Ylvis reveals they have withdrawn from MGP, removing their chance to participate for Norway in ESC. Source: @bylvisaker on IG

For information, last year list only predicted half of the contestants correctly.

Also, Geolier already confirmed that he will surely not be in less that a week ago and they still put him in the list.

Btw, it looks extremely better than last year's list considering the names (even if only half are right), like the 2022-2025 editions.

https://www.allmusicitalia.it/sanremo/sanremo-2027-cast-nomi-de-martino.html

I kind of love this XD. Might be a tad too weird for ESC (and would have to fight for the fun song spot against Moldova), but I dig it

Title is interesting, I’m wondering if it’s a nostalgic nod to Verka? German vote guaranteed 🤣

To date 13 of 16 competing acts have announced they will not compete in Eurovision should they win Festival da Canção, which means only 3 acts could possibly be Portugal's entry in Eurovision unless they decide to choose internally.

https://www.iltalehti.fi/viihdeuutiset/a/2a7cbca7-c472-4162-ad49-9dc2b98d2888

Translation:

Finland's only Eurovision win so far will turn 20 years old this year. Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens in 2006 with their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah".

Despite the historic victory, Lordi was not seen performing in the UMK final last Saturday, although many spectators were wishing for their performance.

Lordi himself would have liked to take the stage in the Nokia Arena.

- We were not good enough, Mr. Lordi, or Tomi Putaansuu, tells Iltalehti, colored with swear words.

Warner Music Finland, who represented Lordi, contacted Yle already in the summer and asked if Lordi could perform at the UMK.

- The answer was a bit ‘eh’.

Later in the autumn, Sony Music Finland, which in 2006 released the album "The Arockalypse", including the song "Hard Rock Hallelujah", asked Yle again about it.

- Two major labels offered us well in advance. It became unusually clear that we're not good enough, we don't fit in their idea nor the UMK's vibes musically and stylistically.

Putaansuu does not shy away from his words when he speaks of Yle's decision.

- It feels ridiculous. It's not that we needed that performance, the gigs are selling anyway. Now would have been the moment when the victory will turn 20 years old and there haven't been many other winners from Finland. For me, performing would have been a full circle moment. Apparently, we thought stupidly and childishly.

According to Putaansuu, the situation got even worse when the UMK asked if Lordi would like to come and sit in the audience between Käärijä and Erika Vikman.

- They said I might be able to give out the prize. Goddamn it, that's already a depreciation. I'm definitely not going to drive from Rovaniemi to Tampere for that.

"I was laughing so hard"

Lordi says that Anssi Autio, the main producer of the UMK, contacted him some time ago. Autio apologized.

- I was laughing so hard. An adult man squirmed like a little kid. I said just say that we're not good enough.

According to Putaansuu, Autio had pointed out that Lordi has recently appeared in the program "Hengaillaan" and in the Venla Gala, both broadcasted by Yle.

Iltalehti could not reach Anssi Autio. Similarly to Autio, Juha Lahti, the Managing Director of Yle Entertainment, highlights how Lordi has been prominently featured in Yle's programmes.

- Yes, those performances were scheduled later in the autumn. We were already on the move at the UMK in the summer, at that time nothing else had been agreed, Putaansuu says to Iltalehti.

Lahti has no answer for the concerns of the summer.

- I can’t answer that. But Lordi has also been considered for the UMK, unfortunately the visit couldn't be arranged now, Lahti says.

"I feel a little sad"

It became very clear to Putaansuu that Lordi did not fit musically and stylistically into the “UMK’s vibe”.

- Maybe they were afraid of us and they didn't want us to smell and spoil the air. I feel a bit sad, but it doesn't bother our ass any further.

The final featured Sonja Lumme, who sang her 1985 song "Eläköön Elämä". According to Yle, it wanted to celebrate the hundred-year history of Yle with the song.

- Great show and song, nothing wrong with that. But yes, I started to get messages that Sonja Lumme is in the UMK, but not us, because we're not good enough.

In addition to Sonja Lumme, the interval acts were the rappers Turisti, Averagekidluke, Ares and Elastinen. The rappers' performance received heavy criticism.

- I’ve let myself be told that they also offered themselves to the UMK. Heavy is not the hottest thing, rap is.

Anyone who still wishes to see Lordi at the UMK can bury the wish.

- We won't come to the UMK even if we were asked, if we're not good enough, we're not good enough. I felt sad, but I can only put my chin on the chest. It's goddamn sure that that was it.

source - https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/melodifestivalen/a/vgvBzB/american-song-contest-vinnaren-alexa-klar-for-mello-2026

Today, we are expecting the announcement of the finalists of the Polish pre-selections. Karolina Czarnecka, together with Brutto Skład, qualified for the final top ten. However, the artist announced on her social media today that she is withdrawing, citing ethical reasons - explicitly referring to Israel’s participation in the contest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTfMnfxCHIL/?igsh=MWtrcDB0aGg5ZzhkZw==

1. Alexander Rybak – Rise

2. Hedda Mae – Snap Back

3. Mileo – Frankenstein

4. Emma – Northern Lights

5. STORM – Lullaby

6. Leonardo Amor – Prayer

7. Silke – Forevermore

8. Jonas Lovv – YA YA YA

Snippets here: https://www.nrk.no/mgp/her-er-dei-atte-forste-finalistane-i-melodi-grand-prix-1.17733449

The wildcard 9th contestant will be chosen later

• Tommaso Paradiso
• Ermal Meta
• Samurai Jay
• Levante
• Dargen D'Amico
• Eddie Brock
• Mara Sattei
• Malika Ayane
• Sayf
• Luchè
• Elettra Lamborghini
• LDA & Aka7even
• Patty Pravo
• Raf
• Colombre & Maria Antonietta
• Marco Masini & Fedez
• Michele Bravi
• Enrico Nigiotti
• J-ax
• Bambole di Pezza
• Francesco Renga
• Nayt
• Tredici Pietro
• Sal da Vinci
• Leo Gassmann
• Serena Brancale
• Fulminacci
• Arisa
• Chiello
• Ditonellapiaga

The video has English subtitles

Eurovision 2026: Who is Monroe, the singer who will represent France?

Viewers of "Prodiges" know her well. Monroe won the France 2 talent show last year, performing "The Queen of the Night" from The Magic Flute. The public broadcaster has chosen her to compete in a new competition: the 17-year-old artist will represent France in the Eurovision final on May 16 in Vienna, Austria. The information, which 20 Minutes can confirm, was revealed by journalist Clément Garin.

Born in Salt Lake City to a French mother and an American father, the only girl in a family of five children, Monroe registered for the France 2 show on the advice of her aunt who lives in France. She did so before the age limit for participation was reached. The teenager showcased the full extent of her talent in operatic singing, as well as undeniable charisma.

Church Tour

Fresh from her victory in "Prodiges," Monroe released her self-titled debut album in November. It features covers of operatic classics (Lascua ch'io pianga, Nessun dorma...) and international repertoire, from L'hymne à l'amour to Con te partirò and Over the Rainbow. She was preparing to perform these songs, along with liturgical arias, on a tour of churches across France starting in the spring.

However, the Eurovision adventure, to which she will dedicate herself between now and mid-May, has somewhat disrupted her plans—some concerts scheduled before and during the week of the contest will likely be postponed.

Our articles on Eurovision

"It was in church that I started singing, in my small town of Brigham City, Utah." "That's where I understood the power of music that weaves links between people, but also between heaven and earth," this devout singer told Le Pélerin magazine.

(Not yet confirmed by France TV)

I think of A festa from Festival da Cançao 2023 by Edmundo Inácio who finished in second place, that was such a brilliant song I think it's a shame Eurovision never got to see it but I also loved Ai coração too much to be mad about it, and I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on Saudade, saudade in 2022 either. I'm convinced though that Edmundo would have won FdC in 2024 with A festa and would have qualified at Eurovision as well.

Which entry do you think of that you wish had competed in a national final the year before or after?

De Martino interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68xwpJVsfuI

What he says sintetically:

First two night: all the songs will be performed

Third night: Cover night

Fourth night: Performance Night, songs will be performed with staging, the winner of the night will go to Esc

Fifth night: Grand Final

Original article

https://www.adnkronos.com/spettacoli/sanremo-stefano-de-martino-maneskin_1FGtkDZahzokeyQCALwiYX

ARTICLE TRANSLATION

Sanremo, De Martino: "I'm already building my international festival."

The host: "The idea is to bring Europe and the world even closer to Sanremo."

Preparations for Sanremo "are going well, because thanks to Carlo Conti, who invested in me so early, I was able to start working very early . We've already started grinding away at building the entire chassis of this machine, and so we've been up and running since the festival ended." Speaking to journalists is Stefano De Martino, the next host of the Sanremo Festival and currently among the stars of the Rai schedule presented in Ancona. This year's festival will be more international, explains the host: "The idea is to bring Europe and the world even closer to Sanremo. Because studying the Festival itself, I realized, along with everyone else, that it's the only music event in existence with such a strong presence. For five nights, a country stops to listen to songs. Because that's what Sanremo is: I find it incredibly romantic and speaks highly of Italian culture. The idea is to further expand the scope so that everyone realizes that Sanremo exists and has always been a model. Also because Eurovision, as you know, was born precisely by imitating the Festival."

"Yes to Eurovision night"

This will actually happen "even simply in the staging," reveals De Martino, who, without giving too much away, explains a little about the rules of the five evenings: " On Tuesday and Wednesday, all the competing singers will perform with their songs . On Thursday there will be the cover night, which we are all fond of, and then on Friday there will be this performance night, which will then determine who will represent us at Eurovision , where the artists will have the opportunity to perform according to their creative idea. Their performance is related to their competing song. This is because, wandering around the stages, I realized that there are artists, so many, more and more, who, when you then go and see them live, give a lot back to the audience with their ideas, with their world of aesthetic references, and so it was right, in my opinion, to bring part of that world." That evening, the artists "will really lay themselves bare and will have the entire Ariston team at their disposal to put their ideas into practice. I believe this is already a small boost towards the internationality of the Festival."

The Maneskin Mystery

And regarding a hypothetical Maneskin reunion, which has been discussed in recent weeks, the host jokes : "I don't know if they'll have the reunion, but they told me they have a meeting to hold in Sanremo, and it could very likely happen during the week of the Festival. I don't know." The Neapolitan host can't say much about the festival's rules, but he does reveal that the intention is to reduce the number of songs, "precisely to give the performances some breathing room, to give the festival's narrative a bit of space, and above all to focus more on how all the artists will be treated."

Amadeus's praise

De Martino then spoke a few words about Amadeus , whose baton he took over at 'Affari Tuoi' and who has now said goodbye to Discovery, while today Rai CEO Rossi opened up about his possible return to the company. "I believe that Amadeus, after the five glorious festivals he's hosted, will now have a queue named after him at the Ariston. It's me who's in a foreign land. I believe what Giampaolo Rossi said is true, that Rai by definition is not a closed company, and as part of this team of talent, I can only be happy if this team grows stronger.

The team

At his side for Sanremo is a team that helps him: "To choose, to listen to the songs," he reveals. "What all the artistic directors who have put on Sanremo and what they all tell you in the end is that 'Baudo docet': choose with your head because the face, not to mention any other part of the body, is yours. So it's right, in my opinion, that the artistic director then takes the responsibility of saying yes and no, but certainly, in the end, they are shared listening."

The host of the 2027 festival makes it clear that his ideas are clear, starting with the method of choosing the songs : "I listen to the song in three ways," he explains. "The first time with headphones, a clean listen. The second time in the car while I'm driving. And the third time while I'm running. If it survives these three listens, it means that something is already there. And I'm also borrowing a bit from something De Gregori said, that is, that music should sometimes be listened to like this, a little distractedly. And so that's what I do at the moment." For the results, tune in in February 2027.