Italian singer Ditonellapiaga has won the OGAE Second Chance Contest 2026, the competition for Eurovision national final songs from the past year that did not make it to the Eurovision stage.
The OGAE Second Chance Contest 2026 aired live for the first time tonight (Friday). Taking the crown was the song “Che fastidio” by the singer Ditonellapiaga, who finished in third place in the Italian Eurovision national final, Sanremo 2026.
The Second Chance Contest features entries from Eurovision national finals across Europe that did not go on to represent their countries at Eurovision. Every year, members of the OGAE network (the international Eurovision fan organization uniting dozens of national clubs worldwide) vote for their favorite entries.
Last year, Sweden won the Second Chance Contest with the song “On And On And On”. In this year’s edition, 22 countries competed out of the 35 nations that participated in Eurovision 2026, marking a decrease in participating countries compared to last year’s contest. Following Sweden’s victory last year, the results were broadcast live on YouTube from Sweden for the very first time.
Italy Is the Big Winner
The Italian singer Ditonellapiaga won the competition with 318 points, holding a margin of 78 points over second place. This marks Italy’s fifth victory in the Second Chance Contest, with its most recent win coming two years ago in 2024.
Finishing as the runner-up was the Ukrainian singer Jerry Heil with the song “CATHARTICUS” (in Hebrew: “Métaher”). In third place came the Danish singer Ericka Jane with the song “Death of Me” (in Hebrew: “HaMavet Sheli”)..
Ditonellapiaga – Who Are You?
Ditonellapiaga (Margherita Carducci) is a Rome-born singer-songwriter who blends pop, electronica, and nu-disco in a witty, original style. She broke into the mainstream at Sanremo 2022 with the hit “Chimica” (in English: “Chemistry”) and quickly became one of the freshest voices in the Italian music scene. Her albums showcase impressive versatility, bold lyrics, and a charismatic delivery that pairs modern elegance with cheeky charm. She is widely regarded as an artist who effortlessly bridges chart-friendly pop with sophisticated, experimental, and stylish production.
Participating Countries:
The full results will be uploaded soon.
- Italy – 318 points: Ditonellapiaga – “Che fastidio!” (in English: “How Annoying”)
- Ukraine – 240 points: Jerry Heil – “CATHARTICUS” (in English: “Cathartic”)
- Denmark – 226 points: Ericka Jane – “Death of Me”
- Sweden – 216 points: Greczula – “Half of Me”
- Finland – 200 points: Antti Paalanen – “Takatukka” (in English: “Mullet”)
- Serbia – 176 points: Zejna – “Jugoslavija” (in English: “Yugoslavia”)
- Norway – 148 points: Mileo – “Frankenstein”
- Malta – 139 points: MATT BLXCK – “Ejja lejja ħdejja ‘l hawn” (in English: “Come to Me, Next to Me, Over Here”)
- Spain – 104 points: Tony Grox and LUCYCALYS – “T AMARÉ” (in English: “I Will Love You”)
- Bulgaria – 75 points: DARA – “Curse”
- Montenegro (OGAE Rest of the World) – 61 points: LANA x ÐORÐE – “Temperatura” (in English: “Temperature”)
- Greece – 57 points: ZAF – “ASTEIO” (in English: “Joke”)
- Estonia – 32 points: NÖEP – “Days Like This”
- Germany – 30 points: wavvyboi – “Black Glitter”
- Luxembourg – 26 points: Steve Castile – “Sweet Tooth”
- Poland – 24 points: Basia Giewont – “Zimna woda” (in English: “Cold Water”)
- Lithuania – 23 points: SHWR – “Contact!“
- Albania – 22 points: Sheila – “Zemra e tokës” (in English: “Heart of the Earth”)
- Portugal – 12 points: Dinis Mota – “Jurei” (in English: “I Swore”)
- Croatia – 9 points: IRMA – “Ni traga” (in English: “No Trace”)
- Austria – 5 points: Bamlak Werner – “We Are Not Just One Thing”
- Latvia – 3 points: Emilia – “All We Ever Had”
Wait, Spain??
Despite Spain’s ongoing boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation, the Spanish fan club submitted a request to enter the competition with a song from Spain’s Benidorm Fest, which was originally meant to select the country’s Eurovision entry. Fan clubs from all participating nations, including Israel, voted on the matter and approved Spain’s participation in the contest.
Italy at Eurovision 2026
“Per sempre sì” (in English: “Forever Yes”) is the song that was performed by Sal Da Vinci, who represented Italy, and finished in 5th place with 281 points in the Grand Final of Eurovision 2026 on May 16th, in Vienna, Austria. The song was written and composed by Sal Da Vinci himself together with Alessandro La Cava, Eugenio Maimone, Federica Abbate, Federico Mercuri, Francesco Sorrentino, and Giordano Cremona. The song is performed entirely in Italian.
Eurovision 2027: This will be Italy’s 52nd participation in Eurovision. Italy joined the contest in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Italy’s most recent victory was at Eurovision 2021 with the song “Zitti e buoni” performed by the band Måneskin.
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Writer and content creator at EuroMix, providing cultural insights into the world of Eurovision. Talor is a second-generation Eurovision enthusiast who grew up attending family viewing parties. The 1999 Eurovision, at just five years old, was the event that shaped his love for the contest. He holds a BA degree in Culture – Creation and Production, and his articles combine academic knowledge with a passion for pop and trash, appreciating humor and clever references in the competition’s songs. He specializes in cultural and social analysis, offering in-depth commentary.
Outside the Eurovision world, Talor works as an independent content and media manager.
