{"id":40911,"date":"2026-05-13T14:30:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/40911\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T14:30:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:30:14","slug":"%f0%9f%87%a6%f0%9f%87%b9-eurovision-2026-meet-the-artists-competing-in-semi-final-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/40911\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf9 Eurovision 2026: Meet The Artists Competing in Semi-Final Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Thursday night, fifteen countries will compete in Semi-Final Two of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Ahead of the contest, we\u2019ve made this handy guide to knowing who\u2019s representing which country and with what song.<\/p>\n

In the months leading up to now, we\u2019ve had the pleasure of speaking to several of this year\u2019s participants at numerous pre-parties. Check out our interviews\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf1 Albania: Alis \u2013 \u201cN\u00e2n\u201d
\n\"\"Alis performing N\u00e2n for Albania during the First Rehearsal at Wiener
Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Alma Bengtsson \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Festivali i K\u00ebng\u00ebs 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 Albanian
\nSongwriters \u2013 Alis Kalla\u00e7i, Desara Gjini
\nRunning order position \u2013 13th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Alis Kalla\u00e7i, better known as Alis, was born in Shkod\u00ebr in northern Albania. He studied piano at the Prenk Jakova Art School in Shkod\u00ebr.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Alis won the fifth season of\u00a0X Factor Albania. His coach on the show was Arilena Ara, who was due to represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. After his win, he released his debut single \u201cSe t\u00eb dua\u201d, a collaboration with Arilena Ara.<\/p>\n

In Decmeber 2024, Alis participated in Festivali i K\u00ebng\u00ebs 63 with \u201cMjegull\u201d. He finished third in the final.<\/p>\n

Alis was selected to represent Albania at Eurovision 2026 after winning Festivali i K\u00ebng\u00ebs 64. He won both the jury and public votes in the final.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf2 Armenia: Sim\u00f3n \u2013 \u201cPaloma Rumba\u201d
\n\"\"SIM\u00d3N performing Paloma Rumba for Armenia during the Second
Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Alma Bengtsson \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English (with some lines in Spanish)
\nSongwriters \u2013 David Tserunyan, Eva Voskanyan, Lilit Navasardyan and Roza Kostandyan
\nRunning order position \u2013 6th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Simon Hovhannisyan, better known as SIM\u00d3N, was born on August 9, 1994 in Hrazdan in central Armenia. He studied economics at university but he did not pursue the field professionally, instead focusing on music and dance.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Sim\u00f3n participated in Depi Evratesil, the Armenian selection for Eurovision 2025, with \u201cAy Paparey Bye\u201d. He won the Armenian and international jury votes and finished second overall. Later that year, he released his second single \u201cParanoia\u201d.<\/p>\n

The song that SIM\u00d3N will perform in Vienna is called \u201cPaloma Rumba\u201d. It was written by David Tserunyan, Eva Voskanyan, Lilit Navasardyan and Roza Kostandyan. Navasardyan wrote the Armenian entries for Eurovision 2016 and 2017, as well as for Junior Eurovision 2025. Roza Kostandyan, better known as Rosa Linn, represented Armenia in Eurovision 2022 with \u201cSnap\u201d.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Australia: Delta Goodrem \u2013 \u201cEclipse\u201d
\n\"\"Image Source: Corinne Cumming\/EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Delta Goodrem, Ferras Alqaisi, Jonas Myrin, Michael Fatkin
\nRunning order position \u2013 11th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Delta Goodrem was born on November 9, 1984 in Sydney. As a chlid, she appeared in several advertisements and had small television acting roles. She used the money from this work to record a demo CD, which led to her getting a record deal. Her debut single \u201cI Don\u2019t Care\u201d was released in 2001 but was unsuccessful, peaking at number 63 on the Australian Singles Chart.<\/p>\n

In 2002, Goodrem was cast as Nina Tucker on the popular Australian soap opera\u00a0Neighbours. Her next single \u201cBorn to Try\u201d was premiered on the show and reached number one in both Australia and New Zealand and was certified Triple Platinum in Australia, relaunching Goodrem\u2019s music career. Goodrem also won Most Popular New Talent at the 2003 Logie Awards, the Australian television awards.<\/p>\n

In January 2003, Goodrem released \u201cLost Without You\u201d, which became her second number one single in Australia. It also charted in the top 10 in New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In March of that year, she released her debut album \u201cInnocent Eyes\u201d. The album remained at number one in Australia for 29 consecutive weeks and was the best selling album of 2003 there.<\/p>\n

In July 2003, Goodrem was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphona, a form of cancer, forcing her to pause her career to receive treatment. Single releases continued, giving Goodrem five consecutive number ones and making her the first Australian artist to achieve five number one singles from the same album. Goodrem went on to win seven awards at the ARIA Music Awards, including Best Female Artist, breaking the record for most awards won in one night.<\/p>\n

In December 2003, Goodrem announced that her cancer was in remission and she resumed her career. In 2004, she released \u201cOut of the Blue\u201d, the first single from her second album \u201cMistaken Identity\u201d, which also reached number one in Australia. In 2005, she released \u201cAlmost Here\u201d, a duet with her then-boyfriend Brian McFadden of Westlife. The song became Goodrem\u2019s seventh number one single and her first number one single in Ireland. In July of the same year, she embarked on her first concert tour of Australia,\u00a0The Visualize Tour.<\/p>\n

In 2006, Goodrem performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2006 in Melbourne with \u201cTogether We Are One\u201d, a song written specifically for the event. The following year, she released her third album \u201cDelta\u201d. In 2008, she won Highest Selling Single at the ARIA Music Awards and Best Selling Australian Artist at the World Music Awards.<\/p>\n

In 2011, Goodrem was announced as one of the coaches on the Australian version of\u00a0The Voice. She remained a coach on the show for the first nine seasons, with the exception of season 3 and was a coach on the only series of\u00a0The Voice Kids\u00a0in 2014. Goodrem has several connections to Eurovision through the show. Guy Sebastian, who was a coach alongside Goodrem, represented Australia on their Eurovision debut in 2015. Boy George, who was also a coach, will represent San Marino alongside Senhit in this year\u2019s contest. Goodrem also wrote \u201cMy Girls\u201d, Australia\u2019s entry for Junior Eurovision 2015 and coached Jordan Anthony, who represented Australia at Junior Eurovision 2019.<\/p>\n

In 2012, while still on The Voice, Goodrem released her fourth album \u201cChild of the Universe\u201d. It is the single \u201cSitting on Top of the World\u201d, which was certified double platinum in Australia.<\/p>\n

In 2015, Goodrem released \u201cOnly Human\u201d a single to coincide with her return as Nina Tucker to\u00a0Neighbours\u00a0to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Later that year, she released \u201cWings\u201d, her first number one single in eight years. The same year, she made her musical theatre debut as Grizabella in an Australian version of\u00a0Cats. In 2016, she released her fifth album \u201cWings of the Wild\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2020, Goodrem released the charity single \u201cLet It Rain\u201d in aid of those affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia. At the end of the year, she released a surprise Christmas album \u201cOnly Santa Knows\u201d. In 2021, she released her most recent album \u201cBridge Over Troubled Dreams\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Goodrem went on her first headline tour of Europe, performing in eight countries. The same year, she starred as the lead in the Netflix film\u00a0Love Is in the Air.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddff Azerbaijan: Jiva \u2013 \u201cJust Go\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"JIVA performing Just Go for Azerbaijan during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English & Azerbaijani
\nSongwriters \u2013 Fuad Javadov, Mads Enggaard
\nRunning order position \u2013 2nd in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Jamila Hashimova, better known as JIVA, was born on September 9, 1982 in Moscow in Russia to Azerbaijani parents. She later moved to Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n

JIVA began her career in 2003, after finishing second in the Baku Autumn contest. In 2007, she participated in\u00a0Show Time, and in 2011, she participated in\u00a0Milli Se\u00e7im Turu 2011, the Azerbaijani selection for Eurovision 2011.<\/p>\n

JIVA has participated in several festivals in Azerbaijan and abroad, like the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and Zhara Fest in Baku. In 2025, she won the third season of\u00a0S\u0259s Az\u0259rbaycan\u00a0(The Voice of Azerbaijan).<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddec Bulagria: Dara \u2013 \u201cBangaranga\u201d
\n\"\"DARA performing Bangaranga for Bulgaria during the Second Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Alma Bengtsson \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Anne Judith Wik, Cristian Tarcea, Darina Yotova\u00a0(Dara), Dimitris Kontopoulos
\nRunning order position \u2013 1st in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Darina Nikolaeva Yotova, better known as DARA, was born on September 8, 1998 in Varna in eastern Bulgaria. She first came to public attention after finishing third on the fourth series of\u00a0X Factor\u00a0in 2015. The artist who finished second in the same series was Kristian Kostov, who represented Bulgaria in Eurovision 2017.<\/p>\n

After her appearance on\u00a0X Factor, Yotova signed a record deal and adopted the stage name DARA. Her debut single \u201cK\u2019vo ne chu\u201d was released in 2016 and was an instant success in Bulgaria. An English version of the song \u201cOnto You\u201d was also recorded.<\/p>\n

Over the next few years, DARA continued to release multiple singles including \u201cRodena takava\u201d, which became her first number one single on the Bulgarian Airplay Chart, \u201cNedei\u201d and \u201cNyama da si tragnesh s drug\u201d, a collaboration with hip-hop duo Pavell and Venci Venc\u2019.<\/p>\n

In 2020, DARA took part in\u00a0Kato dve kapki voda, the Bulgarian version of\u00a0Your Face Sounds Familiar. She finished third in the final.<\/p>\n

In 2021, DARA became a coach on the eighth season of\u00a0The Voice of Bulgaria. She has been a coach on every season since and has been the winning coach twice.<\/p>\n

In 2022, DARA released her debut album \u201cRodena takava\u201d. The same year, she released the single \u201cMr. Rover\u201d, which was later covered by Kai, a South Korean singer and member of the K-Pop boyband Exo. DARA\u2019s most recent album \u201cAdhdara\u201d, was released in 2025.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfe Cyprus: Antigoni \u2013 \u201cJalla\u201d
\n\"\"Antigoni performing JALLA for Cyprus during the Second Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Alma Bengtsson \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English & Greek
\nSongwriters \u2013 Antigoni Buxton, Connor Mullally-Knight, Klejdi Lupa, Paris Kalpos, Trey Qua, Charalambos Kallona, Demetris Nikolaou
\nRunning order position \u2013 8th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Antigoni Buxton, better known simply as Antigoni, was born on March 9, 1996 in London in the United Kingdom to Greek Cypriot parents. In 2022, she competed in the eighth season of the British reality show\u00a0Love Island.<\/p>\n

Antigoni released her first single \u201c2 Steps\u201d in 2019. After releasing some more singles, she released her first EP \u201cA1\u201d in 2020. Her second and most recent EP \u201cHexagon\u201d was released in 2023.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddff Czechia: Daniel \u017di\u017eka \u2013 \u201cCrossroads\u201d
\n\"\"Daniel Zizka performing Crossroads for Czechia during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Daniel \u017di\u017eka, Viliam B\u00e9re\u0161
\nRunning order position \u2013 5th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Daniel \u017di\u017eka was born in Prague. He initially studied musical theatre at the Jaroslav Je\u017eek Conservatory, but eventually started writing and performing his own music.<\/p>\n

\u017di\u017eka released his debut single \u201cPierrot\u201d in 2023. He has since released more singles over the following years, such as \u201cTalk\u201d and \u201c23:23\u201d. The Czech magazine\u00a0Headliner\u00a0described \u017di\u017eka as one of the future talents of the Czech music scene. He is currently working on his debut EP.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddf0 Denmark: S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund \u2013 \u201cF\u00f8r vi g\u00e5r hjem\u201d
\n\"\"S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund performing F\u00f8r Vi G\u00e5r Hjem for Denmark during the Second Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Alma Bengtsson \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Melodi Grand Prix 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 Danish
\nSongwriters \u2013 Clara Sofie Fabricius, S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund, Thomas Meilstrup, Valdemar Littauer Bendixen
\nRunning order position \u2013 10th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund was born in Gudme on December 23, 1998 and grew up in the Svendborg Municipality, in Southern Denmark.<\/p>\n

He received his first trainings in theatre, dance, and music during his school years. At the age of 17 he was accepted to the\u00a0Musicalakademiet, a branch of the Danish Stage Arts School, where he would graduate with a bachelor\u2019s degree in 2019. From that moment on S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund began working as a musical performer, most notably playing the lead role of Tony in\u00a0West Side Story\u00a0at the Copenhagen Opera House between 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n

S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund is not new to the stage of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix: in 2023 he took part to the same competition with \u201cLige her\u201d, failing to qualify for the superfinal. However, 2023 was also the year when he released his first self-authored single, \u201cStor kunst\u201d. A year later, in October 2024, he released his debut EP, \u201c\u00d8jesten\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2024, S\u00f8ren Torpegaard Lund was nominated for the Danish Rainbow Awards in the category \u201cArtist of the Year\u201d. This award is given to a person or group who, through sports, music, dance or acting, has pushed boundaries in or for the LGBT+ community.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddfb Latvia: Latvia: Atvara \u2013 \u201c\u0112n\u0101\u201d
\n\"\"Atvara performing Ena for Latvia during the Second Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Alma Bengtsson \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Supernova 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 Latvian
\nSongwriters \u2013 J\u0101nis Ja\u010dmenkins, Liene Atvara
\nRunning order position \u2013 9th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Liene St\u016brmane, better known as Atvara, was born on April 2, 1993 in Liep\u0101ja in western Latvia. After being enrolled in a music school by her mother, she went on to study conducting and jazz and pop singing.<\/p>\n

Between 2012 and 2013, Atvara worked as a television presenter on shows such as\u00a0Dziedo\u0161\u0101s \u0123imenes\u00a0and\u00a0Koru kari.<\/p>\n

In 2017, Atvara participated in the first season of\u00a0X Faktors. She made it past the audition stage but was not selected for the live show. After working as an English teacher, she moved to Copenhagen to study at the Danish School of Media and Journalism in 2019. She then returned to Latvia and started working in marketing for digital content creators, including the Latvian radio station Star FM.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Atvara released her debut single \u201cPie manis tveries\u201d. The song was very successful and received over 2 million views on TikTok. It was later included in the Latvian television series\u00a0Nel\u016bgtie viesi.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Atvara collaborated with Intars Busulis, who represented Latvia in Eurovision 2009, on the song \u201cVai dr\u012bkst k\u0101pt dzi\u013c\u0101k\u201d. The same year, she embarked on her first national tour of Latvia, with 20 sold out dates across the country. She also released her debut album \u201cVol.1 Vai dzirdi, k\u0101 br\u016bces dz\u012bst\u201d, which includes \u201cDz\u012bve m\u016bs m\u0113t\u0101\u201d, which finished tenth in the annual\u00a0Muzik\u0101l\u0101 banka\u00a0award.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddfa Luxembourg: Eva Marija \u2013 \u201cMother Nature\u201d
\n\"\"Eva Marija performing Mother Nature for Luxembourg during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Luxembourg Song Contest 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Eva Marija, Kill J, Maria Broberg, Thomas Stengaard
\nRunning order position \u2013 4th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Eva Marija Kava\u0161 Puc, better known as Eva Marija, was born in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, on December 24, 2005. Her parents are Slovenian from Ljubljana and Beltinci, who emigrated to Luxembourg in 2003 for their work at European Union institutions.<\/p>\n

Eva Marija\u2019s approach to music and to the Eurovision Song Contest started very early, as she states that she fell in love with the violin after watching Alexander Rybak\u2019s winning performance of \u201cFairytale\u201d at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Since that moment, she went on to pursue a multi-disciplinary path at the\u00a0Conservatoire de Luxembourg, studying violin, singing, piano and bass guitar, ranging across genres from jazz and classical to pop\/rock.<\/p>\n

In October 2025, the Luxembourgish broadcaster RTL announced that Eva Marija had been selected to compete as a finalist in the third edition of the Luxembourg Song Contest with the song \u201cMother Nature\u201d. She would go on to win both the jury and public vote in the final, scoring 222 points. As a result, she won the right to represent Luxembourg at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddf9 Malta: Aidan \u2013 \u201cBella\u201d
\n\"\"AIDAN performing Bella for Malta during the Second Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 MESC 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 English, Maltese, some words in Italian
\nSongwriters \u2013 Aidan Cassar, Joep Van Den Boom, Sarah Bonnici
\nRunning order position \u2013 14th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Aidan Cassar, better known as Aidan, was born on December 17, 1999 in \u017bejtun in southern Malta. In 2015, he participated in the Malta Junior Eurovision Song Contest, the Maltese selection for Junior Eurovision 2015. The same year, he released his debut single \u201cRule the World\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Aidan participated in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest for the first time. He finished fourth in the final with \u201cDai Laga\u201d. The same year, he participated in the first season of X Factor Malta, where he was eliminated at the Judges\u2019 Houses stage.<\/p>\n

In 2019, Aidan released the single \u201cThe Feeling\u201d, which reached number 1 on the Maltese Domestic Airplay Chart. Aidan achieved 12 number one singles to date. In 2021, he released his first single in Maltese \u201cNa\u0127seb Fik\u201d. The song won Best Music Video at Lovin Malta Social Media Awards later that year.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Aidan finished second in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest with \u201cRitmu\u201d. Following this, he performed at several Eurovision pre-parties and was the Maltese spokesperson for Eurovision 2022.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Aidan released his debut album \u201cThis is Aidan\u201d. He was due to participate in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest the same year but was disqualified following social media posts about his song that were not allowed under contest rules. His second studio album \u201cCowboys Don\u2019t Cry\u201d was released on March 20.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf4 Norway: Jonas Lovv \u2013 \u201cYa ya ya\u201d
\n\"\"JONAS LOVV performing YA YA YA for Norway during the Second
Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Melodi Grand Prix 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Sondre Skaftun, Jonas Lovv
\nRunning order position \u2013 15th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Jonas Lovv, short for Jonas Lovv Helles\u00f8y, was born in Bergen, Western Norway, on September 8, 1994. From 2014 to 2020 Jonas was the frontman of the Bergen-based band\u00a0Shuffle Baby, with which he auditioned to the TV show\u00a0Idol.<\/p>\n

From 2020, Jonas Lovv has been releasing several singles and one EP. He became known to the wider public in 2025, when he participated in the tenth season of The Voice Norway, reaching the semi-final. Since that moment, Jonas has been performing on some of Norway\u2019s largest festival stages.<\/p>\n

Jonas Lovv was one of the artists that were announced by the Norwegian broadcaster NRK as part of the line-up for Melodi Grand Prix 2026. During the competition he received the maximum amount of points from both the jury and the televote, earning the right to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with the entry \u201cYa ya ya\u201d.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4 Romania: Alexandra C\u0103pit\u0103nescu \u2013 \u201cChoke Me\u201d
\n\"\"Alexandra Capitanescu performing Choke Me for Romania during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Selec\u021bia Na\u021bional\u0103 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Alexandra C\u0103pit\u0103nescu, C\u0103lin-Alexandru Gr\u0103jdan, Elvis-Claudiu Silitr\u0103, \u0218tefan Condrea
\nRunning order position \u2013 3rd in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Alexandra C\u0103pit\u0103nescu was born on July 31, 2003 in Gala\u021bi in eastern Romania. She started studying singing and piano at the age of 10. She graduated from the Faculty of Physics in Bucharest.<\/p>\n

In 2023, C\u0103pit\u0103nescu participated in the eleventh season of\u00a0Vocea Rom\u00e2niei\u00a0and won. The following year, she released her debut EP \u201cC\u0103pitanu\u2019\u201d. Since January of this year, she has been a temporary member of the folk-metal band E-an-na.<\/p>\n

Alexandra C\u0103pit\u0103nescu was selected to represent Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 after winning\u00a0Selec\u021bia na\u021bional\u0103 2026. She received the highest points from five members of the seven-member jury.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udded Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro \u2013 \u201cAlice\u201d
\n\"\"Veronica Fusaro performing \u201cAlice\u201d for Switzerland during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Corinne Cumming \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Charlie McClean, Veronica Fusaro
\nRunning order position \u2013 7th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

Veronica Fusaro was born and raised in Thun, Switzerland. She first gained national attention in 2014 on The Voice Switzerland, where she reached the knockout stage as part of Stefanie Heinzmann\u2019s team.<\/p>\n

In 2016, she was awarded Demo of the Year by the Demotape Clinic and named Best Talent of the Month by SRF 3. Her breakthrough followed in 2019 with the single \u201cRollercoaster\u201d, which received widespread radio airplay across Switzerland.<\/p>\n

Fusaro has also performed at major festivals including Glastonbury Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. She describes her music as a blend of pop with elements of soul and rock.<\/p>\n

Fuasro released her debut album\u00a0All the Colors of the Sky\u00a0in 2023 and followed it with\u00a0Looking for Connection\u00a0in October 2025.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 Ukraine: Lel\u00e9ka \u2013 \u201cRidnym\u201d
\n\"\"LEL\u00c9KA performing Ridnym for Ukraine during the Second Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Vidbir 2026
\nLanguage \u2013 English, Ukranian
\nSongwriters \u2013 Adama Cefalu, Jakob Hegner, Viktoria Lel\u00e9ka, Yaroslav Dzhus
\nRunning order position \u2013 12th in Semi-Final Two<\/p>\n

LEL\u00c9KA is actually an Ukrainian-German\u00a0band founded in Berlin in 2016 that blends Ukrainian folklore elements with modern jazz. The ensemble is a music project of Viktoria Leleka, singer-songwriter and lead of the group, who is however going to represent Ukraine as a soloist.<\/p>\n

Viktoria Leleka was born in Pershotravensk, in the Dnipropetrovsk province, on November 10, 1990. She graduated in acting and performing arts from the Karpenko-Karyi Theatre University in Kyiv and initially went on to work as an actress at the Molodyi Theatre, in the Ukrainian capital. Later she completed her education in Germany, earning a second degree in jazz vocals, as well as a master\u2019s degree in composition.<\/p>\n

From 2016 to 2018 she participated in a large number of competitions and won prizes, both solo and with the group, such as the StuVo Jazz Contest, the Creole \u2013 Global Music Contest, and the European Young Jazz Talent Award at the Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen.<\/p>\n

The band released their first EP, Lel\u00e9ka, in 2017, their debut album \u201cTuman\u201d, and their second album, \u201cSontse u sertsi\u201d, in 2021. In 2020, they wrote and produced the music for the Ukrainian historical television series\u00a0\u201cThere will be people\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Viktoria Leleka launched the pop and electronic music project \u201cDonbasgrl\u201d, debuting with the single \u201cZbroia\u201d, based on a poem by Lesya Ukrainka.<\/p>\n

The pre-qualified finalists who will be taking to the stage in Semi-Final Two are UK, France, and Austria. You can find out more about their acts below.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf9 Austria: Cosm\u00f3 \u2013 \u201cTanzschein\u201d
\n\"\"COSM\u00d3 performing Tanzschein for Austria during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Corinne Cumming \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Vienna Calling \u2013 Wer singt f\u00fcr \u00d6sterreich?
\nLanguage \u2013 German
\nSongwriters \u2013 Benjamin Gedeon (Cosmo), Elias Stejskal, Ella Stern
\nRunning order position \u2013 After Cyprus in 8th position<\/p>\n

Benjamin Gedeon, better known as Cosm\u00f3, is an Austrian singer and songwriter that was born on June 18, 2006 in Budapest, Hungary. He grew up in Halbturn, in Burgenland, the most eastern state of Austria, where he was exposed to music at a very young age.<\/p>\n

He started attending early musical education at the age of four at the Neusiedl am See Central Music School. Two years later, Cosm\u00f3 began piano lessons at the same school; however, it wasn\u2019t until 13 years of age that he started taking taking singing lessons. Around this age, he also began composing melodies and writing lyrics.<\/p>\n

In 2020 Cosm\u00f3 auditioned for The Voice Kids Germany, but was eliminated after the second round. He came back in 2022 and reached the final under the coaching of the singer \u00c1lvaro Soler and, as a result, Cosm\u00f3 was able to performe at two of Soler\u2019s concerts that year.<\/p>\n

In 2021 he entered\u00a0podium.jazz.pop.rock\u2026, the competition for young musicians from Burgenland. He won the contest with his self-composed piece \u201cFall into your arms\u201d. He started publishing his first singles in 2022, and last year he also released his very first EP, \u201cFrom my room\u201d.<\/p>\n

Cosm\u00f3 was selected to represent Austria on home soil at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 on February 20, after winning\u00a0Vienna Calling \u2013 Who Will Sing for Austria?\u00a0with \u201cTanzschein\u201d. He placed second with the juries, receiving 10 points, and first with the televote, winning the competition with a set of 22 points.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 France: Monroe \u2013 \u201cRegarde !\u201d
\n\"\"Monroe performing Regarde ! for France during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 French
\nSongwriters \u2013 Christopher Cohen, Fred Savio, Fredie Marche, Maxime Morise
\nRunning order position \u2013 After Czechia in 5th position<\/p>\n

Monroe Vata Rigby, better known simply as Monroe, was born on November 19, 2008 in Salt Lake City in the United States. Her mother is French of Congolese descent and her father is American. She began singing after joining her church choir. She later learned to play piano.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Monroe competed in the eleventh season of\u00a0Prodiges, a France 2 show for classical dance and music. She won the show and received a scholarship for \u20ac10,000. She released her self-titled debut album in November 2025, which featured classical pieces and crossover songs. She scheduled to go on tour around France from this month until October. She recently performed with Amercian singer Josh Groban at his concert in Paris.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 UK: Look Mum No Computer \u2013 \u201cEins, Zwei, Drei\u201d
\n\"\"LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER performing Eins, Zwei, Drei for United Kingdom during the First Rehearsal at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna 2026. Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett \/ EBU<\/p>\n

Facts:<\/p>\n

Selection method \u2013 Internal selection
\nLanguage \u2013 English
\nSongwriters \u2013 Kill J, Lasse Midtsian Nymann, Sam Battle\u00a0(Look Mum No Computer), Thomas Stengaard
\nRunning order position \u2013 After Ukraine in 12th position<\/p>\n

Sam Battle, better known as Look Mum No Computer, was born in Grantham in northern England. As a child, he showed a strong interest in mechanics.<\/p>\n

In 2013, Battle set up his YouTube channel, which was originally used as a platform for the band Zibra, for which he was the frontman. Zibra performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2015.<\/p>\n

In 2019, Battle released his first solo single \u201cGroundhog Day\u201d. This was his first release under the name Look Mum No Computer. His stage name comes from the fact that he builds analog synthesisers, which work without a computer.<\/p>\n

Look Mum No Computer\u2019s YouTube channel has received over 84 million views to date and he has 1.4 million followers across various social media platforms. The YouTube features music and videos on unusual inventions, including an organ made of Furby toys, the world\u2019s largest drone synthesiser (for which he holds a world record) and his custom-built modular synthesiser \u201cKosmo\u201d.<\/p>\n

Look Mum No Computer also runs a museum called \u201cThis Museum Is (Not) Obsolete\u201d in Ramsgate on the southeast coast of England. The museum his personal builds alongside donated historical pieces, and visitors are encouraged to interact with obsolete technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On Thursday night, fifteen countries will compete in Semi-Final Two of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40912,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20858],"tags":[20859,20860,2788,26272],"class_list":["post-40911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-eurovision","tag-eurovision","tag-eurovision-song-contest-2026","tag-headline","tag-semi-final-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}