Greek singer Xannova Xan reacts angrily to the disqualification of her and Keren Peles’ song from “Sing for Greece 2026”, condemning hate directed at the Israeli songwriting team.
Greek singer Xannova Xan, who was scheduled to perform a song written by Keren Peles, has responded to the dramatic disqualification of their entry from the Greek selection for Eurovision 2026. In a message posted directly to her Instagram fans, she described profound disappointment and emotional distress over the decision.
“First, I want to thank my fans and supporters for your loving messages, […] Your sweet words make me want to continue after such a huge disappointment. It’s hard to find words to express how I feel right now”.
Condemning Racism: “Hatred Toward an Entire Nation Is Wrong”
The singer shared that ever since her collaboration with Keren Peles became public, she received both excitement and the most intense hatred she has ever experienced — allegedly only because of the Israeli songwriter’s origin.
“Keren is a respected composer who wrote a perfect song filled with emotion and a beautiful melody for Greece. Tomer and Poseidonas elevated it with their experienced talent, and even though they reached 3rd and 2nd place in Eurovision, they won’t get the chance to have their work heard among the 28 songs in Greece to be judged fairly”.
She wrote, criticizing the national selection committee’s decision, and added:
“What makes me even more disappointed, […] is that many people are celebrating just because of two people’s nationality in our team — that’s extreme racism, and it makes me feel even worse. Hatred toward an entire nation and its people is never right”.
The Song Was a Favorite — Yet Rejected
The singer noted that just days before the disqualification, an article claimed their song was among the top three favorites. According to her, the leak created a brief sense of confidence among the team but ultimately had no effect on the final decision, and wrote:
“I am deeply disappointed because I know how good the song was and how far it could have gone for Greece”.
Message to Fans and to the Public
Despite the setback, Xannova Xan made it clear that she intends to continue creating music and serving as a voice for those who feel they don’t belong.
“I will keep doing what I love — singing, and bringing light and love into the world. Even to those sending me horrible messages, I wish you healing”.
She concluded. In her statement, the singer reaffirmed the values behind Eurovision’s slogan, “United By Music,” showing support for the artists who advanced in the competition and highlighting the bond between Israeli and Greek audiences through music.
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 to the grand final after finishing fourth in the second semi-final, with 112 points. In the grand final, Greece finished sixth in the grand final with 231 points, finishing eighth in both jury’s & public’s votes.
The sixth place that Greece achieved is considered the country’s best result since 2013 — when it ranked sixth as well.
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.
