Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. The host city race for Eurovision 2026 is heating up in Austria, Eurovision 2025 champion JJ receives a prestigious honor in Vienna, and Swedish Eurovision icon Björn Skifs announces his retirement after a storied career.

Host City Battle: Innsbruck Council Backs Eurovision Bid

📷 Simon Legner, Wikimedia Commons

Innsbruck’s municipal council has officially approved funding for a potential Eurovision Song Contest 2026 host city bid, moving the host city battle into its final stage. The council voted 22–18 in favor of allocating a budget framework of nearly €20 million for hosting the contest. One-third of it would be covered by the city and the rest by regional tourism and business partners. Mayor Johannes Anzengruber welcomed the decision. He explained that with private partners contributing a larger share than the city, the plan is “manageable and feasible”. Otherwise Innsbruck alone could not afford to host.

Not everyone was on board: opposition parties in the council voted against the Eurovision bid. Some call it a “financial disaster” and criticize a lack of a transparent financial plan. Despite this, Innsbruck is now fully in the running and hopes to become the first city outside Austria’s capital to ever host the contest. The Tyrolean city’s proposal centers on the Olympiahalle arena and the slogan “Together on Top”. Innsbruck’s main rival Vienna has also submitted a strong bid (with the Stadthalle as venue). Broadcaster ORF is expected to decide between Vienna and Innsbruck by early August. source: vol.at

Eurovision 2025 Winner JJ Receives Goldener Rathausmann

📷 EBU/Corinne Cumming

Vienna honored its latest Eurovision hero this week. Mayor Michael Ludwig presented JJ (Johannes Pietsch) with the Goldener Rathausmann – a prestigious golden statuette awarded by the city – in recognition of his Eurovision victory for Austria. JJ won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the power ballad “Wasted Love”. Mayor Ludwig praised the 24-year-old singer as an “exceptional talent”. He noted that JJ is the first Austrian artist to achieve over one million streams in one week. The mayor also stated that JJ now joins past Austrian Eurovision champions (Udo Jürgens and Conchita Wurst) who have received the same honor. JJ expressed gratitude for the award. He called it a milestone he’ll never forget. And, as a proud Viennese, he added that he’d love to see the Song Contest return to Vienna in 2026. source: ots.at

Björn Skifs Ends Music Career

Retirement

Swedish singer Björn Skifs – who represented Sweden twice at Eurovision – announced that he is retiring from music after an illustrious 50+ year career. The 78-year-old veteran revealed he has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. In a heartfelt statement he admitted the news “is not easy to take in” for him or his loved ones. Skifs reflected that he has “lived a rich and amazing life, filled with music, love and laughter”. He thanked everyone who has been part of his journey, and said that now “it’s time to slow down and take one day at a time”.

Hooked on a Feeling

Skifs’s career began in the 1960s and reached global heights in the 1970s. As the lead singer of the band Blue Swede, he scored an international #1 hit in 1974 with the pop classic “Hooked on a Feeling” – making him one of the few Swedish artists to top the US charts. He also took part in Sweden’s Eurovision selection Melodifestivalen several times. In 1975, for example, he competed with the song “Michelangelo.” Despite finishing 5th in the national final, the song became a major hit that stayed at #1 on Sweden’s singles chart for seven weeks.

Björn Skifs in Eurovision

Skifs eventually went on to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest twice. He won Melodifestivalen 1978 and performed “Det blir alltid värre framåt natten” at Eurovision in Paris, finishing 14th. He returned to the Eurovision stage in 1981 with “Fångad i en dröm”, this time achieving 10th place in Dublin.

Even outside of Eurovision, Björn Skifs remained an active and beloved entertainer. He appeared as “The Arbiter” on the original 1984 concept album of the musical Chess, and in 2010 he performed the duet “When You Tell the World You’re Mine” with singer Agnes at the royal wedding of Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria. More recently, Eurovision fans saw Skifs return to the spotlight at the Eurovision 2024 Grand Final in Malmö – he made a surprise appearance performing “Hooked on a Feeling” as part of the opening act of the show. With his retirement, Skifs leaves behind a remarkable legacy in music and in Eurovision history.

That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another roundup next week. The road to Eurovision 2026 continues!

Martijn

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History

Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, part 7

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, part 7, we look back at the start of the 21st century. Alf Poier participated for Austria, but there were also some unsuccesful entries. And there was a 3-year gap. 2000 – The Rounder Girls – All To You Austria’s 2000 entry “All To You” was internally selected by broadcaster ORF. The song was written by American songwriter Dave Moskin. Moskin gave the three-piece vocal group The Rounder Girls an up-tempo, gospel-influenced pop track. Performing last in the Stockholm final, the trio, with members from Austria, the US and the UK, delivered slick harmonies and choreography. They finished 14th out of 24 countries with 34 points. The Rounder Girls were a seasoned soul/gospel ensemble, and their Eurovision appearance raised their profile, though Austria’s middling result meant the country sat out the contest in 2001. 2002 – Manuel Ortega – Say A Word “Say A Word” by Manuel Ortega won Austria’s “Song.Null.Zwei” 2002 national final out of ten songs. this entry was an upbeat pop song with a catchy, boy-band style hook. It was composed by Alexander Kahr with lyrics by Robert Pfluger. At Eurovision 2002 in Tallinn, Ortega performed third and Austria placed 18th (26 points) in the final. Manuel Ortega, a young pop singer, had scored a summer hit in 2001 and was nicknamed “the Austrian Ricky Martin” for his Latin pop flair. His Eurovision song’s fun choreography and positive message reflected that image, though the result was a lower mid-table finish. 2003 – Alf Poier – Weil der Mensch zählt ORF organized the “Song.Null.Drei” 2003 selection. Petra Frey (ESC 1994) was the runner up. Comedian-singer Alf Poier triumphed with “Weil der Mensch zählt”. Poier penned this satirical song himself. Musically it’s a quirky folk-pop tune delivered in Styrian dialect. The performance, complete with cartoonish animal props, was a parody of Eurovision’s over-the-top style. At the Riga contest, this offbeat entry surprised many by scoring 6th place with 101 points. Alf Poier, an Austrian stand-up comedian known for absurdist humor, thus earned Austria’s best Eurovision result in over a decade. His comedic approach and catchy refrain turned him into a fan favorite that year. 2004 – Tie Break – Du bist Austria’s national final “Song.Null.Vier” chose Tie Break’s “Du bist” for Eurovision 2004. Waterloo & Robinson (ESC 1976!) were the runners up. Note that a song, written by popstar Falco, participated too. So posthumously, Falco did a Eurovision attempt!Written by composer Peter Zimmermann, “Du bist” is a tender schlager-style pop ballad performed in German. Tie Break, a trio of fresh-faced male singers (a boy band formed via a talent search), delivered tight harmonies in Istanbul’s final. Thanks to Austria’s top-10 result the year before, they pre-qualified directly for the final. Tie Break finished 21st out of 24 with 9 points. The group had gained national fame through the selection process, but on the Eurovision stage their gentle ballad struggled to stand out in a field dominated by more dynamic acts. 2005 – Global.Kryner – Y así In 2005, “Song.Null.Fünf” was held and the crossover folk band Global.Kryner won with “Y así”. They narrowly beated Alf Poier. The controversy was that Austria changed the rules of the voting on the very last moment. Would the original voting procedure be used, Alf Poier would have won. Band members Edi Köhldorfer (composer) and Christof Spörk (lyricist) combined Latin salsa rhythms with Austrian alpine polka to create this unique “salsa-polka-pop” song. Global.Kryner was a six-member ensemble known for blending folk and jazz influences. They opened the Eurovision semi-final in Kyiv with an energetic performance featuring yodels and Latin dance breaks. However, “Y así” did not advance to the final, placing 21st of 25 in the semi-final with 30 points. The group had earned acclaim in Austria and Germany, but their daring genre fusion proved too quirky for the Eurovision televote that year. 2007 – Eric Papilaya – Get A Life – Get Alive After a brief Eurovision hiatus, Austria returned in 2007 by internally selecting Eric Papilaya. His entry “Get A Life – Get Alive” – composed by Greg Usek with lyrics by Austin Howard. It was the official anthem of Vienna’s Life Ball AIDS charity event. This song is an upbeat pop-rock anthem with an inspirational message and flashy staging. Papilaya performed with a giant red ribbon on stage. Papilaya, a rock vocalist who rose to fame on the TV talent show Starmania, gave a spirited performance in Helsinki’s semi-final. Unfortunately Austria did not qualify for the final; he placed 27th (four points) in the semi. The entry drew media attention for its charity theme, but it wasn’t enough to overcome tough competition in 2007. 2011 – Nadine Beiler – The Secret Is Love Austria returned to Eurovision in 2011 through the national selection “Düsseldorf – wir kommen!”. The competition featured ten songs. However, well-known artists Alf Poier and Petra Frey failed to pass the online preselection. As a result, Nadine Beiler won the final with her soulful ballad “The Secret Is Love”. She co-wrote the song with veteran producer Thomas Rabitsch. Musically, the entry combines elements of gospel and pop, while it clearly highlights Beiler’s strong vocal range. Previously, Nadine Beiler had gained national fame by winning the television talent show Starmania in 2007 at the age of 16. Therefore, expectations were already high when she took the stage in Düsseldorf. Her Eurovision performance began a cappella and gradually built towards a powerful climax. Consequently, Austria qualified from the semi-final in seventh place with 69 points. In the grand final, Beiler finished 18th, scoring 64 points. Nevertheless, this result marked Austria’s first appearance in a Eurovision final in seven years and therefore signalled a credible and positive comeback.

December 14, 2025 No Comments

Eurovision 2026

Weekly Update

It’s Tuesday, December 23, 2025. Time for another weekly update! This week saw the first two countries confirm their Eurovision 2026 entries. Several others moved forward with national selection plans. Broadcasters from San Marino to Bulgaria unveiled updates on their contests. Meanwhile in Vienna, preparations for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest are in full swing. Here are this week’s top stories: New Entries 🇦🇱 Albania: Alis – Nân Albania has now selected its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. At the 64th Festivali i Këngës, Alis won with the song “Nân”. The festival is one of Europe’s longest-running national selection events. Combined jury and public televoting in the final decided the winner. “Nân” topped both the televote and the jury scoreboard, earning Alis the overall victory and the right to compete for Albania at the upcoming contest. “Nân” is described as a poignant ballad about enduring love and personal connection. Its success at FiK 64 marks a new chapter for Albania’s Eurovision journey. You can write all about the 64th Festivali i Këngës here, and a full biography of Alis here. 🇲🇪 Montenegro: Tamara Živković – Nova Zora Tamara Živković emerged victorious in Montesong 2025. She will thus represent at Eurovision 2026 with her song “Nova zora”. Fifteen acts competed in the live show in Podgorica, where the winner was decided by an equal mix of jury and televote. Tamara is a newcomer on the Eurovision stage. You can read everything about Montesong here. You can read Tamara’s full biography here. National Finals and Selections 🇸🇲 San Marino San Marino RTV has adjusted the dates of its newly rebranded San Marino Song Contest selection. The two semi-finals will now take place on March 2 and 3. This will be followed by the grand final on March 6. Itmoved one day earlier than initially planned. Over the past week, San Marino continued holding casting auditions, including online sessions for international hopefuls. At a year-end press conference, the SMRTV Director General also affirmed ongoing efforts to strengthen the broadcaster’s relationship with the EBU. He was underscoring San Marino’s commitment to a successful Eurovision return. source: SMRTV 🇲🇩 Moldova 16 Finalists Chosen for Selecția Națională – Teleradio-Moldova (TRM) has revealed the 16 artists who will compete in Moldova’s national final on January 17, 2026. These finalists were selected on December 16 after live auditions involving 34 performers. Initially the selection was to be only 10 acts. However, TRM expanded the lineup to 16, citing an unexpected surge of high-quality entries and polished performances at the auditions. Producers noted that the talent level “exceeded initial expectations,” leading to the rule change to give more acts a shot at the big stage. Moldova returns to Eurovision in 2026 after a one-year absence, aiming to build on its past successes. source: TRM 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Bulgaria’s broadcaster BNT has published the rules for its Eurovision 2026 selection. They confirm a national final on February 28. The process will unfold in three televised phases. First, 15 invited artists perform one of their own songs on January 24, with a jury and an online public vote narrowing the field to seven. Those top 7 acts will sing again on January 31. The highest combined jury+public score that night wins the ticket to Eurovision for the artist. Finally, on Feb 28 the winning artist will present three brand-new songs created for Eurovision. A 10-person jury alongside the public will pick the winning song that becomes Bulgaria’s entry. This marks Bulgaria’s return to Eurovision after last participating in 2022. source: BNT 🇦🇹 Austria In host country Austria, preparations continue for the national final “Vienna Calling – Wer singt für Österreich?”. The national final is scheduled on February 20, 2026. This week the line-up of 12 acts was finalized after singer Tamara Flores withdrew from the competition for personal reasons. Sidrit Vokshi, a 35-year-old artist from Vienna, has been announced as her replacement, joining the other eleven contenders vying to represent Austria in May. source: ORF 🇵🇹 Portugal A wave of artist protests has hit Portugal’s Eurovision selection. AGRIDOCE, an indie pop duo competing in Festival da Canção 2026, announced that they will not go to Eurovision even if they win the national final. In fact, 13 of the 16 composers/acts in FdC 2026 have now publicly stated they would refuse Eurovision participation should they win Portugal’s ticket. The artists cite political and ethical reasons behind this stance. In an Instagram post, Agridoce expressed hope for “signs of accountability and justice” in response to ongoing events, lamenting that the situation “remains unchanged”. They refer to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Portugal’s broadcaster RTP has not yet commented on how it will proceed if its FdC winner declines to go to Vienna. source: Instagram Eurovision 2026 News Vienna: 2,000 Apply for Eurovision Stand-In Roles Host broadcaster ORF reports an overwhelming response to its call for stand-in performers for Eurovision 2026. Around 2,000 singers and dancers from around the world applied to be stand-ins. Those are the performers who rehearse in place of the actual acts during early technical rehearsals. ORF invited about 650 of them to live auditions in Vienna this montht. Only 30 stand-in positions are available in total. The final selection of these lucky performers will be announced by the end of January 2026. In past years, stand-in opportunities have even led to some performers later joining actual Eurovision delegations as backing vocalists or dancers. That’s a true backstage springboard. source: ORF Allocation Draw Scheduled for January 12 The official Semi-Final Allocation Draw for Eurovision 2026 will take place on January 12, 2026. This ceremony will be held in the historic Vienna Rathaus (City Hall) and broadcast live on ORF 1 and online via ORF’s streaming platform. During the event, the Mayor of Vienna will receive the Eurovision insignia (the symbolic keys to the contest) from the Mayor of Basel (host city of ESC 2025). He will get it in the traditional Host City handover ceremony. Following that, officials will draw lots

December 23, 2025 No Comments

Eurovision 2026

Weekly Update

December 23, 2025 No Comments