Malmö Messages: microphones, fire and circles

San Marino is represented by Megara. This morning, a discussion arose around the rehearsals: it was a missed opportunity not to have the group rehearse at 11:11, since that was the title of the song. Little has changed since the first rehearsal. Pink and black are still the colors, including of the graphics. Expectations are low: a 35th place in the odds.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett


Georgian Nutsa Buzaladze is surrounded by a lot of fire. What else can you expect with a song called “Firefighter”. She is mostly standing in a circle with, of course, a red background. The circle seems to depict the sun. Here too, few changes compared to the previous rehearsal. Georgia is currently 18th at the bookmakers and seems set to break the curse of not reaching the finals.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett


Belgium rehearsed third today. We already know the act: Mustii stands in a circle of microphones, dressed in a white, gem-studded outfit. At one point, he steps out of the circle and removes his blouse. It now seems as if he continues singing with a bare torso, but his torso is also adorned with gemstones. The criticism of Mustii’s singing has by now subsided, and we are curious to hear how it will sound today when the video comes out on Youtube. Belgium is currently 12th with the bookmakers.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett


Some things only become apparent when more photos are released. 5miinust x Puuluup make clever use of the available cubes. There is a lot of attention to the instruments used during Estonia’s act. Estonia is currently 21st with the bookmakers. It will be close whether the Estonians make it to the final with (of these) narcotics we (certainly) know nothing.


EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett


Also, little news to report from Israel, although now we see different colors of lighting in the photos: blue and yellow. The clothing is still white and Eden Golan stands in a glowing circle singing her song Hurricane. The song is one of the few ballads in this year’s festival. The bookmakers expect an 8th place.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
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Weekly update

weekly update of this week It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. This week brings news on national selections for 2026, Austria’s preparations to host, and a change in Eurovision leadership. 🇪🇸 🇨🇭 Spain and Switzerland gear up for 2026 Spain is already planning its Eurovision 2026 entry. Broadcaster RTVE has named Sergio Jaén as the Artistic Director of Benidorm Fest 2026. At just 23, Jaén has a strong Eurovision résumé – he even staged Austria’s winning performance in 2025. He will design the staging for Spain’s song at Eurovision 2026. Benidorm Fest’s semi-finals are set for 10 and 12 February, with the Grand Final on 14 February 2026. source: RTVE Melody 📷 Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU Switzerland has kicked off its search for a 2026 act. Swiss broadcaster SRF will accept song submissions from 4 August to 25 August 2025. Artists, composers, and producers can send in entries during that period. Switzerland will once again choose its Eurovision entry through a multi-stage process with audience and expert juries. The Swiss representative and song will be revealed in early 2026. source: SRF 🇦🇹 Austria announces Eurovision 2026 core team Host broadcaster ORF has unveiled the core production team for Eurovision 2026. Michael Krön, ORF’s chief producer, will serve as Executive Producer – the overall project leader. Stefan Zechner will be the TV Show Producer, a role he also held when Austria hosted in 2015. The team features several experienced members from Vienna’s 2015 Eurovision, ensuring continuity. With this core team in place, ORF is gearing up to deliver another world-class contest. source: ORF Core Team, 📷 ORF 🇦🇹 Host city race: Graz out, Vienna pushes forward Graz has pulled out of the host city race for Eurovision 2026. The Styrian capital decided not to bid due to budget shortfalls and a projected €29.35 million hosting cost. City officials couldn’t secure enough financial support from the regional or federal government. Vienna, meanwhile, is moving full steam ahead with its bid. The Vienna City Council officially ratified a resolution to back the plan, proposing the Wiener Stadthalle as the venue. Vienna boasts around 82,000 hotel beds and excellent transport links to welcome Eurovision guests. Other cities like Innsbruck remain in the running, and ORF will announce the 2026 host city on 8 August 2025. Martin Österdahl to step down as Eurovision supervisor The Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Österdahl, will be leaving his post in summer 2025. The European Broadcasting Union announced on 27 June 2025 that Österdahl is stepping down, marking the end of his five-year tenure. He has overseen Eurovision since 2020, guiding the contest through five editions and various changes. The EBU is expected to appoint a new Executive Supervisor before the 2026 season begins. That was it for this week, see you next week with another weekly update! Share

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