Two more countries have selected their representatives for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026: Austria picked COSMÓ with the song Tanzschein, and Belgium will be represented by ESSYLA with the song Dancing on the Ice.

I had club experience where I was so excited to finally go out – and suddenly no one was dancing. And the song tells of clubs that are dancing again… The Eurovision Song Contest is my big dream. As a child I watched Conchita Wurst’s victory on TV, and then last year I won JJ. These were moments filled with adrenaline and pure joy for me

– COSMÓ

COSMÓ: The Road to Eurovision

COSMÓ is a performer of Hungarian origin who grew up in Burgenland and currently lives in Vienna. His stage name reflects a dream of an open world and a fascination with the cosmos. He plays guitar and piano, takes vocal lessons from an opera singer from Graz. In 2022 COSMÓ reached the final of The Voice Kids. Since the summer of 2025 he has been writing songs with the producer and drummer Garish Marcus Pemero and founded the band The Thumbs for live performances and studio recordings. At Eurovision COSMÓ aims to inspire viewers to dance and to share love through music.

ESSYLA and the Belgian entry

Belgium at Eurovision will be represented by ESSYLA with the song Dancing on the Ice. On February 19, the Belgian broadcaster RTBF announced the name of the performer and the title of the song she will bring to Vienna in May. The entry will be the song Dancing on the Ice, featuring ESSYLA – Nicolas d’Avell and Émile Stengel.

ESSYLA is from Perwez; she became known to viewers when she reached the final of the ninth season of The Voice Belgium. At a young age she founded her own band and aims to develop her vocal at IMEP in Namur, refining her artistic identity.

The song Dancing on the Ice was written by ESSYLA together with Nicolas d’Avell and Émile Stengel, and the lyrics by ESSYLA and Barbara Petijan. The music video premiered on the Eurovision YouTube channel.

With her song, ESSYLA aims to convey a message of hope to the youth, her optimism and ability to chart her own path. She is from Perwez and became known after the finale of the sixth season of The Voice Belgium and developed her vocal skills at IMEP in Namur, forming her own band and focusing on further development.

Eurovision 2026 in Vienna

The seventieth Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place in Vienna after JJ’s victory with the song Wasted Love at Eurovision 2025. The grand final is scheduled for May 16, 2026, with the semifinals on May 12 and 14 at Wiener Stadthalle, the largest indoor arena in Austria. Thirty-five countries will participate, with 30 competing in the semifinals; Ukraine will perform in the second semifinal. The final will include the 20 semifinal winners, with the Big Five countries and the previous year’s winner – Austria – automatically advancing to the final. Spain has declined to participate this year for the first time in the history of the contest. Ireland and the Netherlands also declined to participate – in solidarity with Israel. Germany expressed support and hinted that it might also withdraw if Israel is excluded.

This year there are understandably many changes and intrigue around Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, where COSMÓ and ESSYLA represent Austria and Belgium respectively. The events continue to shape the contest’s storyline, promising a packed schedule and bright performances on Europe’s main stage.