Ido Naman, Author at EuroMix

Eurovision 2026: Full Rehearsal Schedule Revealed

April 26, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); EBU and ORF unveiled the full Eurovision 2026 rehearsal schedule in Vienna, detailing all rehearsal rounds ahead of the live shows. The official rehearsal schedule for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna has been unveiled, with the EBU and Austria’s national broadcaster ORF publishing the complete running order for the contest. The detailed plan outlines all rehearsal rounds for the participating countries, marking a crucial stage in preparations ahead of the live semi-finals and Grand Final. The rehearsal timetable sets the official order in which each entry will take to the stage, offering the first indication of how the contest will unfold during the rehearsal weeks. With dozens of delegations preparing their performances, the schedule provides a structured roadmap leading up to the live broadcasts in mid-May. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); First rehearsal round Saturday, May 2nd - First rehearsal daySemi-final 1, songs 1-7:10:30-11:00 - Moldova - first rehearsal11:10-11:40 - Sweden - first rehearsal11:50-12:20 - Croatia - first rehearsal12:45-13:15 - Greece -...

Austria: MQ Kantine Owners Defend Choice to Host Israeli Eurofan Cafe

April 25, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The owners of "MQ Kantine" discuss hosting Israel at their Cafe, fighting antisemitism, and supporting Noam Bettan’s "Michelle" at Eurofan Cafe. With only a few weeks remaining until the Grand Final of Eurovision 2026, preparations in the host city of Vienna are in full swing. Last week, the "Eurofan Cafe" initiative - organized by the Austrian national broadcaster ORF, the media company Echo, and the Association of Viennese Coffee House Owners - was first reported. Throughout the month of May, local cafes across Vienna will transform into meeting points for Eurovision fans from various participating nations. Although the original publication of the event included all 34 other participating countries except for Israel, the organizing company Echo announced a last-minute correction yesterday (Friday). The Israeli fan hub will be "MQ Kantine", located in the city’s central Museumsquartier. Now we publish the contents of a special interview conducted with the Vienna café owners, in which they explained the background behind...

San Marino’s Boy George Sparks Debate Ahead of Eurovision 2026

April 21, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); San Marino at Eurovision 2026: Boy George addresses criticism over Israel’s participation, defends Jewish friends ahead of Eurovision 2026 with Senhit and “Superstar”. Two weeks before the delegations depart for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Boy George, who represents San Marino alongside Senhit with their song “Superstar”, continues to generate headlines and controversy. Since being selected as the country’s representative, the singer has stirred widespread reactions - most of them stemming from his outspoken support for Judaism and the State of Israel, a stance that stands out in the Eurovision landscape, particularly over the past three years. Now, he has issued a sharp response to pro-Palestinian activists who criticized his participation in the contest due to Israel’s involvement, making a clear and direct statement: “I will never turn my back on my Jewish friends”. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Not Afraid to Respond From the very first days after being chosen to represent San Marino at the upcoming Eurovision, Boy George...

The Big Eurovision 2026 Surprise: Romania’s Entry Goes Viral Online

April 16, 2026April 30, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Romania’s Eurovision 2026 representative, Alexandra Căpitănescu, is dominating social media as her entry, “Choke Me”, goes viral on TikTok with millions of views and streams. Less than a month before the Eurovision 2026, with delegations soon departing for Vienna, every participant is working hard to win the audience’s hearts and votes. It seems that Alexandra Căpitănescu, Romania’s representative, has cracked the code for online success by leveraging the power of social media to promote her entry “Choke Me”. In recent weeks, Alexandra has gone viral, especially on TikTok, where her song has already gained over 20 million views and more than two million streams on Spotify. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Romania’s Unexpected Comeback Romania returns to Eurovision this year after a two-year absence; its last participation was in 2023. Due to financial difficulties leading to withdrawal and disappointing past results, expectations for Romania’s comeback were initially modest. In early March, the Romanian national selection took place, where Căpitănescu won with her song “Choke Me”. However, even back in...

Eurovision 2026 OGAE Poll: Linda & Pete Keep Leading the Scoreboard

April 13, 2026April 13, 2026 by Ido NamanNo Comments

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The annual OGAE Poll has continued with its second set of results as OGAE Denmark reveals its top scores. Finland has secured the top spot in the Danish vote, and maintains its overall lead in the early standings. The OGAE Poll is one of the most vital and discussed indicators within the global Eurovision community. Every year, tens of thousands of fans belonging to OGAE - the official organization for Eurovision fan clubs in Europe and beyond - vote for their favorite song among the contestants. For 2026, members were asked to rank the 35 participating entries. The poll is considered an early indication of trends and reflects social media buzz. While the official international OGAE channels have not yet begun the traditional rollout of 2026 results, the local branches - France, Romania and now Denmark - have moved ahead to reveal their rankings earlier than expected. This network of fan clubs has managed this poll annually since...

Historic Reconciliation? Simon and JIVA Share a Photo Together

April 13, 2026April 13, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); For the first time since 2021, Armenia’s Simon and Azerbaijan’s Jiva met at the Dutch pre-paert “Eurovision In Concert”, posed for photos together, and fans have reacted with a mix of excitement and criticism. The relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two neighboring countries in the Caucasus Mountains, have seen ups and downs throughout the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, due to the long history of wars and prolonged conflict between them. Last night (Saturday), another step forward was noted in the countries’ relationship during the contest, perhaps signaling the beginning of a thaw between the rival nations, all in the form of several photos and videos showing the Azerbaijani representative, Jiva, and the Armenian representative, Simon, side by side. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Armenia and Azerbaijan: A Long‑Running Drama The relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan, two neighboring countries in the Caucasus region, has been marked by ups and downs throughout Eurovision history, rooted in their long‑standing wars...

Antigoni Brings Back Eurovision Memories with an Exciting Cover

April 9, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ahead of her Eurovision 2026 performance in Vienna, Antigoni from Cyprus unveils an emotional and surprising cover of a beloved Eurovision classic. Exactly 35 days from now, Antigoni will step onto the stage of Eurovision 2026 in Vienna to represent Cyprus in the second semi-final with her song "Jalla" (in English: "More"), hoping to qualify for the grand final on May 16. Now, amid the peak of her preparations, Antigoni found time within the busy schedule that comes with the competition to record an emotional cover of the song "My Number One", the track that brought Helena Paparizou victory for Greece in Eurovision 2005 and took the contest to Athens the following year. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Watch the emotional music video: Early Dreams and Inspiration In January, exactly one month before revealing her Eurovision entry, Antigoni sat down for an interview with Andreas Anastasiou, head of the Cypriot delegation to Eurovision 2026. She opened up about her feelings leading up to the competition and how she envisions her stage...

Greece: Eurovision Star Marinella Dies at 87

March 28, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Greek singer Marinella, the first artist to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, has passed away today at the age of 87. While preparations for Eurovision 2026 are in full swing, today brings very sad news from Greece. The beloved Greek singer Marinella, who became the first-ever artist to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, has passed away at the age of 87 after years of fragile health. Marinella was not only a Eurovision pioneer but also one of Greece’s most influential and enduring musical icons, whose voice and style helped define modern Greek music. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Early Life and Career Born Kiryaki Papadopoulou in Thessaloniki in 1938, Marinella enjoyed a career spanning over six decades. Throughout her life, she was celebrated for her versatile voice and her ability to bridge traditional and contemporary Greek sounds. Yet, for Eurovision fans around the world, she remains best known for her performance at the 1974 contest with the...

Belgium: Meet the Dancers Joining Essyla at Eurovision 2026

March 23, 2026 by Ido Naman Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Belgium’s national broadcaster RTBF unveiled exclusive footage from Essyla’s Eurovision 2026 rehearsals, revealing four professional dancers and the creative team behind the choreography for the country's entry “Dancing on the Ice”. Preparations for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna are stepping up: Belgium’s French-language national broadcaster, RTBF, has released an official glimpse into the rehearsals of the country’s representative, Essyla. The footage from the studio reveals that the singer will not be performing alone on the grand stage in Austria but will be joined by four professional dancers during her performance of "Dancing on the Ice". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם ‏‎פוסט משותף על ידי ‏‎RTBF‎‏ (@‏‎rtbf‎‏)‎‏ The national broadcaster wrote in a post: "We attended Essyla’s very first rehearsal — we watched the choreography and staging for Eurovision, and we can tell you it's going to be... crazy!" The creative team and dancers The four dancers chosen to accompany Essyla are Max Lukaina, Axel Remezo, Maniquet Julien, and Tom Van...

50 Days to Eurovision: Finland Leads the Betting Tables – Israel Ranks Seventh

March 23, 2026 by Ido NamanNo Comments

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2026 betting now puts Finland first, with France and Denmark close behind. Israel sits seventh. That is the current state of the odds. While exactly 50 days remain until Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria begins, the betting landscape continues to shift as the contest draws closer. Several countries are strengthening their positions near the top of the odds, while others are recording sharp declines, creating a fast-changing picture ahead of Europe’s biggest music event. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland Maintains a Clear Lead While Israel is ranked seventh, Finland continues to dominate the top of the betting tables. The duo Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen lead with the song "Liekinheitin" (in English: "Flamethrower") and hold a 28% chance of winning. The Finnish entry, which blends dramatic pop with prominent violin playing, has built a clear advantage over the rest of the countries in the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite Finland’s dominance, past results show that betting tables do not guarantee the...