What is Eurovision?
Founded in 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest (often shortened to ESC) is the world’s longest-running international TV music competition. It was created to unite European countries through music after WWII, but it has grown far beyond that to include countries like Israel and Australia!
The Vibe: It’s a mix of serious pop music, cultural anthems, bizarre performances, amazing costumes, and huge power ballads.
The Rules: Countries send one original song (max 3 minutes) to be performed live. No recorded vocals are allowed.
The Show: It consists of two Semi-Finals and a Grand Final.
The “Big Five” + Host: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK automatically qualify for the final as they are the biggest financial backers, along with the previous year’s winner (hosting in Vienna 2026).
The Winner: Decided by a 50/50 mix of public voting and professional jury voting.
Eurovision 2026: Semi-Final 1 (May 12, 2026)
The 70th edition kicks off at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna! In this first semi, 15 countries are competing for just 10 spots in the Grand Final.
Key Highlights of Semi-Final 1:
Opening: Moldova (Satoshi) starts the night, followed immediately by Sweden’s Felicia!
Top Contenders: A lot of buzz surrounds Croatia (LELEK - Andromeda) and Greece (Akylas - Ferto).
Big Comeback: Keep an eye on Georgia (Bzikebi) who are returning with a very catchy entry.
Automatic Qualifiers Voting: Germany and Italy will perform their songs and vote in this semi.
Return of the Jury: For the first time since 2022, juries are back in the semi-finals, which might change the game for some of the more eccentric acts.
It’s shaping up to be a super strong opening night! Make sure you watch on YouTube and participating local broadcasters.