Malmö Messages:

The longest title ever comes from Estonia: “(nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi”. The performing group is 5miinust & Puuluup. The band members are dressed in black. They play their song under the cubes that are visible in various entries. These cubes change color, similar to what happens on the LED screens behind them.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

The entry from Israel is “Hurricane,” sung by Eden Golan. Like her Latvian counterpart, Eden also stands in a circle, but a smaller one. It is neon-lit. Inside the circle, there is a wind machine and ladders. Eden is flanked by a group of five dancers. Eden wears a white dress while her dancers are dressed in gray.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

Norway sings in Norwegian for the first time since 2006. The group Gåte will perform the song “Ulveham.” Singer Gunnhild Sunli stands on a rotating platform among rocks and trees, as if she is by a cave. The graphics are adjusted accordingly. She wears dark green wide pants with a matching top while singing the song. At the end of the performance, one of the guitarists throws his guitar into the air and then catches it again.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

Joost, representing The Netherlands with his song “Europapa”, wears his iconic blue suit, flanked by two dancers in tracksuits. This seems to be a nod to the gabber scene of the 1990s. Behind a kind of keyboard stands influencer Appie Mussa in a blue and yellow bird costume. Fellow influencer Stuntkabouter also stands behind a small keyboard, but in a ‘regular’ blue suit. The lyrics are projected on the LED screens. The people from eurovision.tv especially praise the boundless energy that emanates from this performance.
Yesterday, Joost said about showing snippets of the rehearsals: “Why would you do that? You don’t do that for a magician as well”. We got the idea that we don’t know everything about the Dutch act yet….

EBA/Corinne Cumming

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Eurovision 2026

Vienna 12 points: Live music at Eurovision 2026

📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Live music at Eurovision 2026 is making an unexpected return for Finland. The EBU has given Linda Lampenius special permission to play her violin live during the live shows in Vienna. Why Finland asked for live violin Lampenius represents Finland together with singer Pete Parkkonen. Their song, “Liekinheitin”, means “Flamethrower” in English. The act is built around a strong musical dialogue between Parkkonen’s voice and Lampenius’ violin. For that reason, the Finnish team asked the EBU to allow real violin playing on stage. A rare Eurovision exception This is a remarkable decision. Since 1999, Eurovision performances have mostly used pre-recorded instrumental tracks. Artists may sing live, but instruments on stage are usually not heard live. They are often used as part of the visual show. The rule helps the production team, because Eurovision has many acts and very quick stage changes. However, Finland’s request has been approved. According to Finnish broadcaster Yle, the live violin was tested first. After that test, the EBU accepted the plan. The news is important because live music at Eurovision 2026 could give Finland a more natural and emotional performance. It also makes the act stand out in a year full of big staging ideas. Lampenius has said she is happy with the decision and sees it as a historic moment. There was a small exception in 2025, when Italy’s Lucio Corsi played harmonica on stage. That was possible because the sound could be picked up through the vocal microphone. Finland’s case is different, as Lampenius has official permission to play her violin live. What happens next? Finland will perform in the first semi-final on Tuesday 12 May. The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place in Vienna on Saturday 16 May. The decision does not mean that all countries can now use live instruments. For now, it looks like a special exception for Finland. Still, many fans will watch closely. If the live violin works well, it may start a new discussion about the future of live music at Eurovision.

Read More »
Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Vienna 12 points: Live music at Eurovision 2026

📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Live music at Eurovision 2026 is making an unexpected return for Finland. The EBU has given Linda Lampenius special permission to play her violin live during the live shows in Vienna. Why Finland asked for live violin Lampenius represents Finland together with singer Pete Parkkonen. Their song, “Liekinheitin”, means “Flamethrower” in English. The act is built around a strong musical dialogue between Parkkonen’s voice and Lampenius’ violin. For that reason, the Finnish team asked the EBU to allow real violin playing on stage. A rare Eurovision exception This is a remarkable decision. Since 1999, Eurovision performances have mostly used pre-recorded instrumental tracks. Artists may sing live, but instruments on stage are usually not heard live. They are often used as part of the visual show. The rule helps the production team, because Eurovision has many acts and very quick stage changes. However, Finland’s request has been approved. According to Finnish broadcaster Yle, the live violin was tested first. After that test, the EBU accepted the plan. The news is important because live music at Eurovision 2026 could give Finland a more natural and emotional performance. It also makes the act stand out in a year full of big staging ideas. Lampenius has said she is happy with the decision and sees it as a historic moment. There was a small exception in 2025, when Italy’s Lucio Corsi played harmonica on stage. That was possible because the sound could be picked up through the vocal microphone. Finland’s case is different, as Lampenius has official permission to play her violin live. What happens next? Finland will perform in the first semi-final on Tuesday 12 May. The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place in Vienna on Saturday 16 May. The decision does not mean that all countries can now use live instruments. For now, it looks like a special exception for Finland. Still, many fans will watch closely. If the live violin works well, it may start a new discussion about the future of live music at Eurovision.

Read More »
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