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10. 🇲🇹 Malta: AIDAN – Bella
Continuing the musical whiplash, we now head to Malta’s AIDAN (caps lock DRINK) singing a wistful love ballad in leather trousers (did I put them in the bingo? Can’t remember, drink anyway). He does a lot of twinkly smiling and eye-banging the camera, and I can see, from an entirely professional standpoint, how this might have a certain appeal to a core sector of the audience.
I’m given to understand that the Maltese Cowboy aesthetic is an AIDAN thing, rather than a one-off Eurovision choice. The whole performance feels like a modern take on old-school crooning – I bet AIDAN does a lovely Frank Sinatra. Probably would watch.
Malta at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBUShare
A little interlude from Martin, while we’re all recovering from that:
“I knew it was always a work of art to put this show on but I have been blown away by the stage hands and camera crew weaving their way through this performances to make it spot on for television. No wonder they have so many rehearsals. There are screens in the corner of the arena so we can see what it looks like on television too – for example chunks of the Israel and Greece performances were out of sight of much of the live audience.”
Having watched in the arena many times, I can attest – sometimes the audience view is terrible, because it’s a show made for TV. But fascinating to see it all come together, and the atmosphere is always incredible.
Share9. 🇷🇸 Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene
Where else but Eurovision can you go from an Aussie power ballad straight into Serbian metal? LAVINA (caps lock DRINK) are a six-piece metal band, and while this is a long way from my personal comfort zone, I absolutely celebrate it being here as part of a gloriously chaotic line-up.
I will also say that this kind of thing takes serious vocal control. Screamo is HARD, and not something I’ll be attempting any time soon. I assume there’s a rigorous gargling regime involved.
If this is your thing, please do tell us in the comments whether it’s any good by actual metal standards – I am operating with extremely limited reference points here. But I am enjoying the thought that this would have been Terry Wogan’s Song 9. Feel free to raise a toast.
Serbia at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBUShare8. 🇦🇺 Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse
Time for Australia, who have sensibly decided that if you’re going to do Eurovision, you may as well do it properly. Cue early-noughties icon Delta Goodrem, with by far the biggest ballad-to-banger transformation of the night.
Ever since Dami Im was royally mugged in 2016, Australians have been understandably cautious about whispering “we could actually win this.” But honestly? This could genuinely win this.
The staging is fabulous – please keep an eye out for the lifting platform at the end, apparently previously used by Beyoncé, because Eurovision loves nothing more than borrowed prestige. Delta sounds phenomenal, and I’m even willing to forgive the slightly clunky “when we eclipse” metaphor, largely because they’ve distracted me with extremely pretty lighting.
Australia at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Alma Bengtson/EBUShare7. 🇺🇦 Ukraine: LELÉKA – Ridnym
Ukraine have still never failed to make a Eurovision Grand Final, and this thunderously dramatic power ballad was never going to end that streak. It’s no Wild Dances, but LELÉKA (caps lock DRINK) has an absolutely belting voice and understands the Eurovision assignment completely.
There’s also a sustained note that appears to last for roughly the length of a domestic flight – allegedly 28 seconds, which must be a Eurovision record. I’m less convinced by the “outfit accidentally introduced to a shredder” aesthetic, but it does give the wind machine something to really get its teeth into.
Classic Ukraine, honestly. Big vocals, huge drama, zero fear. Enjoyed that enormously.
Ukraine at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Alma Bengtson/EBUShare6. 🇬🇷 Greece: Akylas – Ferto
If you’re Greek, you’re probably already very excited about this. If you’re not, stay with me, because this is a genre-busting fever dream that somehow mashes up Gangnam Style, Crazy Frog and Santa Baby, drops the whole thing into a video game universe, and tops it off with a tiger hat and furry moonboots.
‘Ferto’ means “bring it” in Greek, which you will now know forever, because Akylas says it (by my count) 82 times over the next three minutes. This is essentially four cans of Red Bull in Eurovision form, so brace yourselves.
Update from Martin: this had easily the best reception in the hall so far. Definitely a fan favourite.
Greece at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Corinne Cumming/EBUShare5. 🇦🇱 Albania: Alis – Nân
First things first, Nân means ‘mother’ in Albanian, and this song is a moving cultural tribute to the Albanian diaspora and all the mothers left behind.
It’s high drama from start to finish, with a choral backing track that all gets a bit O Fortuna. I love it, and the English subtitles are helpful, thank you Albania. During Thursday’s second Semi-Final they were in Times New Roman, but somebody’s now updated them to Calbri or something less visually annoying. I dearly wish I had been in that meeting. ‘What about Comic Sans?’ ‘Absolutely not.’
Albania at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPAShare4. Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
This was a surprise qualifier on Tuesday, to most of the fandom, anyway. Not to me, because I kept the faith. Belgium do cool, understated pop extremely well, and this is definitely one of the more contemporary-sounding songs in this year’s line-up.
It has that slightly aloof, “too chic to try too hard” energy that Belgium specialise in (see also Loïc Nottet from 2015), and it works. Apparently it’s not actually about dancing on ice, there’s some kind of metaphor going on about the slippery perils of love. Exactly what that metaphor is remains between ESSYLA (caps lock drink) and her therapist, but it’s sassy and I like it.
Only one boot, so half a drink. Nope, no idea either.
Belgium at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Ian West/PAShare3. 🇮🇱 Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
Time for Israel’s Noam Bettan to perform, and as in recent years, his appearance comes with some controversy around Israel’s participation in Eurovision. This year that’s led to Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands sitting things out, which is clearly not a conversation that’s going away any time soon.
28-year-old Noam is French-Israeli and sings in Hebrew, French and English, and to my ear the string arrangement makes it feel closer to something France might send than Israel’s usual style. We haven’t seen backing dancers for Israel since Noa Kirel in 2023, but Noam has five, all in boots so DRINK. Also mirrors, so double bingo.
Israel at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPAShare2. 🇩🇪 Germany: Sarah Engels – Fire
Next up it’s time for Germany, which this year has confidently picked up the Fuego baton and delivered a catchy girl bop complete with extensive hairography, bass-heavy dance break and mandatory ‘fire’/‘liar’ rhyming arrangement.
In a bold, subversive move, Sarah Engels has resisted adding ‘desire’ to the Eurovision lyric bingo, but does gift us: “Like a vampire, you hide and come out at night.” Which feels like a missed opportunity, because plenty of things hide and come out at night. Owls. Hamsters. “Like a badger” was right there. Call me next year, Germany.
This is fun and bouncy and very Eurovision, and also flames, boots galore and a dress reveal, so drink freely. I enjoyed that, and if you didn’t, you’re a liar, liar.
Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPAShare