Weekly Update

🇱🇻 Latvia Opens Submissions for Supernova 2026

Latvia’s public broadcaster has officially opened the submission window for Supernova 2026, the national selection to pick Latvia’s Eurovision entry. Artists can submit songs from August 1 until October 1, 2025. The list of selected performers will be revealed in November. Eligible entries must be completely unpublished (no public performances before September 1, 2025) and may involve international songwriters (up to 49% contribution) as long as Latvian creators remain primary. The Supernova shows, including semi-finals, are expected to take place in early 2026. A grand final might take place in mid-February. source: lsm.lv

📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

🇦🇱 Albania: Festivali i Këngës 64 Song Submissions in September

Albania’s national broadcaster RTSH announced the submission window for Festivali i Këngës 64 will be open from September 1 to 30, 2025. Festivali i Këngës is the long-running song festival used to select Albania’s Eurovision act. Artists wishing to compete in FiK 64 must send their entries (including song audio, lyrics, and info) to RTSH during that period. The contest itself is scheduled for December 2025. Notably, the rules this year explicitly ban any songs created with the use of AI. Such entries will be automatically disqualified. Entries must also be new and under 4 minutes long. source: eurovoix.com

🇦🇹 Austria Brings Back a National Final for 2026

In a major shift, ORF has confirmed it will hold a televised national final to choose Austria’s entry for Eurovision 2026. The selection show is slated for late February 2026. It will feature around 10 acts competing for the “golden ticket” to Eurovision. This marks Austria’s first public national selection in a decad. The last one was in 2016, when Zoë was chosen for Stockholm. ORF will invite artists and bands to apply, after which an expert jury will internally pick approximately 10 finalists. The winner will be determined by a combination of professional jury and public voting. ORF’s program director promises the show will be “a big TV evening with lots of audience participation”. source: orf.at

📷 EBU/Thomas Hanses

🇱🇺 Luxembourg Opens Its Eurovision Search (Luxembourg Song Contest 2026)

Luxembourg has launched the hunt for its next Eurovision representative as the Luxembourg Song Contest 2026 kicks off. Registration is now open for the country’s national competition. It will culminate in a live final on 24 January 2026 at the Rockhal in Belval. RTL, the Luxembourgish broadcaster, is accepting song submissions from artists and songwriters until 21 September 2025. They can apply via the official LSC website. A new feature this year is a “team-up” initiative. That is a contact list that helps local artists connect with songwriters (and vice versa) to collaborate on entries. After the submission deadline, a professional international jury will review the entries. Live auditions will be held in October 2025. The finalists will be announced by the end of October. The winner of the Luxembourg Song Contest will go on to represent the Grand Duchy at Eurovision 2026 in Austria. source: eurovision.rtl.lu

🇳🇱 Het Grote Songfestivalfeest 2025: Line-Up and Hosts Revealed

In the Netherlands, the Het Grote Songfestivalfeest has unveiled its full 2025 lineup and hosts. The show will take place on 20 November 2025 at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome. It will be hosted by Eurovision icons Edsilia Rombley, Rylan, and Cornald Maas. The star-studded line-up features 25 well-known Eurovision artists from past and present. You can look forward to acts including former winners and fan favorites such as Måns Zelmerlöw (Sweden’s 2015 winner), Johnny Logan (Ireland’s two-time winner), Verka Serduchka (Ukraine 2007 runner-up), Käärijä (Finland 2023 runner-up), Chanel (Spain 2022), Destiny (Malta 2021), KEiiNO (Norway 2019), Joker Out (Slovenia 2023), and many more. With legends from across the decades – from Secret Garden (Norway’s 1995 winners) to recent stars like Marcus & Martinus – the concert promises a night of iconic Eurovision memories. Tickets for the event are on sale, and they are going fast. source: hetgrotesongfestivalfeest.nl

🇨🇾 Cyprus Confirms Eurovision 2026 Participation

The list of countries joining Eurovision 2026 keeps growing. On August 4, Cypriot broadcaster CyBC confirmed that Cyprus will take part in next year’s contest in Austria. As in recent years, CyBC plans to select its artist and song internally. With Cyprus joining, 19 countries have now provisionally confirmed their participation in Eurovision’s 70th edition. More broadcasters are likely to announce their decisions in the coming weeks as the 2026 lineup continues to take shape. Source: esctoday.com

📷 EBU/Alma Bengtsson

Other Eurovision News:

Other News in Brief

🇧🇪 Belgium: Rumours are swirling that Loïc Nottet – who finished 4th for Belgium at Eurovision 2015 – will return to the contest in 2026. According to the French media outlet Public, broadcaster RTBF has reached a deal with Loïc for a comeback, 11 years after his first appearance. However, RTBF has not confirmed or responded to the report, so the news remains unverified for now. ource: public.fr

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

Martijn

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Blast from the past

Blast from the past: Norway 1972

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 1972, when Grethe Kausland and Benny Borg represented Norway with their song “Småting”. Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest Norway debuted in Eurovision in 1960 and has claimed victory three times: Bobbysocks with “La det swinge” in 1985, Secret Garden’s “Nocturne” in 1995, and Alexander Rybak’s “Fairytale” in 2009—a record‑breaking win with 387 points. Despite these highs, Norway also holds the record for most last‑place finishes (12 times, including four “nul points”). In Eurovision 2025, Norway was represented by 19‑year‑old Kyle Alessandro with the song “Lighter”, selected via Melodi Grand Prix 2025. He qualified from semi‑final 1 in 8th place and finished 18th in the final with 89 points. Norsk Melodi Grand Prix 1972 Melodi Grand Prix is always the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1972, 5 songs competed. They were sung by one artist with a grand orchestra, another version with a small combo. Those were the songs: Happy Hippie, sung by Anita Hegerland (combo) and Gro Anita Schønn (orchestra), 38 pts, 3rd Lillebror, sung by Inger Lise Rypdal (combo) and Kirsti Sparboe (orchestra), 40 pts, 2nd Småting, sung by Hanne Krogh (combo) and Grethe Kausland & Benny Borg (orchestra), 43 pts, 1st Håp, sung by Ellen Nikolaysen (combo) and Anne-Karine Strøm (orchestra), 33 pts, 1st Et hus på landet, sung by Eli Tanja (combo) and Jan Erik Berntsen (orchestra), 30 pts, 5th 7 jury pairs from 7 regions chose the winner. One of the jurors was older than 25 years, the other one younger. Grethe Kausland and Benny Borg Grethe Kausland (born Grethe Nilsen on 3 July 1947 in Horten, Norway) was a beloved Norwegian singer, performer, and actress. Rising to fame as a child star, she made her first record at age 8—“Teddyen min”—which sold over 100,000 copies. By 12, she had recorded numerous singles and appeared in multiple Norwegian films. Benny Borg (born Artie Benny Borg on 13 November 1945 in Gothenburg, Sweden) established his musical roots in pop bands during the 1960s. He moved to Norway in the late 1960s and became known for his versatility as a singer, composer, and entertainer. In 1972, Kausland and Borg joined forces to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest in Edinburgh, performing the Norwegian-language duet “Småting,” penned by Kåre Grøttum and Ivar Børsum. They were selected via Melodi Grand Prix 1972 and ultimately placed 14th with 73 points. After Eurovision, Kausland joined the famed revue group Dizzie Tunes in 1973, performing with them until around 2001. She earned the prestigious Spellemannprisen in 1978 for her album A Taste of Grethe Kausland, and the Leonardstatuetten in 1991 for her contributions to Norwegian revue. Her television roles included the sitcom Karl & Co and children’s series like Jul i Blåfjell. Borg also collaborated with Dizzie Tunes, becoming celebrated for his stage impersonations of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. He earned a Spellemannprisen in 1973 and later the Herman Wildenvey Poetry Award in 2004 for his musical settings of Norwegian poetry. Grethe Kausland passed away in November 2007 from lung cancer at age 60, while Benny Borg continues to perform and create music, maintaining his legacy in Norwegian entertainment. Småting “Småting” was written by Ivar Børsum, with music composed by Kåre Grøttum. The song is a gentle duet, performed by Grethe Kausland and Benny Borg, focusing on life’s small, everyday joys. With its soft melody and warm harmonies, “Småting” offered a calm contrast to more dramatic entries in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest. The performance was simple and intimate, reflecting the song’s message of appreciating little things in life. Although it did not score highly—placing 14th with 73 points—it remains a fondly remembered entry in Norway’s Eurovision history, valued for its sincerity, charm, and the chemistry between the two performers. Share

August 3, 2025 No Comments

News

Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly update about Eurovision. National selection season is kicking into gear across Europe. Latvia has opened its Supernova contest for submissions. Albania set dates for Festivali i Këngës 64. Host country Austria is bringing back a televised selection show. Luxembourg launched its search for a Eurovision act with a new twis. The Netherlands revealed an all-star lineup for a major Eurovision party. Meanwhile, Cyprus confirmed its participation for 2026, and a former Belgian contestant is rumored to make a comeback. Here are this week’s top stories: 🇱🇻 Latvia Opens Submissions for Supernova 2026 Latvia’s public broadcaster has officially opened the submission window for Supernova 2026, the national selection to pick Latvia’s Eurovision entry. Artists can submit songs from August 1 until October 1, 2025. The list of selected performers will be revealed in November. Eligible entries must be completely unpublished (no public performances before September 1, 2025) and may involve international songwriters (up to 49% contribution) as long as Latvian creators remain primary. The Supernova shows, including semi-finals, are expected to take place in early 2026. A grand final might take place in mid-February. source: lsm.lv 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett 🇦🇱 Albania: Festivali i Këngës 64 Song Submissions in September Albania’s national broadcaster RTSH announced the submission window for Festivali i Këngës 64 will be open from September 1 to 30, 2025. Festivali i Këngës is the long-running song festival used to select Albania’s Eurovision act. Artists wishing to compete in FiK 64 must send their entries (including song audio, lyrics, and info) to RTSH during that period. The contest itself is scheduled for December 2025. Notably, the rules this year explicitly ban any songs created with the use of AI. Such entries will be automatically disqualified. Entries must also be new and under 4 minutes long. source: eurovoix.com 🇦🇹 Austria Brings Back a National Final for 2026 In a major shift, ORF has confirmed it will hold a televised national final to choose Austria’s entry for Eurovision 2026. The selection show is slated for late February 2026. It will feature around 10 acts competing for the “golden ticket” to Eurovision. This marks Austria’s first public national selection in a decad. The last one was in 2016, when Zoë was chosen for Stockholm. ORF will invite artists and bands to apply, after which an expert jury will internally pick approximately 10 finalists. The winner will be determined by a combination of professional jury and public voting. ORF’s program director promises the show will be “a big TV evening with lots of audience participation”. source: orf.at 📷 EBU/Thomas Hanses 🇱🇺 Luxembourg Opens Its Eurovision Search (Luxembourg Song Contest 2026) Luxembourg has launched the hunt for its next Eurovision representative as the Luxembourg Song Contest 2026 kicks off. Registration is now open for the country’s national competition. It will culminate in a live final on 24 January 2026 at the Rockhal in Belval. RTL, the Luxembourgish broadcaster, is accepting song submissions from artists and songwriters until 21 September 2025. They can apply via the official LSC website. A new feature this year is a “team-up” initiative. That is a contact list that helps local artists connect with songwriters (and vice versa) to collaborate on entries. After the submission deadline, a professional international jury will review the entries. Live auditions will be held in October 2025. The finalists will be announced by the end of October. The winner of the Luxembourg Song Contest will go on to represent the Grand Duchy at Eurovision 2026 in Austria. source: eurovision.rtl.lu 🇳🇱 Het Grote Songfestivalfeest 2025: Line-Up and Hosts Revealed In the Netherlands, the Het Grote Songfestivalfeest has unveiled its full 2025 lineup and hosts. The show will take place on 20 November 2025 at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome. It will be hosted by Eurovision icons Edsilia Rombley, Rylan, and Cornald Maas. The star-studded line-up features 25 well-known Eurovision artists from past and present. You can look forward to acts including former winners and fan favorites such as Måns Zelmerlöw (Sweden’s 2015 winner), Johnny Logan (Ireland’s two-time winner), Verka Serduchka (Ukraine 2007 runner-up), Käärijä (Finland 2023 runner-up), Chanel (Spain 2022), Destiny (Malta 2021), KEiiNO (Norway 2019), Joker Out (Slovenia 2023), and many more. With legends from across the decades – from Secret Garden (Norway’s 1995 winners) to recent stars like Marcus & Martinus – the concert promises a night of iconic Eurovision memories. Tickets for the event are on sale, and they are going fast. source: hetgrotesongfestivalfeest.nl 🇨🇾 Cyprus Confirms Eurovision 2026 Participation The list of countries joining Eurovision 2026 keeps growing. On August 4, Cypriot broadcaster CyBC confirmed that Cyprus will take part in next year’s contest in Austria. As in recent years, CyBC plans to select its artist and song internally. With Cyprus joining, 19 countries have now provisionally confirmed their participation in Eurovision’s 70th edition. More broadcasters are likely to announce their decisions in the coming weeks as the 2026 lineup continues to take shape. Source: esctoday.com 📷 EBU/Alma Bengtsson Other Eurovision News: Other News in Brief 🇧🇪 Belgium: Rumours are swirling that Loïc Nottet – who finished 4th for Belgium at Eurovision 2015 – will return to the contest in 2026. According to the French media outlet Public, broadcaster RTBF has reached a deal with Loïc for a comeback, 11 years after his first appearance. However, RTBF has not confirmed or responded to the report, so the news remains unverified for now. ource: public.fr That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another roundup next week as the road to Eurovision 2026 continues! Share

August 5, 2025 No Comments