Day 8: Of good voices and proper acts from the Big Five!

It’s the end of the individual rehearsals every year: those of the Big Five. And every year it is the disappointment of a group of countries that seem to be unable to bring anything good to the stage. Last year there was already a noticeable change in this, but this year the countries really surprise!

Rehearsals Big Five

FRANCE: For the first time since 1996, the Breton language can be heard at the Eurovision Song Contest. Back then France finished at the bottom. That won’t happen now, but the act made quite a messy impression during rehearsals. The points will really have to come in thanks to the song and enthusiasm of Alvan and Ahez.

ITALY: The performance of Italy, now that Blanco is around, is rather disappointing. This is mainly due to the poor vocals of both. Mahmood is dressed in black, Blanco in white and there is a lot of light. But that doesn’t help much if the vocals remain as bad as they are now. However, our friends from songfestivalweblog.nl remember that Mahmood did not excel during the rehearsals in 2019 either, but when it came to the jury final and the final, he really showed his best. Perhaps that will happen again three years later.

UNITED KINGDOM: Sam Ryder stands amid scaffolding singing his song. And that is all he needs for this song. His strong voice seems to be enough for a very high score, something for which the British have to go way back. The British will also finally experience that you can end up high with a good song.

SPAIN: We remember the act, in which singing and dancing are combined, from the Spanish national final. This usually has an effect on the singer’s voice. Not so with Chanel. Because with this performance she proves that she is more, much more than an average pop singer. Like the British, the Spaniards can look forward to the festival with confidence.

GERMANY: With guitar and drum machine Malik Harris manages to show an act that is not bad at all. As far as vocals go, Malik continues to do well. The act is not directly in the top-5 with the bookmakers, and the song is perhaps just a bit too anonymous for that. One thing is certain: Germany is also out of the lower regions this year.

Conclusion: unlike in previous years, the Big Five seem to be doing reasonably well this year and there is even a potential winner. Has MĂĄneskin’s win brought new impetus to these five countries? Who’ knows…?

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Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. Belgium has officially joined the list of 2026 participants, and Israel intends to take part. The EBU shared a statement after recent discussions. Luxembourg, Austria, and Denmark opened their national selection processes. Meanwhile, two Austrian cities exited the host city race, while two others moved forward with formal bids. Belgium Confirms, Israel Plans to Participate Belgium confirmed its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Broadcaster RTBF announced the decision and will later decide how it will choose its entry. The Flemish broadcaster VRT will not be in charge this time, following the usual alternation. source: escspot 📷 EBU/Sarah Bennett Israel also intends to take part. Public broadcaster KAN said preparations are underway for next year’s contest in Austria. Although discussions about Israel’s role in Eurovision have drawn attention recently, KAN made its stance clear. Israel joins over a dozen broadcasters that have already declared their intention to participate.  EBU Responds with Statement after Assembly The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) addressed recent concerns about Eurovision’s direction. During the General Assembly in London, members shared their views on the contest’s growing challenges in a complex global climate. The EBU released a statement afterward, recognizing that participation questions have become more sensitive and complicated. Broadcasters voiced many opinions and expressed support for KAN’s independence, especially under political pressure. To move forward, the EBU brought in a former senior television executive to lead a structured dialogue with its members. This process will include further discussions and a report with recommendations, expected in the autumn. Countries Start Their Search for 2026 Entries In this weekly update we also look at national selections. Several countries have now launched their search for Eurovision 2026 songs. Luxembourg opened its submission platform on 4 July. Songwriters and performers can submit entries online. The national final will take place on 24 January 2026 at the Rockhal Arena. source: RTL Austria also began preparing for next year. Broadcaster ORF opened submissions for artists and songwriters. The submission deadline is 15 September. Last month, ORF hosted a songwriting camp in Vienna. Artists and producers worked together, creating 18 new songs. Some of these songs could be selected internally to represent Austria. source: Merci,Cherie In Denmark, broadcaster DR opened submissions for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026. Composers can send in their songs until 2 November. A professional jury will select eight finalists. The national final is set for 14 February 2026 in Frederikshavn. The winner will represent Denmark at Eurovision 2026. source: DR 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Vienna and Innsbruck Submit Host Bids The list of potential host cities is getting shorter. Wels and Linz, who planned a joint bid, decided not to move forward. Technical issues and high costs led them to withdraw. Their venue, the TipsArena, didn’t meet key Eurovision requirements. source: OTS At the same time, Vienna and Innsbruck submitted official bids to host the contest. Vienna proposed the Wiener Stadthalle, the same venue it used in 2015. Innsbruck chose the Olympiaworld complex. Both cities confirmed their bids with detailed proposals. ORF, the Austrian broadcaster, will now review the applications. A decision on the 2026 host city is expected by 8 August. That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another weekly roundup next week as the road to Eurovision 2026 continues! Share

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Martijn

Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. Belgium has officially joined the list of 2026 participants, and Israel intends to take part. The EBU shared a statement after recent discussions. Luxembourg, Austria, and Denmark opened their national selection processes. Meanwhile, two Austrian cities exited the host city race, while two others moved forward with formal bids. Belgium Confirms, Israel Plans to Participate Belgium confirmed its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Broadcaster RTBF announced the decision and will later decide how it will choose its entry. The Flemish broadcaster VRT will not be in charge this time, following the usual alternation. source: escspot 📷 EBU/Sarah Bennett Israel also intends to take part. Public broadcaster KAN said preparations are underway for next year’s contest in Austria. Although discussions about Israel’s role in Eurovision have drawn attention recently, KAN made its stance clear. Israel joins over a dozen broadcasters that have already declared their intention to participate.  EBU Responds with Statement after Assembly The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) addressed recent concerns about Eurovision’s direction. During the General Assembly in London, members shared their views on the contest’s growing challenges in a complex global climate. The EBU released a statement afterward, recognizing that participation questions have become more sensitive and complicated. Broadcasters voiced many opinions and expressed support for KAN’s independence, especially under political pressure. To move forward, the EBU brought in a former senior television executive to lead a structured dialogue with its members. This process will include further discussions and a report with recommendations, expected in the autumn. Countries Start Their Search for 2026 Entries In this weekly update we also look at national selections. Several countries have now launched their search for Eurovision 2026 songs. Luxembourg opened its submission platform on 4 July. Songwriters and performers can submit entries online. The national final will take place on 24 January 2026 at the Rockhal Arena. source: RTL Austria also began preparing for next year. Broadcaster ORF opened submissions for artists and songwriters. The submission deadline is 15 September. Last month, ORF hosted a songwriting camp in Vienna. Artists and producers worked together, creating 18 new songs. Some of these songs could be selected internally to represent Austria. source: Merci,Cherie In Denmark, broadcaster DR opened submissions for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026. Composers can send in their songs until 2 November. A professional jury will select eight finalists. The national final is set for 14 February 2026 in Frederikshavn. The winner will represent Denmark at Eurovision 2026. source: DR 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Vienna and Innsbruck Submit Host Bids The list of potential host cities is getting shorter. Wels and Linz, who planned a joint bid, decided not to move forward. Technical issues and high costs led them to withdraw. Their venue, the TipsArena, didn’t meet key Eurovision requirements. source: OTS At the same time, Vienna and Innsbruck submitted official bids to host the contest. Vienna proposed the Wiener Stadthalle, the same venue it used in 2015. Innsbruck chose the Olympiaworld complex. Both cities confirmed their bids with detailed proposals. ORF, the Austrian broadcaster, will now review the applications. A decision on the 2026 host city is expected by 8 August. That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another weekly roundup next week as the road to Eurovision 2026 continues! Share

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