most beloved traditions. source: orf

🇫🇮 Current Odds: Finland Still on Top

The bookmakers have not changed their minds. Finland’s Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen with “Liekinheitin” remain the clear favourite to win Eurovision 2026, with a winning probability of around 31%. France’s Monroe with “Regarde !” sits in second place at approximately 11%, followed by Denmark’s Søren Torpegaard Lund at around 10%. Australia’s Delta Goodrem and Greece’s Akylas round out the top five. 

Further down, Romania, Ukraine, and Italy are all placed between 3% and 4% winning probability. The contest takes place on May 12, 14, and 16 in Vienna. source: eurovisionworld

Interviews: Satoshi (Moldova) and Alis (Albania)

Two of this week’s most talked-about interviews come from our own Kal, who sat down with Satoshi from Moldova and Alis from Albania at the pre-party circuit.

🇲🇩 Satoshi is one of the most magnetic performers in this year’s lineup. His entry “Viva, Moldova!” bursts with energy, and in his interview he explains that the song is rooted in a personal process of understanding his own identity. He also describes the pre-party experience as a genuinely positive one, saying that the enthusiasm from audiences makes it easy to perform. Moldova has not competed since 2024, making this a comeback year. Satoshi is exactly the kind of artist who makes a splash. Wanna know the favourite band of Satoshi? And did Aliona Moon have any advice for him? If you have not watched this interview yet, do yourself a favour and press play.

🇦🇱 Albania’s Alis is equally compelling. His Eurovision entry “Nân” is a deeply personal ode to the maternal figure, rooted in Albanian culture and tradition. In his interview, Alis spoke about his hometown of Shkodër and the writing process behind “Nân”, describing the mother figure as someone who deserves recognition across the Balkans. What was his original plan for Eurovision? And why was he scared of stage before Eurovision? nd Kal even has an advice for him. Alis takes Eurovision serious, and this interview is not to be missed.

 

Short News

🎬 Eurovision 2026: A Little Bit More

The official Eurovision YouTube channel is steadily filling up with content ahead of the contest. The 2026 edition of “A Little Bit More” is well underway, with participants delivering alternative versions of their own entries and covers of Eurovision classics. Albania’s Alis has shared a piano version of “Nân”, Moldova’s Satoshi has given “Viva, Moldova!” an even harder-hitting reworking, San Marino’s Senhit delivered a stripped-back version of “Superstar”, and Australia’s Delta Goodrem offered a high-energy mix of “Eclipse”. The full playlist is available on the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel.

🇺🇸 USA Can Now Watch Eurovision for Free

American Eurovision fans have a new option this May. The EBU has confirmed that all three live shows of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will be available to watch for free in the United States via YouTube, alongside the existing Peacock stream. In some countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and Greece, local broadcasters retain exclusive rights and the YouTube stream will not be available. This is a major step in expanding Eurovision’s reach beyond Europe, and it means millions of new viewers could be tuning in for the first time this May. source: Hollywoodreporter.com

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Vienna 12 points: Eurovision 2nd semifinal tonight

Eurovision time! The second semi-final opens with a parody of JJ’s “Wasted Love”, performed by the hosts. To us, it feels like wasted time. 🇧🇬 Bulgaria In what looks like a waiting room, we see Dara with her dancers. There is some rather wild dancing going on. Halfway through the performance, the waiting room disappears, but the act remains just as gripping. Dara opens the show and immediately grabs the viewer’s attention, from the first second to the last. A perfect opener. 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan At first, Jiva’s performance is rather understated. That should put the focus mainly on the vocals and the song. Halfway through, the man she has to let go of appears, and a small routine with ribbons unfolds. A pity, because it distracts from the particularly strong vocals Jiva delivers. Whether the song is strong enough for a place in the final, we would not dare say. 🇷🇴 Romania There is a lot happening on stage for Romania. At first, Alexandra is connected to the two guitarists by light cables. Later, she breaks free from the two men. On stage, we also see a figure in a white robe. The connection with the song is not entirely clear to us. Vocally, she veered off course a little at times. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg The staging has been kept simple: Eva Marija stands on stage with a violin, behind a small tree. Behind her, we see a starry sky. Mother Nature, then. The song, like the staging, is simple. Vocally, apart from one slip-up, she is okay. But whether all of this is enough for a place in the final, we have our doubts. 🇨🇿 Czechia Czech singer Daniel Zizka sits and stands on stage, surrounded by mirrors. That creates a striking effect. It brings the song, which until now we had not seen staged, to life. Zizka’s vocals are rock-solid. The song is truly one for discerning listeners. We are pleasantly surprised and would gladly see this back in the final. 🇫🇷 France Seventeen-year-old Monroe stands on stage in a white dress, surrounded by dancers in black. She manages to hit every note perfectly, from high to low. The song is not easy to sing, but Monroe appears to do it with great ease. Three minutes in which the viewer is blown away. 🇦🇲 Armenia We see Simon with the dancers in a lift, and later in an office. Simon wears his jacket covered in Post-its, but takes it off halfway through the song. For three minutes, all kinds of things happen on stage. That can also be a disadvantage: the whole thing comes across as somewhat messy. Simon, however, is an entertainer who could help Armenia reach the final. 🇨🇭 Switzerland Switzerland’s jazzy song, with strong vocals, does not really need anything else. It already draws all the attention to itself. That is why we think it is a pity that Veronica Fusaro has still chosen to add a performance concept. We see her getting tangled up in red ropes. And we do not understand the staging. We do not see the connection with the song. A pity. 🇨🇾 Cyprus “Dancing on the table, baby,” Antigoni sings. And that is exactly what she does: she is literally dancing on a table. She is surrounded by four dancers. Antigoni throws a party that lets the arena really cut loose. At the end of the performance, we see a lot of fire. Fuego? 🇦🇹 Austria Cosmo starts off lying on the stage. Cartoon-like figures are projected onto the floor, making it look as if the singer is performing inside his own cartoon. Later, he is musically supported by musicians wearing animal heads. They later climb a climbing frame. Cosmo chooses to head down the catwalk, prompting deafening cheers from the Austrians in the arena. Unfortunately, we do not see Austria finishing very high this year. 🇱🇻 Latvia Singer Atvara stands alone on stage; we see a beam of light as if a door is open. This creates Atvara’s shadow. Atvara delivers vocals that are somewhat airy, but clean. Whether the song is strong enough for a place in the final remains to be seen. 🇩🇰 Denmark Søren stands on stage with a kind of aquarium behind him, containing his dancers. Eventually, Søren himself also crawls into the aquarium, exactly at the moment when he has to hit a high note. That takes guts. Søren simply goes for it. The whole package has everything it needs for a high placing. 🇦🇺 Australia Delta Goodrem wears a dress with 7,000 Swarovski crystals. Her grand piano also appears to be covered in crystals. Delta has a great deal of experience and uses it to deliver a very strong performance. Right at the end, it turns out that a platform rises out of the piano. Delta rises up on it. She ends as a kind of Lady Liberty. Top three? 🇺🇦 Ukraine The vocals from Ukraine’s Lekela are fine. During the performance, however, little happens. We see curtains coming down, and use is made of the good old wind machine. A place in the final is certainly within reach for Ukraine, but in the final we still see her finishing in the middle of the pack. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Old-school Britpop: you either love it or you do not. Sam, also known as Look Mum No Computer, wears a pink overall. His dancers have computer screens over their heads. Halfway through the song, they swap them for a furry computer. Behind him stands a large music computer. We do not think this act will appeal to a very broad audience. 🇦🇱 Albania We see Alis with the image of an older woman behind him. His mother? The LED screens are important: later, various groups of people are also shown on them. Alis manages to move the listener with his song. Although he sings in Albanian, he conveys the emotion effortlessly. And then you also forgive him the small vocal slip-up he made last

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May 14, 2026 No Comments
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Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Vienna 12 points: Eurovision 2nd semifinal tonight

Eurovision time! The second semi-final opens with a parody of JJ’s “Wasted Love”, performed by the hosts. To us, it feels like wasted time. 🇧🇬 Bulgaria In what looks like a waiting room, we see Dara with her dancers. There is some rather wild dancing going on. Halfway through the performance, the waiting room disappears, but the act remains just as gripping. Dara opens the show and immediately grabs the viewer’s attention, from the first second to the last. A perfect opener. 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan At first, Jiva’s performance is rather understated. That should put the focus mainly on the vocals and the song. Halfway through, the man she has to let go of appears, and a small routine with ribbons unfolds. A pity, because it distracts from the particularly strong vocals Jiva delivers. Whether the song is strong enough for a place in the final, we would not dare say. 🇷🇴 Romania There is a lot happening on stage for Romania. At first, Alexandra is connected to the two guitarists by light cables. Later, she breaks free from the two men. On stage, we also see a figure in a white robe. The connection with the song is not entirely clear to us. Vocally, she veered off course a little at times. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg The staging has been kept simple: Eva Marija stands on stage with a violin, behind a small tree. Behind her, we see a starry sky. Mother Nature, then. The song, like the staging, is simple. Vocally, apart from one slip-up, she is okay. But whether all of this is enough for a place in the final, we have our doubts. 🇨🇿 Czechia Czech singer Daniel Zizka sits and stands on stage, surrounded by mirrors. That creates a striking effect. It brings the song, which until now we had not seen staged, to life. Zizka’s vocals are rock-solid. The song is truly one for discerning listeners. We are pleasantly surprised and would gladly see this back in the final. 🇫🇷 France Seventeen-year-old Monroe stands on stage in a white dress, surrounded by dancers in black. She manages to hit every note perfectly, from high to low. The song is not easy to sing, but Monroe appears to do it with great ease. Three minutes in which the viewer is blown away. 🇦🇲 Armenia We see Simon with the dancers in a lift, and later in an office. Simon wears his jacket covered in Post-its, but takes it off halfway through the song. For three minutes, all kinds of things happen on stage. That can also be a disadvantage: the whole thing comes across as somewhat messy. Simon, however, is an entertainer who could help Armenia reach the final. 🇨🇭 Switzerland Switzerland’s jazzy song, with strong vocals, does not really need anything else. It already draws all the attention to itself. That is why we think it is a pity that Veronica Fusaro has still chosen to add a performance concept. We see her getting tangled up in red ropes. And we do not understand the staging. We do not see the connection with the song. A pity. 🇨🇾 Cyprus “Dancing on the table, baby,” Antigoni sings. And that is exactly what she does: she is literally dancing on a table. She is surrounded by four dancers. Antigoni throws a party that lets the arena really cut loose. At the end of the performance, we see a lot of fire. Fuego? 🇦🇹 Austria Cosmo starts off lying on the stage. Cartoon-like figures are projected onto the floor, making it look as if the singer is performing inside his own cartoon. Later, he is musically supported by musicians wearing animal heads. They later climb a climbing frame. Cosmo chooses to head down the catwalk, prompting deafening cheers from the Austrians in the arena. Unfortunately, we do not see Austria finishing very high this year. 🇱🇻 Latvia Singer Atvara stands alone on stage; we see a beam of light as if a door is open. This creates Atvara’s shadow. Atvara delivers vocals that are somewhat airy, but clean. Whether the song is strong enough for a place in the final remains to be seen. 🇩🇰 Denmark Søren stands on stage with a kind of aquarium behind him, containing his dancers. Eventually, Søren himself also crawls into the aquarium, exactly at the moment when he has to hit a high note. That takes guts. Søren simply goes for it. The whole package has everything it needs for a high placing. 🇦🇺 Australia Delta Goodrem wears a dress with 7,000 Swarovski crystals. Her grand piano also appears to be covered in crystals. Delta has a great deal of experience and uses it to deliver a very strong performance. Right at the end, it turns out that a platform rises out of the piano. Delta rises up on it. She ends as a kind of Lady Liberty. Top three? 🇺🇦 Ukraine The vocals from Ukraine’s Lekela are fine. During the performance, however, little happens. We see curtains coming down, and use is made of the good old wind machine. A place in the final is certainly within reach for Ukraine, but in the final we still see her finishing in the middle of the pack. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Old-school Britpop: you either love it or you do not. Sam, also known as Look Mum No Computer, wears a pink overall. His dancers have computer screens over their heads. Halfway through the song, they swap them for a furry computer. Behind him stands a large music computer. We do not think this act will appeal to a very broad audience. 🇦🇱 Albania We see Alis with the image of an older woman behind him. His mother? The LED screens are important: later, various groups of people are also shown on them. Alis manages to move the listener with his song. Although he sings in Albanian, he conveys the emotion effortlessly. And then you also forgive him the small vocal slip-up he made last

Read More »
May 14, 2026 No Comments
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