Did you think Eurovision was bizarre and strange? Think again. Here are the strangest songs from the world of Eurovision national finals—moments that left us speechless and full of questions.
Eurovision national finals reveal iconic, bizarre, and hilarious performances that never made it to the main stage, showcasing recurring artists and humorous acts from across Europe. what were the most unforgettable moments from past 2 years?
Eurovision 2025 Season – The Most Iconic Moments
Greek National Final: Rikki – “Elevator (Up and Down)”
After a 22-year hiatus, the Greek Eurovision national final returned, delivering one of its most memorable moments. Rikki left a comedic mark with “Elevator (Up and Down).” The song talks about going up and down in an elevator, serving as a quirky metaphor for love and feelings. The lyrics, which can be interpreted in several humorous ways, combined with Rikki’s energetic performance and his unique suit, elevated the entire act into an amusing spectacle.
Rikki finished seventh out of 12 competitors in the national final.
Montenegrin National Final: Dolce Hera – “Repeat”
Montenegro returned to Eurovision after two years and brought perhaps the funniest and wildest national final performances. Dolce Hera took the stage clutching a rope, wearing a dress suspiciously resembling a potato sack, covered in weird marker-written slogans. Accompanied by dancers that seemed straight out of a horror movie (eventually donning potato sacks on their heads), her gentle jazz act would have been unremarkable if not for the unforgettable live act, which became legendary among Eurovision fans.
Dolce Hera placed 14th out of 16 entries in Montesong.
Armenian National Final: Flora Bichakhchyan – “Prayer”
Armenia held its first national final since 2020, yielding some unique acts. The most unforgettable was Flora Bichakhchyan with “Prayer,” once considered a leading contender. Despite the song’s ethnic style and ambitious vibe, the singer did not manage to deliver the song successfully in the live performance, and what happened on stage left the audience in shock. Towards the final part of the song, Flora completely lost control of the performance and began emitting strange screams, while the dancers accompanying her rushed to the front of the stage, turning everything into total chaos. Sometimes, there are things that simply cannot be described in words—and to truly understand the absurdity, you should watch the following video..
Flora and her “prayer” finished eighth out of 12 entries in Depi Evratesil.
Slovenian National Final: ZveN – “Divja”
Slovenia held its first national final since 2022, and though two main contestants dominated, ZveN’s “Divja” was unforgettable. The singer expertly performed an ethnic song, but the unexpectedly comedic highlight lay in her sudden growling, running in circles and howling —an authentic, yet wildly funny component that became the talk of the season.
The growling woman from Slovenia ended fifth out of 12 entries in EMA.
Eurovision Season 2024 – Highlighted Moments from Last Year
Italian Sanremo & San Marino National Finals: Loredana Bertè – “Pazza”
One of the funniest stories from the national final season involved the 74-year-old Italian singer Loredana Bertè. Her motive for participating in Sanremo with “Pazza” was to win and represent Italy at Eurovision in Sweden, hoping to annoy her famous ex-husband, tennis star Björn Borg.
Her performance was vocally controversial, and the music video featured a clumsy AI edit, making for a hilarious viral moment. Loredana won the first night out of 30, finished fourth in second night and seventh in Sanremo overall.
If you think this is the end, think again—Loredana tried her luck the same year in the San Marino national final, which regularly borrows artists from the Italian Sanremo Festival. The singer performed her song “Pazza” aiming to secure her way to Sweden at all costs. “I want to win, I want to go to Eurovision, it’s held in Sweden and I want to annoy my ex-husband” the singer declared.
Loredana finished a respectable second place in the San Marino national final but did not succeed in fulfilling her dream to annoy her ex-husband.
Maltese National Final: Matt Blxck – “Banana”
Matt Blxck is a familiar face in the Maltese Eurovision sphere, yet his 2024 performance of “Banana” was jaw-dropping. Clad in leather and feathers, he was joined by four dancers dressed as monkeys and mounted a giant banana prop. The act became an instant meme, blending humor and shock, and was a top contender though never made it to Eurovision proper.
Matt and the banana finished second out of 12 finalists.
Swedish National Final: Gunilla Persson – “I Won’t Shake (La La Gunilla)”
Gunilla Persson, is a 66 years old former Swedish fashion model turned television personality and aspiring singer. She entered the Swedish national final with “I Won’t Shake (La La Gunilla),” quickly becoming its comedic anthem due to the uproarious lyrics and her quirky dancing with male “cowboy” dancers.
Gunilla finished fourth in her semifinal, missing the final but ensuring her humorous anthem forever stays in Eurovision lore.
Moldovan National Final: The Regular Contestants Who Provide Iconic Moments Each Year
Every year, Moldova holds a Eurovision national final divided into two broadcasts: the first is the auditions show, where any artist with local citizenship can perform on a modest stage with one or more songs. The second is the final show, in which the best songs compete for the right to represent Moldova at Eurovision.
Since there is no pre-selection in the auditions stage and any artist can participate, there are creators and performers who return year after year to try their luck—however, most of them do not succeed in advancing to the final stage. Among these artists, there are two regular contestants who appear every year or intermittently, and who are well known to the audience following the competition—one is an 80 years old professor of medicine who each year stands out as a fan favorite, alongside an artist with provocative songs who continues to spark controversy and drama due to his consistent failure to reach the Eurovision national final.
What is special about these contestants?
Tudor Bumbac
Tudor Bumbac is a professor of medicine, approximately 80 years old, who is a music enthusiast and enjoys singing publicly. He appears every year in the Moldovan Eurovision national final but does not advance to the final stage and usually finishes last in the auditions. Tudor is a fan favorite and receives a lot of love from Eurovision fans, especially after his hit “Tudorel” in the 2024 national final. All the songs he competes with sound the same; he performs them in a very indifferent manner, and what makes the situation funny is the colorful stage and background music combined with the singer’s tired facial expression, which turns him into an iconic hit. This year, Tudor entered the Moldovan national final with the song “Pace noi vrem” (“We Want Peace”). During the performance, it appeared that Tudor forgot the lyrics and froze mid-song on stage, which of course turned the situation into an iconic moment and shows that no matter what he does, he will always remain a star. Let us wish Tudor good health and happiness and may we continue to see him in the national final for years to come!
Sasha Bognibov
Sasha Bognibov competes in Moldovan national finals every year, often with songs featuring provocative titles and lyrics like “I Just Had Sex With Your Ex“, “My Favourite Schoolgirl“, and “Married to twins“. He usually finishes last in auditions. In 2025, one of his two entries finally reached the final while “We Changed Our Gender” again placed last.
With a long history of not advancing in music contests: In 2016, the singer took part in the Ukrainian X Factor show with the song “My Lesbian Girl.” After the judges criticized his performance, Sasha responded rudely, prompting one judge to confront him on stage and shout, “Learn to speak politely!” Security was eventually called to remove him from the stage. Sasha even sent a threatening letter to jury members after his last-place finish in 2024. This year, his song “All Night Party” (written by a British team) advanced to the final, but Moldova ultimately cancelled its national final and withdrew from Eurovision entirely.
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Ronnie Glik is a prominent Israeli content creator and writer in the field of Eurovision, focusing on coverage, analytical commentary, and articles about the contest, its culture, and the music at its core. She is a video editor and creator of visual content and clips, with a strong emphasis on creativity and adaptation to digital media.
Ronnie is also highly active on social media, integrated within fandom communities, and promotes dynamic, up-to-date dialogue and audience engagement around Eurovision.
