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

Road to Vienna: Norway

As the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna approaches, we continue our daily spotlight on this year’s contestants. Road to Vienna: Norway   Jonas Lovv: From the Voice to Eurovision Early Life and Local Music Scene Jonas Lovv is a Norwegian singer and songwriter from Bergen. Before gaining national attention, he spent years building his craft on the local music scene, performing in clubs and bands across the city. An early attempt on Idol in 2014 did not lead to a breakthrough, but it strengthened his focus on live performance and artistic development. Shuffle Baby and Musical Growth Lovv later became the frontman of synth-pop trio Shuffle Baby, known for blending 1980s-inspired electro-pop with modern production. The group released the EP Posers in 2019 and the single “Over It” in 2020. Although the band gained traction, the project eventually slowed down, leading Lovv toward a full solo career. Solo Career and Expanding Sound From 2020 onward, Jonas Lovv steadily released solo music in both Norwegian and English. His work ranges from pop and rock to more emotional, stripped-back tracks. With multiple singles and the EP Fotografisk minne (2023), he built a diverse catalogue that showcased his evolving sound and songwriting identity. The Voice Norway Breakthrough His national breakthrough came in 2025 on The Voice Norway, where his powerful audition of “Play That Funky Music” turned all chairs. Mentored by Espen Lind, he impressed audiences with versatile performances and quickly became a standout contestant. After the show, he expanded his live presence with major festival appearances and orchestral collaborations. Ya Ya Ya: A High-Energy Song About Intense Attraction Ya Ya Ya is an energetic track that explores desire, temptation, and emotional intensity. At its core, the song captures the feeling of being pulled into a powerful attraction that is both thrilling and overwhelming. Desire and Emotional Loss of Control The lyrics describe a relationship where passion takes over completely. The narrator becomes consumed by someone irresistible, unable to maintain control. This emotional and physical intensity reflects a connection that feels exciting but also slightly destructive. Pleasure, Pain, and Emotional Conflict A key theme in the song is contradiction. The attraction brings both excitement and frustration, highlighting the unstable nature of the relationship. While the connection feels euphoric, there is also an awareness of emotional risk and instability. Hypnotic Repetition and Emotional Impact The repeated “ya-ya-ya-ya” chorus acts like a hypnotic loop, symbolizing obsessive desire. This repetition enhances the song’s energy and reflects how emotions can feel inescapable when attraction becomes overwhelming.                                                                                                                                                      Ultimately, “Ya Ya Ya” is about surrendering to intense attraction despite the risks. It explores the balance between control and emotional abandon, capturing the excitement, vulnerability, and chaos of passionate relationships.   Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest Norway has a storied history in the Eurovision Song Contest, having participated since 1960. The country boasts three victories: in 1985 with Bobbysocks‘ “La det swinge,” in 1995 with Secret Garden‘s “Nocturne,” and in 2009 with Alexander Rybak‘s “Fairytale.” Despite holding the record for the most last-place finishes, Norway has also achieved numerous top-ten results, reflecting its resilience and commitment to the competition. The Bookmakers Norway may be ranked 18th with the bookmakers and 9th in the semi-final, but a place in the final is anything but certain.        

Read More »
Eurovision 2026
Anja Kroeze

Road to Vienna: Norway

As the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna approaches, we continue our daily spotlight on this year’s contestants. Road to Vienna: Norway   Jonas Lovv: From the Voice to Eurovision Early Life and Local Music Scene Jonas Lovv is a Norwegian singer and songwriter from Bergen. Before gaining national attention, he spent years building his craft on the local music scene, performing in clubs and bands across the city. An early attempt on Idol in 2014 did not lead to a breakthrough, but it strengthened his focus on live performance and artistic development. Shuffle Baby and Musical Growth Lovv later became the frontman of synth-pop trio Shuffle Baby, known for blending 1980s-inspired electro-pop with modern production. The group released the EP Posers in 2019 and the single “Over It” in 2020. Although the band gained traction, the project eventually slowed down, leading Lovv toward a full solo career. Solo Career and Expanding Sound From 2020 onward, Jonas Lovv steadily released solo music in both Norwegian and English. His work ranges from pop and rock to more emotional, stripped-back tracks. With multiple singles and the EP Fotografisk minne (2023), he built a diverse catalogue that showcased his evolving sound and songwriting identity. The Voice Norway Breakthrough His national breakthrough came in 2025 on The Voice Norway, where his powerful audition of “Play That Funky Music” turned all chairs. Mentored by Espen Lind, he impressed audiences with versatile performances and quickly became a standout contestant. After the show, he expanded his live presence with major festival appearances and orchestral collaborations. Ya Ya Ya: A High-Energy Song About Intense Attraction Ya Ya Ya is an energetic track that explores desire, temptation, and emotional intensity. At its core, the song captures the feeling of being pulled into a powerful attraction that is both thrilling and overwhelming. Desire and Emotional Loss of Control The lyrics describe a relationship where passion takes over completely. The narrator becomes consumed by someone irresistible, unable to maintain control. This emotional and physical intensity reflects a connection that feels exciting but also slightly destructive. Pleasure, Pain, and Emotional Conflict A key theme in the song is contradiction. The attraction brings both excitement and frustration, highlighting the unstable nature of the relationship. While the connection feels euphoric, there is also an awareness of emotional risk and instability. Hypnotic Repetition and Emotional Impact The repeated “ya-ya-ya-ya” chorus acts like a hypnotic loop, symbolizing obsessive desire. This repetition enhances the song’s energy and reflects how emotions can feel inescapable when attraction becomes overwhelming.                                                                                                                                                      Ultimately, “Ya Ya Ya” is about surrendering to intense attraction despite the risks. It explores the balance between control and emotional abandon, capturing the excitement, vulnerability, and chaos of passionate relationships.   Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest Norway has a storied history in the Eurovision Song Contest, having participated since 1960. The country boasts three victories: in 1985 with Bobbysocks‘ “La det swinge,” in 1995 with Secret Garden‘s “Nocturne,” and in 2009 with Alexander Rybak‘s “Fairytale.” Despite holding the record for the most last-place finishes, Norway has also achieved numerous top-ten results, reflecting its resilience and commitment to the competition. The Bookmakers Norway may be ranked 18th with the bookmakers and 9th in the semi-final, but a place in the final is anything but certain.        

Read More »
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