News Archives - Page 140 of 271

Approaching a Compromise: Sanremo Festival Expected to Remain in the City Until at Least 2028

August 17, 2025 by Maor Heumann Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After months of uncertainty, RAI and the Municipality of Sanremo are set to sign a three-year agreement with an option for further renewal, ensuring the festival's continuation in the city. The Italian national broadcaster, RAI, and the Municipality of Sanremo, are close to signing a deal that will guarantee the Sanremo Festival remains at its traditional venue until 2028, with an option to extend for an additional two years, according to Italian media reports and statements from officials in both organizations. The agreement is expected to be finalized in early September, ending a prolonged period of uncertainty regarding the future of this major event in Italian culture, which also serves as the official pre-selection for the country’s Eurovision representative. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Uncertainty and Breakdown Between the Parties In recent months, heated discussions have taken place between RAI and the Municipality of Sanremo, with scenarios where the festival-drawing top musicians and millions of...

Eurovision’s Winning Formula: National Final or Internal Selection?

August 16, 2025September 4, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); What’s the best way to select a winning Eurovision song? In the first article of our series, we reveal surprising data on national finals vs. internal selections. Article by Ilay Gaist and Noy Yehoyada. Every year, with the revival of the Eurovision season, thousands of viewers, fans, and professional jurors attempt to crack the code how to win at Eurovision: what is the secret formula that brings a country to first place? Is there an advantage in selecting an artist internally, or does a dazzling and authentic national final hold the edge? What stories lie behind these different choices, and why do some countries decide to break with tradition and switch strategies? In our “Eurovision Formula” series, we dive deep into historical data. In this article, we examine one of the most intriguing aspects - the selection method and its impact on the journey to the contest’s prestigious glass trophy. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Selection Systems: National Finals, Internal...

The Conflict Out of Control: Miriana Conte vs Taylor Swift

August 16, 2025 by Ronnie Glik Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision star Miriana Conte sparked global outrage after calling Taylor Swift’s music "vanilla" on Instagram, igniting a fierce fan war between Eurovision fans and Swifties. The Maltese Eurovision star, Miriana Conte, sparked a global storm on social media following her controversial comment about the musical style of international pop icon Taylor Swift. The Maltese singer was asked on her Instagram account what she thinks of one of the leading singers in the global music industry. How did a single Instagram response manage to ignite a war between two large fan communities—the European Eurovision community and the millions of loyal Taylor Swift fans? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Miriana Conte is a young Maltese singer who represented Malta in Eurovision 2025 with the song “Serving.” She finished 17th with 83 points from the judges but only 8 from the audience, breaking a three-year streak in which Malta failed to reach the final. Her song was deemed one of the most provocative in the...

List of Countries Confirmed So Far: Who Will Participate in Eurovision 2026?

August 15, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2026: Which countries have already announced participation? Who is threatening to withdraw? And which nations might surprise this year? While the Eurovision 2026 season has not officially begun - the official starting date is September 1st, 2025 - we are already seeing the first waves of excitement and initial participant lists emerging. The festive music occasion, marking its 70th anniversary, is currently in the early stages of preparation, with Austria set to host the upcoming competition. However, the central question at the moment is: Will Eurovision be held in Innsbruck or Vienna? The final answer will be delivered in the coming days by the Austrian national broadcaster, and the official host announcement is expected to be an intriguing surprise before the season opening. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Current List of Participating Countries Although the final registration deadline has not yet passed, at this stage, 23 countries have expressed interest in joining the next competition. Among the countries already in the race: ...

Eurovision 2025: Tommy Cash Releases a New Song, and Ignites Controversy!

August 15, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Tommy Cash, who captivated audiences at Eurovision 2025, has recently released a new song, stirring up controversy on the international stage. During his performance at the Red Valley Festival in Olbia, Italy, singer Tommy Cash, Estonia’s representative to Eurovision 2025, surprised the audience with the premiere of a new song. Performed in Italian, like the Eurovision entry “Espresso Macchiato”, the song rekindled debate in Italy about the artist. The new single once again explores Italian stereotypes - coffee, mortadella, pop culture references, and nods to actor Roberto Benigni. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Possible Preparation for a Eurovision Comeback? The artist, whose Eurovision song ignited controversy in Italy, continues to delve into Italian culture in his music. While his initial foray may have seemed like provocation, it’s now evident to fans that Tommy Cash’s connection to Italy is deepening. In past interviews, he has expressed his love for the country, becoming a frequent guest at local festivals. Moreover, his...

Revealed: Ireland’s Participation Costs for Eurovision 2025

August 15, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Irish national broadcaster discloses the expenses invested in Ireland’s Eurovision delegation. Is the amount high compared to other countries? EMMY, Ireland’s representative for Eurovision 2025, finished only in 13th place in the second semi-final. This marks a return to the country’s familiar pattern of missing the final - a trend broken only once since 2018. Now, the costs of Ireland’s participation have been revealed - approximately €385,761. This amount covered a large delegation of 19 people who stayed in Basel. It is about ₪16,700 less than last year’s Irish delegation expenses in Malmö. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Flights for EMMY and her team were booked in economy class and cost €7,503. Ground transportation cost €1,407, bringing the total transportation expenditure to €8,910. Accommodation in Basel came to roughly €50,785, while meals and daily living expenses during the stay added another €12,079. The mandatory participation fee to the EBU was €100,270. This payment, required by the EBU, secures broadcasting rights for...

The Vanished Video: Why Did Austria Remove the Eurovision 2026 Schedule?

August 15, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, published and then quickly removed a video with the 2026 Eurovision schedule, raising questions about the conflict involving Israel and potential participant withdrawals. Yesterday (August 14th), the Austrian national broadcaster ORF published a video presenting the anticipated schedule for Eurovision 2026. Soon after its release on ORF’s official Instagram page, the video was removed from the social network. Among the events revealed, the video included the date for the announcement of participating countries, the ticket sale launch, and even the start date for stage construction. But why was the video taken down? More details can be found below. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Austrian broadcaster's decision to remove the video triggered significant speculation. One theory is that the contest’s organizers decided to bring forward the announcement of the participating countries for Eurovision 2026 to September, whereas in previous years the official list was only revealed in November or December. Moving the announcement date earlier...

Sweden: Song Submission Window for Melodifestivalen Opens on August 18th

August 15, 2025August 15, 2025 by Neta Geffen Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Swedish national broadcaster SVT has published the rules for the Melodifestivalen 2026, Sweden's Eurovision selection contest, and announced the song submission period. How will Sweden's entry for Eurovision 2026 be selected? The process for selecting Sweden's entry for Eurovision 2026 is underway: The Swedish national broadcaster SVT has released the participation rules for Melodifestivalen 2026, the nation's famous pre-Eurovision contest. The song submission window runs from August 18th to September 12th, 2025, with thirty songs competing for the honor of representing Sweden - one of Eurovision's most successful countries, boasting seven impressive victories. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); How Will Sweden's Eurovision Entry Be Chosen? The contest, held from February to March, features five heats, each with six songs vying for a spot in the grand final. Twelve songs will compete in the final, where only one will earn the right to represent Sweden at Eurovision 2026 in Austria. The winner is determined by a combination of international jury panels...

“We Missed a Huge Opportunity”: Will MaNga Return to the Contest?

August 14, 2025 by Shahar Asido Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The band MaNga, a former Turkish Eurovision representative, revealed in an interview that they are considering a comeback. Is Turkey set to return after 13 years of absence? Members of the band MaNga, who represented Turkey at Eurovision 2010, stated in an interview that if Turkey decides to return in the future, they would consider taking part; even if not, they believe the country must return to the contest. "Turkey definitely needs to participate. We feel we missed a huge opportunity there. In terms of cultural exchange, it's a very important experience". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Return Driven by a Feeling of Missed Opportunity – or Abstention Due to Intensity? The band, who reached second place for Turkey at Eurovision 2010 with the song "We Could Be The Same" discussed their outstanding achievement and the highest placement by Turkey since its 2003 win in an interview with Hürriyet's YouTube channel: "After the singer Sertab Erener, we reached one...

Eurovision 2026: Participating Countries to Be Announced in September

August 14, 2025August 14, 2025 by Tal Dahan Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria’s national broadcaster revealed the timeline for the Eurovision 2026 participants list, ticket sales, semi-final draw, and more. How does it compare to previous years? Austria’s national broadcaster ORF has released a special video unveiling the timeline for several major events in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Austria. In a surprising move, the list of participating countries will be revealed earlier than expected — in September. This is in contrast to previous years, when the list was typically unveiled later, around December. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ticket Sales for Eurovision 2026 – Starting in December The broadcaster revealed in the video that ticket sales for Eurovision 2026 will begin in December. This is expected to be the first sales phase, with another round likely to follow. Ahead of Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Swiss national broadcaster SRG SSR scheduled the first wave of ticket sales for January 29, 2025 - one...