I really like Eurovision. Every year I look forward to the big show, and enjoy listening to the great variety of music, whilst also wait with excitement to see who has won But this year, something was very wrong about it! I was really looking forward to it this year too, especially as my favourite all-time Eurovision act was returning after 21 years.
In 2005, Estonian Girl Band Vanilla Ninja represented Switzerland (I don’t know why it wasn’t Estonia, it’s just how it was) with the song Cool Vibes. I voted for it, and during the two decades since, it has always been in my Top 3, eventually securring number 1 a few years ago. During the years in between I have really got into the band, and love a wide selection of the songs (some of which I have learned on bass guitar, including Cool Vibes). So when it was announced they were returning (with Too Epic To Be True), I had high hopes for them.
Unfortunately, they didn’t reach the final! This is the main reason why I don’t watch the semi-finals. I will hear an act I really like, but then doesn’t get to the final, and instead I’ll have to pick from what’s left. Same thing happened in 2009, when Belarus was represented by Petr Elfimov with Eyes That Never Lie. My favourite song of the entire competition, and it didn’t get through to the final, so I voted for Finland for the fourth year in a row. So, with one of my favourite bands in the whole world, not reaching the final this year, I had to see what was left amongst those who did reach the final.
Now, I am in no way suggesting that all the songs in 2026 were pants. There were some (like Italy’s), but there were a few that were very enjoyable. I voted for four countries this year:
Plus Sweden and even the UK were pretty cool too. But despite some good songs in there, they didn’t really stand out all that much.
What do I mean by stand out? I was watching the show with some friend’s, and when I left, I had a Eurovision tune in my head, but it wasn’t from this; it was from last year! If I hear a song at Eurovision I really like, I will have it buzzing around my head for several hours, if not days afterwards. When Lordi won for Finland in 2006, I couldn’t stop listening to that song for weeks. Same goes for Teräsbetoni in 2008, and Eric Saade in 2011.
Virtually every year once the show is over, I have a specific song from that show playing on repeat in my head. But after the 2026 show, I didn’t! Instead I had Armenia‘s entry from 2025 playing in my head. And if I’d rather be listening to something from a previous year, then something very wrong has taken place surely?
Again, there were some good songs, and my number 1 favourite was the second last to be performed. So why wasn’t I hearing it? It’s a real quandary, and there’s no real answer that comes to mind. Perhaps it was the disappointment of Vanilla Ninja not qualifying for the final, or perhaps the songs this year will sound better in retrospect, or maybe this was just a pants year overall!
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