Members of the Euromix editorial team convened to vote for the competing songs in “Vienna Calling 2026″. Who should represent Austria at Eurovision according to the editorial team?
On Friday at 20:15 (CET), Austria’s national selection for Eurovision, “Vienna Calling 2026,” will take place, during which the country’s representative and song for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, will be chosen.
This coming Friday, twelve contestants will compete for the honor of representing Austria in the beloved contest. The winner will be determined through a combination of public voting (50%) and jury voting (50%).
Just before the big night, the Euromix team gathered, listened to all the entries, and selected their favorite songs from Austria’s national selection.
Editorial Picks: Who Should Represent Ukraine?
Avi Zaikaner: First Place – Frevd – “Riddle”
The band Frevd brings to Austria’s (rather weak) national selection a metalcore track that blends dark, melodic pop. This song could really stand out among the entries chosen so far for Eurovision 2026, most of which are big ballads or catchy dance-pop songs. If Austria wants a song that will make it stand out – this is the one!
Adiel Shtainmetz: First Place – Philip Piller – “Das Leben ist Kunst”
Honestly, a great selection for Austria. At first, it seemed like a weak and uninspired line-up, but after listening to all the songs in full, I really enjoyed it – there are plenty of refreshing tracks in various languages and styles. Out of the entire selection, two songs stood out to me in particular, and I had a hard time deciding which one deserved first place. In the end, I chose Philip Piller with the song “Das Leben ist Kunst” (“Life is Art”). It’s an especially upbeat and energetic track that makes you want to dance. The use of the German language adds greatly to the song’s uniqueness and character. Good luck, Austria – you’ve got some great options this year, so please don’t mess it up.
Ofek Jerassi: First Place – Philip Piller – “Das Leben ist Kunst”
It seems that the host country curse has returned in full force! In recent years, Austria has delivered strong and surprising entries, but this time the national selection feels average, with most songs likely to end up near the bottom of the grand final. Out of all the entries, my favorite is Philip Piller’s song – alively and colorful German-language track that’s really pleasant to listen to and wraps up with an organ melody (which seems to be a recurring motif in this year’s national selections).
Maor Heumann: First Place – Frevd – “Riddle”
A pleasant selection for Austria. I had hoped for more boldness after their victory, which guarantees them a spot in the final, but overall, the quality pleasantly surprised me. The song I connected to the most is “Riddle” by the band Frevd, named after Sigmund Freud. The track portrays a state of emotional chaos, disorientation, and confusion – not as obstacles, but as an inseparable part of the human experience. Like most metalcore songs that try their luck in national selections, Frevd may face an uphill battle unless they deliver a standout live performance that rises above the sea of repetitive pop entries. I hope the song’s depth resonates with the audience.
Aviad Berger: First Place – Anna Sophie – “Superhuman”
Let’s be honest – Austria won’t be taking the double this year. Most of the songs in this selection aren’t particularly strong, and it’s a good thing Austria is automatically in the final. That said, considering how weak this Eurovision season has been so far, it’s fair to say this is actually one of the better national selections we’ve heard – which is a bit of a shame. My first place goes to the singer Anna-Sophie. It’s not necessarily the best song in the lineup, but it’s one that truly warms my heart, and I believe it could achieve a decent result in Vienna. Good luck, Austria – hopefully your result this time will be stronger than the last time you hosted.
Neta Geffen: First Place – Frevd – “Riddle”
Usually, I don’t have high expectations from the host country, and this time is no different. Still, I chose Frevd mainly because I love rock songs and want to see more of them at Eurovision. It is a dark track that doesn’t explode right away, but instead gradually builds and creates a mysterious atmosphere that fits the song’s title, “Riddle”. I’m not at all sure this is the song Austria will end up choosing, but for me, it is the most deserving to represent Austria on home soil.
Talya Raviv: First Place – Bamlak – “We Are Not Just One Thing”
Bamlak brings a fun, upbeat, and very intriguing song. I love the melody and the song’s atmosphere, which really transports me into a kind of “jungle”, and I feel it could be a crowd-pleaser with the right staging, which I imagine in a vibrant carnival and bouncy savanna vibe.
Noy Yehoyada: First Place – Cosmo – “Tanzschein”
In the first place, I chose Cosmo’s song “Tanzschein” after a long deliberation between all the entries in my top 4. In recent years, Austria has sent plenty of bangers to Eurovision that have become staples in my playlists, and with the great variety on offer in this year’s selection, I hope we once again get an excellent, feel-good song from them, like Cosmo’s. As the host country, Austria is not going to win two years in a row, so I really hope they decide to do something different from most other countries and avoid sending yet another dull ballad, and instead make use of the wide range in their selection by switching up the language or musical style.
Tal Dahan: First Place – Kayla Kristin – “I Brenn”
This year’s Austrian national selection is pleasant and includes a few nice songs, but one truly stands head and shoulders above the rest for me: the stunning “I Brenn” by Kayla Krystin. Wow. So much emotion, so much power, original language, impressive vocal ability – what more could you ask for?! I’m not ignoring the fact that the song doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table and even sounds a bit dated, but in this case, I didn’t find that to be a drawback. This is one of the finest songs this Eurovision season has given us, and although host countries are usually buried at the bottom of the scoreboard, I don’t think that will be the case if Austria makes the right choice.
Oscar Diefenthal: First Place – Bamlak – “We Are Not Just One Thing”
This year’s Austrian national selection gives the impression that Austria is not in a hurry to aim for back‑to‑back victory, yet within the line‑up, one song stands out with clear competitive potential. “We Are Not Just One Thing” by Bamlak brings accessible Afro‑dance energy to the stage, wrapped in colorful aesthetics and a vibe reminiscent of a modern Disney soundtrack. In a year when the contest is leaning more towards ballads, this Afro‑dance track is exactly what we need.
Maayan Eli: First Place – Julia Steen – “Julia”
Given all the rock and metal‑rock on offer here, you’d think I’d enjoy this selection much more than I actually do – but I really don’t. I think I like “Julia” because it reminds me of other familiar songs, and the melody just flows. I also appreciate the fact that the song isn’t in English, and even though, let’s be honest, this language isn’t the most pleasant on the ear, Julia Steen manages to make it sound melodic. Her vocal tone is also interesting; on first listen, I wasn’t entirely sure about her gender identity, which makes the song even more intriguing. I have to admit that country is one of my least favourite genres, even after living for several years in the American Deep South, but there are shades of pop‑rock here, and the use of German really helps. If the song is selected, it will definitely add to the stylistic variety of this Eurovision season.
Full Results:
| מבצעים | Avi | Adiel | Ofek | Maor | Aviad | Netta | Talya | Noy | Tal | Oscar | Maayan | Summary |
| Frevd | 12 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 92 | |
| Anna Sophie | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 80 |
| Bamlak | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 72 |
| Philip Piller | 8 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 69 |
| Kayla Kristin | 10 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 67 |
| Julia Steen | 7 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 63 |
| Cosmo | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 50 | |
| Lena | 7 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 49 | |||
| Nikotin | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 35 | |
| Reverend Stomp | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 33 | |||
| David Kurt | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 16 | |||||||
| Sidrit | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 12 |
“Vienna Calling 2026” Contestants
Click on the song title to listen!
- Anna-Sophie – “Superhuman“
- Bamlak Werner – “We Are Not Just One Thing“
- Cosmó – “Tanzschein“
- David Kurt – “Pockets Full of Snow“
- Frevd – “Riddle“
- Julia Steen – “Julia“
- Kayla Krystin – “I brenn“
- Lena Schaur – “Painted Reality“
- Nikotin – “Unsterblich“
- Philip Piller – “Das Leben ist Kunst“
- Reverend Stomp – “Mescalero Ranger“
- Sidrit Vokshi – “Wenn ich rauche“
Austria at Eurovision 2025
JJ, a 23-year-old opera singer, represented Austria at Eurovision 2025 with the song “Wasted Love“, after being internally selected by the national broadcaster ORF. JJ won Eurovision, finishing in first place with 436 points: 258 from the juries, ranking first, and 178 from the public, ranking fourth. Among these were 8 points from the Israeli public and 6 points from the Israeli jury.
JJ’s victory marks Austria’s third win in Eurovision history, following Udo Jürgens in 1966 with “Merci, Cherie” and Conchita Wurst in 2014 with “Rise Like a Phoenix”.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Austria’s 58th participation in Eurovision. Austria joined the competition in 1957 and has won three times over the years. Austria’s last victory was in Eurovision 2025 with the song “Wasted Love” performed by singer JJ.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-50-9441919
A writer and content creator in the field of Eurovision, a commentator with extensive expertise in the modern era of the contest. Adiel’s vast knowledge and familiarity with Eurovision are reflected in every article, ensuring professional and up-to-date content. He closely follows song releases and various Eurovision pre-events. Adiel has a fondness for cultures and new languages, which he discovered through his love of Eurovision. In his writing, he places great emphasis on professional commentary and a diversity of opinions.
