Who is the Greek singer set to perform Keren Peles’ song at “Ethnikos Telikos”, and possibly represent Greece at Eurovision 2026?
Keren Peles, the Israeli singer-songwriter behind the songs “Hurricane” and “New Day Will Rise” — both of which represented Israel at Eurovision and became national sources of inspiration — has written a song for Greece’s Eurovision pre-selection. If Peles’ song wins the Greek national final, she could find herself at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, under the blue and white flag of the Mediterranean neighbor.
The collaboration partner has now been revealed: the Greek singer is Xannova Xan, a familiar face in the Eurovision world who placed fifth in a past Greek national selection and also competed in the Junior Eurovision 2005 with the song “Tora einai i seira mas”, finishing sixth.
Xannova Xan – Who Are You?
Kalli Georgelis, known by her stage name Xannova Xan, was born in Texas in 1992 but spent most of her life in Greece. At just 13, she proudly represented Greece at the 2005 Junior Eurovision as part of a duo performing the song “Tora einai i seira mas” and finished sixth — a highlight in Greece’s Junior Eurovision history.
In 2025, Xannova Xan participated in “Ethnikos Telikos” with the song “Play it!” blending Greek motifs with modern pop, finishing in fifth place.
Xannova Xan is characterized by a distinctive style – her stage name and costumes are highly extravagant and unique, aiming to project a look and essence that feel otherworldly. She describes herself as “the Alexandria of the stars”, meaning a conqueror of the universe.
It will be interesting to see the artistic clash between her and Keren Peles – the song is completely different from Zanova’s usual style. It strongly highlights her vocal abilities, but she will need to bring out a different side of herself on stage.
Keren Peles’ Song
The song was already submitted to the Greek national broadcaster ERT, and it is performed by an intriguing Greek female artist. whose name we cannot reveal for now. The song is a powerful emotional ballad, and those who know Peles’ repertoire will immediately recognize that she is the one who wrote the song.
The song will contain lyrics in English and Greek, and the Greek part wasn’t written by Peles herself but by a famous Greek lyricist. If selected, it will be the first time in history that an Israeli songwriter is involved in Greece’s Eurovision entry.
Keren Peles’ Road to Eurovision 2026
Following last year’s successful revival of the open national selection — the first of its kind since 2003 — Greece’s broadcaster has decided to maintain the same format for 2026. This decision allows participation from artists not signed to Greek record labels, opening the door for creators like Keren Peles.
The 2026 selection will consist of three live shows: two semifinals and a grand final. A total of 28 songs will compete — 14 in each semifinal — with viewers alone deciding which seven songs from each semifinal advance to the final. The grand final will include 14 songs, with voting split evenly: 50% from the jury (divided between local and international panels) and 50% from the public televote, mirroring last year’s system.
The strong result achieved by Klavdia last year is expected to raise the bar for this year’s composers and performers. With Greece’s renewed motivation and a competitive lineup, Keren Peles will likely face tough competition on her path to potentially representing Greece at Eurovision 2026.
Greece at Eurovision 2025
“Asteromáta” (in English: “Eyes of Stars”) is the song performed by Klavdia, who represented Greece in the grand final of Eurovision 2025. Greece qualified for the grand final after placing fourth in the second semi-final with 112 points. In the grand final, Greece finished in sixth place with 231 points, with both the juries and the public awarding her eighth place.
This sixth-place finish is considered Greece’s best result since 2013, when the country also ranked sixth.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Greece’s 46th participation in Eurovision. Greece joined the competition in 1974 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2005 when singer Helena Paparizou won first place with the song “My Number One”.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
