Eurovision 2026: Listen to the Top Songs of National Final Season So Far

The floodgates of Eurovision 2026 national finals, well and truly burst when December comes. We’ve compiled this list of the best early national selection gems for you to keep an eye on. From the return of powerhouse veterans to the debut of fresh, emergent talent, countries across the continent are showing that they aren’t playing around this year.

Whether it is Luxembourg continuing its comeback streak, Montenegro delivering gothic-folk excellence, or the usual unexpected brilliance we’ve come to expect from Malta, there is a distinct sense of ambition in the air – despite the political issues affecting the 2026 contest in Vienna.

We have been diving deep into the early standouts, from the sultry bachata of Benidorm Fest to the stadium-sized rockers of Eesti Laul, to bring you the definitive guide on who to keep your eyes (and ears) on.

Of course bear in mind that we are still waiting to hear a number of National Final tracks and find out a number of the chosen artists, so this is only based in information available up until the end of 2025.

Make sure to subscribe to Culture Fix’s Eurovision Song Contest 2026 playlist featuring the best from the National Finals from across Europe.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg is back for their third consecutive year since their long-awaited Eurovision return in 2024. Following in the footsteps of Tali’s Fighter and Laura Thorn’s La poupée monte le son, their selection for 2026 brings the variety we have now come to expect. Some early standouts include:

• Daryss: Her elegant piano ballad Melusina—co-penned by Antoine Barrau (the songwriter behind Barbara Pravi’s Voilà) – is a sophisticated highlight of the selection.
• Eva Marija: Mother Nature is a love letter to the environment that carries a similar atmospheric energy to Birdy’s Keeping Your Head Up.
• Hugo One: Born Again is an enjoyable male pop anthem with a crowd-pleasing, slightly “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix” vibe.
• Luzac: A major standout is returning star Luzac, who is bound to be a fan favorite with his techno-driven Prison Dorée. It is a high-energy track that demands attention.

Spain

While there will sadly be no Spain at Eurovision 2026, we can still be thankful that we will be able to enjoy Benidorm Fest and the impressive selection of stars assembled for the contest.

• Miranda! and bailamamá: Argentine duo Miranda!, formed by Ale Sergi and Juliana Gattas, have been fixtures of the Latin pop scene. They collaborate with bailamamá (the solo project of Óscar Ferrer from Varry Brava) for this colourful, operatic pop number.
• Izan Llunas: A sultry pop groover from Izan dubbed ¿Qué vas a hacer? presents sophistication and pop charm, while Izan asserts himself as a star rapidly on the rise. Izan is also the son of Spain’s 1997 ESC act Marcos Llunas.
• María León & Julia Medina: Translating from Las damas y el vagabundo to Ladies and the Tramp, this number from the two pop powerhouses makes for a danceable mid-tempo pop track that shines thanks to the good vibes and big voices of María and Julia.
• Kenneth: Picking up in the field of the likes of J. Kbello’s V.I.P., Kenneth’s Los ojos no mienten presents R&B blended reggaeton pop with suave charm and charisma from the cool Kenneth.
• Kitai: El amor te da miedo from rock group Kitai presents a fiery attitude and assertive female-fronted vocals from Kenya Saiz, who soars with a punky energy.
• Asha: Moroccan-born Asha delivers Turista, a scintillating, classically elegant pop number that channels vintage Mediterranean pop.
• Dani J: The handsome Dani J brings bachata charm to Benidorm Fest with his entry Bailándote. Fusing R&B and pop with influences from his Seville roots, Bailándote is one of our instant highlights.
• KU Minerva: No volveré a llorar sees electronic dance-pop on the menu with an almost Eastern flavor permeating the big electronic industrial dance sounds of the track. With a career spanning three decades, KU Minerva has earned the nickname “The Queen of Spanish Dance,” and it is clear to see why from her entry.

Montenegro

We already have our Montesong winner, and Montenegro certainly made the right call. Tamara Živković took the crown with her folk-dance smash, Nova Zora. The track takes the gothic-electro-folk vibes reminiscent of artists like Justyna Steczkowska (specifically Gaja) and gives it a distinct Montenegrin spin.

The rest of the selection was impressively high-caliber, featuring several standout highlights:

• Lara Baltić: Delivered Rhythm Boy, a high-energy, Eleni Foureira-inspired banger.
• Krstinja: Brought a powerhouse, classic europop ballad that felt perfectly tailored for the Eurovision stage.
• Đurđa: Offered “Scandipop” excellence with Dominoes. The track boasted a heavy-hitting Swedish songwriting squad including Melanie Wehbe, Patrik Jean, David Lindgren Zacharias, and Herman Gardarfve.
• Lana & Đorđe: Their entry, Temperatura, featured a slinky, contemporary sheen that made it a worthy third-place finisher.

Overall, this was an incredibly strong selection for Crna Gora, proving they are back in the game with serious intent.

Malta

Malta continues to take the contest incredibly seriously, presenting a stacked list of eighteen competitors for the Malta Eurovision Song Contest (MESC). The lineup features several familiar faces returning to represent “The Rock” at Eurovision.

• Stefan Galea: Another familiar name to MESC fans, Stefan returns for his fourth attempt with the fiery alternative dance anthem Pose. Expectations are high for this follow-up to his widely adored 2025 entry, Lablab.
• Kelsie Borg: X Factor Malta star Kelsie Borg delivers Let a Girl Breathe, an infectious electropop banger driven by big vocals and Kelsie’s slick charisma.
• Mychael Bartolo Chircop: Junior Eurovision star Mychael appears at MESC this year with the energetic pop-rocker My Sweet Angel. Early previews suggest this could show a different, edgier side to Malta’s traditional entries.
• Denise: Dark-pop artist Denise brings a powerful and defiant number about self-worth to the selection. Drawing influence from the likes of Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and The Weeknd, she channels these vibes effectively into her entry, Trophy.
• Nathan: After finding success with Concrete in 2025, Nathan Psaila returns with Ganador. This dramatic pop number lean further into a dance-flavor than his previous releases.
• Matt Blxck: A perennial favourite of the MESC stage, Matt Blxck returns with the EDM sea-shanty/snake-calling inspired banger Ejja Lejja Ħdejja ‘l Hawn (The Flute). It has all the hallmarks of a massive fan favourite.
• Aidan: A long-awaited return for Aidan, who collaborates with Joep Van Den Boom and Sarah Bonnici on Bella. The track combines Maltese pop influences with sophisticated Mediterranean sounds in a romantic anthem. Many fans are hoping 2026 will finally be the year Aidan’s Eurovision dreams come true.

Estonia

Eesti Laul’s 2026 organisers are faced with the challenge of how one follows up the madness of Tommy Cash. Well, they are trying a fair few different options with their line-up for 2026, which presents some established names and some new talent vying to represent the Baltic nation.

• Vanilla Ninja: Pop-rock girl group legends Vanilla Ninja have thrown their hat in the ring with powerhouse rocker Too Epic to Be True. The group represented Switzerland in 2005 with Cool Vibes and have tried out in Eesti Laul in 2003 and 2007; let us see if 2026 is the time for them.
• NOËP: Estonian EDM musician NOËP brings Days Like This, a powerful electronic pop-rock anthem to Eesti Laul this year.
• Stockholm Cowboys: Stig Rästa and Victor Crone make up Stockholm Cowboys, who bring the anthemic country-rocker Last Man Standing to the contest with Scandi epa-dunk meets Baltic pop originality.
• OLLIE: Bringing rock to Eesti Laul this year, Slave from OLLIE is a stadium-filling rocker that is likely to stand out thanks to its energetic fieriness.
• Grete Paia: Eesti Laul regular Grete delivers dance-pop fire in taevas jäi üles, a club-friendly anthem that would go down a treat with Eurovision fans.
• ULIANA: Ukrainian singer ULIANA aims to celebrate Estonia and Ukraine’s friendship in Rhythm of Nature, a number that combines Ukrainian electropop with Estonian folk influence.

Latvia

Whilst we are still wiping our tears away at the absence of Markus Riva, we are glad Latvia’s Supernova has nonetheless provided us with a stellar line-up seeking to follow the country’s impressive 2025 act, Tautumeitas.

• Blurie: Lovin’ Always Gets Me Down brings cinematic, introspective pop to Supernova with emotional subject matter and delicately absorbing production.
• Aivo: Aivo Oskis’s Walking Out is a piano-driven pop track that delivers mid-tempo charm and grooves; it feels a bit like a Latvian Michael Bublé.
• Robert Ox: Delivering something entirely different, Robert Ox’s Ravin’ at the Taj Mahal might win the award for the oddest song of Supernova. This electro-raver combines robotic vocals with a curious blend of Latvian and Indian pop stylings for a truly original sound.
• Agnesse: Sugary dance-pop perfection is on the menu with Agnesse’s Oh My My, a slinky number featuring soft pop-diva vocals and optimistic, earworming production.
• ELPO: Latvia’s answer to The Ting Tings, ELPO, brings Blakus to the selection. The track is a chill electronic groover that brings a sense of effortless cool and sophistication to the contest this year.

Moldova

Moldova makes a welcome return to Eurovision in 2026 and has whittled down a longlist of over 30 acts to 16 for their Selecția Națională.

• Maxim Zavidia: There is one clear standout in the line-up for Moldova’s national selection and that is Culture Fix favourite Maxim Zavidia, who delivers Alo. Channelling Moldovan pop heritage with a huge chorus and incredibly Eurovision-friendly production, Maxim has pulled out all the stops for this undeniable banger.
• Bacho: Moldovan regular Bacho returns with the new song Tata, a tribute to fathers across the globe and a call for them to be present in the lives of their children. It is an emotional electropop jam that should do well.
• Valleria: Valerian Steel (Rai di Ri Di Dan) is an empowering and cinematic pop number, building to a dramatic pop chorus.
• Cǎtǎlina Solomac: Girl-pop is front and centre of the brassy anthem Pink Margarita, a big dance tune that is set to be a fan favourite.

Albania

Whilst Festivali i Këngës 64 has been and gone, we thought we would highlight a couple of gems that Alis ultimately beat with his track Nân.

• Rigersa: A scintillating love letter to Albania was presented in Rigersa Loka’s Albanian Heart, a dramatic powerhouse dance-pop classic that was one of our FiK favourites.
• Inis Neziri: Complete with a high pyrotechnic budget, Ta kam fal sees Inis Neziri provide big pop-girl energy in this folk-centred dance banger.
• Endri Kaçaçi: Drama and pop ballad excellence is on the menu from Endri in Si unë, with the singer delivering gravitas in bucketloads in this compelling number.