Ilay Gaist, Author at EuroMix

Date Set for Eurovision Hosts Reveal After a Wave of Speculation

January 28, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After months of speculation, Austria sets a dramatic date for the official reveal of the Eurovision 2026 hosts, raising tension and excitement ahead of the announcement. It was recently announced that tomorrow, January 29th, the hosts of Eurovision 2026 will be officially revealed. The announcement will be broadcast live on Ö3’s morning show, followed by a formal press conference in Vienna. At this stage, the official names of the hosts have not been released, but Victoria Swarovski is mentioned as the leading candidate - alongside another host whose identity remains secret and is described as a surprise. Swarovski, 32, from Tyrol, has signed a contract with RTL and currently hosts the popular show "Let’s Dance". The identity of the male host, which has not yet been revealed, continues to spark speculation after names such as Paul Pizzera, Philipp Hochmair, and Michael Niavarani have circulated in Austrian media since last summer. However, the man who will co-host alongside Victoria is described as an award-winning actor, author, and presenter...

Slovenia: Artists Bypass the Boycott on Israel and Head to Eurovision

January 28, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A surprising move: Slovenian artists circumvent the boycott on Israel and shake up Eurovision 2026, competing under other European flags. Recently, it was revealed that several Slovenian artists chose to ignore the boycott imposed by the Slovenian national broadcaster on Eurovision 2026. They plan to participate in the contest - but under the flags of other European countries. The move has triggered public uproar in Slovenia and sends a clear message: despite political attempts to silence them, music is stronger than political boycotts. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Slovenian Boycott and Withdrawal from Eurovision Slovenia announced its withdrawal from the competition scheduled to take place in Vienna as part of the boycott against Israel’s participation. The Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO claimed the decision followed public pressure, but several Slovenian artists opposed the move imposed upon them and found creative ways to reach the European stage. Eva Marija Represents Slovenia Through Luxembourg The first sign of the boycott’s collapse came last weekend from...

Ireland: Niamh Kavanagh Responds to Her Country’s Withdrawal Due to Israel’s Participation

January 27, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2026 controversy continues across Europe: Niamh Kavanagh, Ireland’s 1993 winner, responds to her country’s decision to boycott the contest due to Israel’s participation. Niamh Kavanagh, Ireland’s 1993 Eurovision winner with the song "In Your Eyes" and the country’s 2010 representative with "It’s For You", which placed 23rd, has openly addressed her country’s decision to boycott Eurovision 2026 amid the ongoing controversy following the EBU’s confirmation of Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, set to take place in Vienna, Austria on May 12th, 14th and 16th, 2026. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “I Respect RTÉ’s Decision” In an interview with the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ, Kavanagh shared her thoughts about Ireland’s withdrawal. The singer expressed respect for RTÉ’s decision to withdraw from the upcoming competition in Vienna due to Israel’s participation. She also reflected on the growing challenges faced by artists and delegations who must often address political questions unrelated to music or their performance at Eurovision. She said: “I respect RTÉ’s decision to withdraw before an...

Australia: “The Artist Will Be Revealed Soon – And You’ll Be Very Happy”

January 27, 2026January 27, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A dramatic report from Australia: Head of the national broadcaster SBS reveals in an interview that the country’s Eurovision 2026 representative in Vienna will be announced very soon – and promises Australians, “you’ll all be very happy with the choice”. Excitement is building in Australia, where many feel the country is preparing to pull out a particularly strong card for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. In an interview with the head of the Australian national broadcaster SBS, Natalie Edgar, new and exciting details were revealed about the Australian entrant for Vienna. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “You’ll All Be Happy” Natalie Edgar, head of the Australian national broadcaster SBS, revealed in an interview with the Australian site TV Tonight that the country’s 2026 Eurovision representative will be announced sooner than expected. She began the interview by referring to Eurovision 2026 and did not hide her excitement: “Australia has been broadcasting Eurovision for more than 40 years and began participating in 2015, when the contest took place in...

Bulgaria: Semi-Final Results of “Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026”

January 24, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eight contestants advanced to the final of “Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026” following last night's semi-final. See the full results below. Eight contestants out of fifteen have advanced to the grand final of "Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026", which will take place on Saturday, January 31st. During the event, Bulgaria will select its representative for Eurovision 2026, set to be held in Vienna, Austria. The show was broadcast by the national broadcaster BNT and hosted by Georgi Lyubenov, a well-known BNT television presenter, Boryana Gramatikova, a journalist and TV host, and Vladimira Ilieva, who presented from the green room. The interval acts featured beloved Bulgarian Eurovision stars: Krisia, Bulgaria’s Junior Eurovision 2014 representative, Kristian Kostov, the 2017 Eurovision representative, who brought Bulgaria its highest-ever second-place finish, and Victoria Georgieva, who represented Bulgaria in Eurovision 2020 and Eurovision 2021. The results were determined by a combined score of jury voting and audience votes on BNT’s official website. Initially, only seven finalists were planned to advance, but due to a...

Tonight at 20:00 CET: Luxembourg Selects its Entry for Eurovision 2026!

January 24, 2026February 14, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Watch: Live at 20:00 CET, "Luxembourg Song Contest 2026" will select Luxembourg’s entry for Eurovision 2026. Link to watch the live broadcast - Below! Tonight at 20:00 CET, “Luxembourg Song Contest 2026” will take place at the Rockhal concert hall in Esch-Sur-Alzette and will be broadcast live by the national broadcaster, RTL. Among the participants are “Luxembourg Song Contest 2025” contestant Luzac, and other notable names such as Daryss and Eva Marija. The winner will be chosen through a combined system of public voting (50%) and jury votes (50%) and will represent Luxembourg at Eurovision 2026, which will be held in Vienna, Austria. The show will be hosted by Hana Sofia Lopes, Raoul Roos, and Loïc Juchem. Both the jury and audience will contribute equally to the total points, and public points will be distributed proportionally based on each song’s percentage of votes. This year’s format returns to its 2024 setup, where after the first round of voting, the three highest-scoring contestants advance to a second round....

Finland: “UMK 2026” Songs Officially Revealed!

January 22, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland’s national broadcaster YLE has released all competing songs for “UMK 2026”. Listen to the full playlist online. Finland’s national broadcaster YLE has completed the unveiling of the seven songs competing in “UMK 2026”. From among these entries, one will be chosen to represent Finland at Eurovision 2026, set to take place in Vienna, Austria. “UMK 2026” is scheduled for February 28th, 2026, at the Nokia Arena in Tampere, southern Finland. The participating artists were officially announced last Wednesday, and their seven songs were released sequentially on weekdays from January 14th–22nd, at 23:00 CET (Midnight in Finland). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "UMK 2026": Official Lineup and Release Schedule These are the seven participants in "UMK 2026". Their songs will be released by the following order, day after day, from January 14th to January 22nd: Etta – "Million Dollar Smile" Linda Lampenius x Pete Paekkonen – "Liekinheitin" Komiat – "Lululai" Sinikka Monte – "Ready to Leave" Antti...

Silent boycott? One of “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026” songs is unavailable on Spotify in Israel

January 22, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The song “Can U Feel It?” by duo Late Runner appears in "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026" playlist on Spotify, but Israeli listeners are unable to stream it. Denmark revealed today (Thursday) the eight contestants in "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026", with all songs now available on streaming platforms. Alongside familiar names such as Sissal, Denmark’s Eurovision 2025 representative, Søren Torpegaard Lund, who competed in "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2023", and Sander Sanchez, runner-up in "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2020", the lineup also features several newcomers to international audiences. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The song “Can U Feel It?” by duo Late Runner was described on the Danish national broadcaster DR’s website as “An upbeat pop track centered on dance, community, and optimism. The duo, consisting of Asger Tarpgaard and Tanja Forsberg Simonsen, have performed together for nearly 30 years and previously achieved success with their bands Superheroes and Private. They describe “Can U Feel It?” as “a festive injection of vitamins C and D during a dark...

Eurovision 2026 Betting Odds: Israel Leads the Table After Choosing Noam Bettan

January 22, 2026 by Ilay GaistNo Comments

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A day after the final, Noam Bettan strengthens Israel’s lead in Eurovision 2026 betting odds, despite online attacks and renewed calls to disqualify the country from the competition. Just a day after the final of "HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2026", where Noam Bettan was chosen to represent Israel at Eurovision 2026, the betting tables have been updated — and Israel maintains its top position. Noam Betan, who secured first place in both the judges’ rankings and the public vote, now leads the betting odds to win the Eurovision Song Contest with a slight increase in probability. According to the latest figures, Israel’s odds have risen from 10% to 11%, keeping the country firmly at the top even after the representative’s identity was revealed. This marks an immediate success for Noam Bettan, solidifying his reputation as one of the standout names early in the Eurovision 2026 season, even before the official song selection. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Global Reactions: Praise and Backlash Alongside the surge in...

Denmark: “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026” Songs Revealed!

January 22, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Aiming for a second final in a row? Denmark’s national broadcaster DR has unveiled the eight contestants for "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026" set for February 14th. Sissal returns to try her luck again! Denmark has unveiled the eight contestants competing in "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026", and judging by the list, last year’s success — the country’s first qualification to the final since 2019 — seems to have rekindled its Eurovision ambitions. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026": Full Lineup Emil Otto - "Copenhagen Noir" Ericka Jane - "Death Of Me" Lasse Skriver - "Roaring Hearts" Late Runner - "Can U Feel It?" Myrkur - "Touch My Love And Die" Sander Sanchez - "Two Spirits" Sissal - "Infinity" Søren Torpegaard Lund - "Før vi går hjem" Click on the song title to listen! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Among The Contestants - Few Familiar Names: Sissal Hansen, Denmark’s Eurovision 2025 representative with the song “Hallucination” — she...