Again sad news, just at the start of 2021: Liam Reilly passed away at age 65. Liam Reilly was the Irish participant in the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest and became 2nd with the song “Somewhere in Europe”.
Liam Reilly, was an Irish singer/songwriter and musician . He was a member of the group Bagatelle. He left the group in the mid-1980s and moved to the USA. There he started a solo career and recorded his first album “Savannah Serenade”. In 1988 he took part in the Irish National Song Contest, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Lifeline”. He became 2nd but came back to win the event in 1990. As a composer, Reilly returned to Eurovision in 1991 when he wrote Kim Jackson’s entry “Could it be that I’m in love”.
Liam Reilly also produced cassette ‘Throwing Caution to the Wind’. All songs were written by him except ‘Georgia on My Mind’ and ‘Moonriver’.
Reilly passed away “suddenly and peacefully” at his home on 1 January 2021. May he rest in peace.
Weekly Update
It’s Tuesday, February 3, 2026. Eurovision Universe brings you another weekly update. The Eurovision season moves fast. Vienna 2026 now comes into sharp focus. Each day puts the contest a little closer. This week, we cover new artist and song announcements and key national final developments. We also spotlight major tour news for fans who want Eurovision live on stage. New artists and songs 🇧🇬 Bulgaria: Dara chosen, song still to come Bulgaria has chosen its Eurovision 2026 artist after a televised final on 31 January at BNT Studio 1 in Sofia. She won the show with “Thunder”, a selection song rather than the final Eurovision entry. On 28 February, she will perform three candidate songs, and Bulgaria will select the Eurovision entry that night. A five-member jury and online voters will decide the winner. source: Eurovision Universe national finals page 🇨🇾 Cyprus: Antigoni sets date for Jalla Cyprus has confirmed that the entry will be premiered on Sunday, 8 February. The song and official music video will debut during the main evening news broadcast on CyBC. After the TV premiere, the track is expected to be available online. That includes the Eurovision platforms and major streaming services. source: Instagram Antigoni 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: BBC comments on selection rumours The BBC addressed reports that it had dropped the UK’s Eurovision “entrant.” The Euro Trip Podcast says the BBC told one act it would not represent the UK. The podcast adds that some outlets overstated the situation, because the act never had a contract and never received a formal offer. It traces the rumour back to a story from The Sun. The BBC says it will announce its chosen act shortly and will complete its usual due diligence first. source: Euro Trip Podcast 🇦🇺 Australia: SBS teases news “very soon” Eurovision remains part of SBS’s 2026 programming plans, and Australia’s next announcement may not be far away. TV Tonight reports that Natalie Edgar indicated the Australian Eurovision 2026 act will be revealed “very soon”. No artist name has been published at this stage. source: TV Tonight National finals 🇸🇲 San Marino: familiar Eurovision names in the casting list The Dreaming San Marino Song Contest continues to build its line-up through the casting phase. The official casting schedule includes Magdalena Tul. She represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. Maraaya, who represented Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, also takes part. More names are expected as the selection process continues. source: Dreaming San Marino Song Contest 🇺🇦 Ukraine: Vidbir final on February 7 Ukraine’s national selection reaches its final stage this week. Suspilne has confirmed the hosts: Timur Miroshnychenko and Lesia Nikitiuk. Anna Tulieva will host the pre-show and a new Eurofans zone feature. The ten competing songs have also been released ahead of the live show from Kyiv. source: Eurovision Universe national finals page Other news Eurovision Song Contest Live Tour: first “Icons” announced The first headliners have been revealed for the official Eurovision arena tour. The initial “Icons” line-up includes Alessandra, Guy Sebastian, Helena Paparizou, Johnny Logan, Katrina, Lordi and Verka Serduchka. The tour runs across ten European cities from 15 June to 2 July 2026. General ticket sales open on 6 February at 10:00 CET, with pre-sale access tied to Eurofan accounts. source: Eurovision.com
