In the spotlights: Sam Ryder

Road to Vienna: France As the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna approaches, we continue our daily spotlight on this year’s contestants. Today we focus on France Monroe: A French-American, 17 years old talent French-American singer Monroe Vata Rigby will represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. At just 17 years old, she has already built a strong reputation for her powerful voice and captivating stage presence. Her journey from a local church choir to the Eurovision stage highlights both talent and determination. Early Life and Musical Roots Born in 2008 in Salt Lake City to a French mother and American father, Monroe grew up bilingual. She developed an early passion for music through choir singing, piano lessons, and formal vocal training. Her background includes musical theater and youth opera, shaping her expressive performance style. Influenced by artists like Cecilia Bartoli and Céline Dion, she blends classical and contemporary sounds with ease. Breakthrough and Debut Album Monroe gained national attention after winning the 2025 season of Prodiges, France’s leading classical talent show. This victory secured her a contract with Warner Classics and launched her professional career. Later that year, she released her debut album Monroe, praised for its mix of operatic arias and crossover classics. Regarde!: A Cinematic Love Anthem Regarde! stands out as a cinematic and emotionally charged entry, painting a vivid picture of love in a quiet, nocturnal Paris. The track blends intimacy with atmosphere, showing how love can exist even in moments of solitude. Between Longing and Lightning The song captures the tension between searching for love and being unexpectedly struck by it. This dual perspective makes “Regarde!” both reflective and dynamic. It speaks to a universal experience: the quiet hope for connection, followed by the sudden intensity when it finally arrives. Love That Connects and Grounds As the narrative unfolds, the message shifts from introspection to openness. Love is portrayed not as chaotic, but as something grounding and unifying. It creates emotional alignment, drawing people together through a shared rhythm and feeling. A Borderless Message What gives “Regarde!” its strength is its universality. Love is presented as something ever-present and meant to be shared—cutting across cultures, languages, and experiences. This makes the song instantly relatable to a wide audience. Blending poetic imagery with a clear emotional core, “Regarde!” feels both personal and expansive. It’s not just a love song—it’s a reminder that connection can appear anywhere, at any moment, and change everything. France in the Eurovision Song Contest France has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since its inception in 1956. Soon after joining, the country achieved its first victory in 1958 with André Claveau’s “Dors, mon amour.” France subsequently won four more times: Jacqueline Boyer with “Tom Pillibi” (1960), Isabelle Aubret with “Un premier amour” (1962), Frida Boccara singing “Un jour, un enfant” (1969, a four-way tie), and Marie Myriam’s “L’oiseau et l’enfant” (1977), which remains their latest victory. Moreover, other notable entries include Amina’s “C’est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison,” which tied for first place but finished second after a tie-break in 1991, and Barbara Pravi‘s “Voilà,” which achieved second place in 2021. Consistently, France competes as part of the “Big Five,” granting automatic qualification for the final. The Bookmakers France is currently sitting in second place with the bookmakers — but can this young singer go all the way and take the win?