United by Music

This time next month, we'll have a new Eurovision champion! As always, that seems ridiculous to say but Eurovision 2026 in Vienna really is approaching far too quickly. Before then, however, I need to finish my reviews of this year's line-up. If you haven't read the previous instalments in this series, you can catch up  here . Now, let's look at the entries from Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Montenegro. Cyprus: Antigoni – “Jalla” This year’s Cypriot Eurovision entry, “Jalla” by Antigoni is doubling down on cultural identity whilst maintaining the country’s recent preference for glossy, exportable pop. The result is a package that is energetic but uneven, and somehow feels neither formulaic nor properly authentic. Antigoni is a curious but not illogical choice to represent Cyprus at Eurovision. A London-born artist with Cypriot roots and prior mainstream exposure through the British version of Love Island , she represents the increasingly common ‘diaspora pop st...

It's time for me to scrutinise some more of this year's Eurovision line-up. I've really been enjoying writing my reviews this year, so I hope you enjoy reading them. Please do share any thoughts with me either in the comments or over on Bluesky; I'd love to hear what you have to say! This time, I'm talking about Armenia, France, Greece, Poland and Portugal. Greece: Akylas – “Ferto” “Ferto” by Akylas is one of those Eurovision entries that arrives with a wave of online enthusiasm and immediately splits opinion. On paper, it has many of the ingredients of a contemporary Eurovision success: a hyper-stylised production, meme-ready hooks and a performance style clearly calibrated for variety. But despite its undeniable energy, I think this song also serves to illustrate the limits of its formula. The studio version of “Ferto” is slick to a fault. Musically, it sits somewhere between dance-pop, Eurodance and pop-rap, blending Mediterranean textures with a relentless, ...

This year's Eurovision Song Contest is drawing ever closer, so it's time for me to put a few more of our competing entries under the spotlight. If you missed the first instalment in this series, you can catch up  here . Today, I'm discussing the songs from Germany, Italy, Malta, Romania and the United Kingdom. Germany: Sarah Engels – “Fire” Germany’s Eurovision track record over the last decade has been inconsistent, with only occasional highs surrounded by frequent lower finishes. As a member of the ‘Big Four’ (formerly the ‘Big Five’), the country automatically qualifies for the final, which removes the pressure of qualification but often exposes entries directly to the harshest competition. This year’s German entry, “Fire” by Sarah Engels, emerges from a revamped national selection process, which it won after impressing both an international jury and the German public. The song has a clear mission: deliver a polished, accessible pop anthem that can appeal broadly acr...

Welcome to the first batch of my Eurovision 2026 song reviews. If you haven't read any of last year's reviews, it's really quite self-explanatory. Each time, I will discuss a few of this year's competing entries: artists, songs, lyrics, live performances and anything else that catches my eye. Last year, I promised to keep predictions to a minimum, though I did find that quite difficult! Whilst I won't be making any concrete predictions here, I will also talk about my assessment of each song's chances in Vienna. So without any further ado, let's begin with entries from Albania, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Moldova and San Marino. Moldova: Satoshi – “Viva, Moldova!” Despite its small size, Moldova has largely been successful at Eurovision over the last two decades. The country is loved by fans for its attitude towards the contest and fun back catalogue of entries, which is why there was such disappointment last year when Moldova announced its withdrawal from the conte...