Eurovision 2026, Vienna Calling

There are spontaneous weekends away… and then there’s booking Eurovision Song Contest 2026 tickets just three days before the show and somehow turning it into a 24-hour, glitter-drenched fever dream.

Within the space of ten slightly frantic minutes, I had secured tickets for my daughter and I, flights and a hotel room in Vienna — all less than three days away. Completely rational behaviour? Probably not. But as any true Eurovision fan will tell you, this is not just a song contest.

It’s an experience. A feeling. A giant sequinned celebration of music, identity, drama and unity wrapped up in pyrotechnics, wind machines and impossible key changes.

And honestly? I loved every second of it. (photo above: my daughter is wearing last year's Eurovision top - yep, we are fans!)

I’ve always adored Eurovision. The music. The international flair. The electric buzz pulsing through the arena before the first note even begins. But more than anything, I love what it represents — countries coming together through music in a world that often feels more divided than ever. Eurovision reminds us that joy, creativity and connection still matter. Also, let’s be honest… where else can you witness opera, techno, glitter capes and interpretive dancing all in the same evening?

Vienna absolutely delivered.

This year’s line-up was incredibly strong, and every act brought something memorable to the stage. But my personal highlights? Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, France, UK, Bulgaria, Australia, Italy, Malta and Moldova.

Israel’s Noam Bettan delivered one of the evening’s most melodic and powerful performances — the kind that silences an entire arena before erupting into applause. And suddenly, the name Michelle has taken on a whole new meaning. The staging was emotional, cheeky, cinematic and elevated even further by those absolutely gorgeous dancers.

Greece's Akylas gave us full Eurovision drama with song Ferto in the best possible way, complete with a tiger-like Hello Kitty bouncing across the stage and whipping the crowd into a frenzy, while Cyprus's Antigoni brought slick, sexy choreography and a song that instantly demanded a replay, "Jalla!". Moldova's Satoshi's song brought exactly the kind of gloriously chaotic energy Eurovision was built for Viva Moldova! felt like a full-blown folk-pop street party exploding onto the stage in the best possible way.

Finland once again proved they truly understand the Eurovision assignment with Liekinheitin: bold, eccentric and that violin blew everyone away. Fun fact for non-Eurovision obsessives: instruments on stage are usually pre-recorded and used more as props than live instruments, but under updated Eurovision rules, artists can now request special permission to perform live if it’s deemed “artistically justified” — exactly what happened with Linda Lampenius and that unforgettable violin performance. Malta's Aidan, singing Bella brought pure, flirtatious pop charm to the stage. France brought elegance and cinematic emotion thanks to Monroe’s Regarde! soaring operatic vocals and dramatic white gown, while the UK’s Look Mum No Computer was… honestly, I’m still struggling to find the words. Chaotic? Brilliant? Slightly unhinged? Singer Sam Battle stormed the stage in a pink boiler suit, shouting “Eins, Zwei, Drei!” and somehow it absolutely worked.

Australia once again felt perfectly at home on the Eurovision stage, with Delta Goodrem delivering a flawless performance with Eclipse (I mean WOW!), while Italy's Sal Da Vinci with his song Per Sempre Si was effortlessly stylish, impossibly cool and chic in that way only Italy can be (I'm in love) — it was like the soundtrack to a romantic summer evening in Florence with a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine.

Bulgaria completely surprised me with one of the standout performances of the night — and ultimately took home the win after a nail-biting finale against runner-up Israel. Dara was fantastic with her song “Bangaranga”. It genuinely has the potential to become the dance song of the year (it's utterly contagious), and that chair-dance choreography was nothing short of AMAZING.

And somehow, there I was. Front row. Singing along with thousands of strangers who suddenly felt like old friends. Surrounded by sequins, flags, smoke machines and pure happiness. For a few hours, it felt like stepping into another universe — one where music genuinely unites people.

Pure magic.

And now? Naturally, the countdown begins for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 in Bulgaria!

See my highlight videos here:

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