The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast

It's a first ever victory for Bulgaria! Hear one of DARA's first interviews, just minutes after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with her club banger Bangaranga! She achieved a total of 516 points in the Grand Final. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Norway's Eurovision winning icon Alexander Rybak drops by for a chat on the podcast. The singer and violinist is performing in the Grand Final as part of a star-studded medley to celebrate the Contest's 70th birthday. He talks to Steve about being part of the Eurovision family and the continued success of Fairytale. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's 20 years since Lordi became Eurovision icons after storming to victory with Hard Rock Hallelujah for Finland. Frontman Mr Lordi joins Steve for a chat about two decades of success, the joy of the contest, and why he has to always check in excess baggage wherever he flies. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your ten qualifiers from the second semi-final are right here! The artists representing Bulgaria, Ukraine, Norway, Australia, Romania, Malta, Cyprus, Albania, Denmark and Czechia give their immediate reaction after making it through to Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final.  Steve then hosts a Liverpool 2023 throwback as Salena (from Teya & Salena) and Danny from Voyager reunite to share their memories of that amazing contest. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The current Eurovision champion JJ returns to the podcast to reflect on his incredible year. He talks to Steve about performing his new single Unknown during the second semi-final and the love he's received from Austria since winning with Wasted Love. JJ also spills the tea on his friendship with the Beauty Blenders (Miriana Conte, Erika Vikman, Sissal and Kyle Alessandro). The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your ten qualifiers from the first semi-final are right here! The artists representing Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Moldova, Israel, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania and Poland give their immediate reaction after making it through to Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final.  Steve then talks to Monroe, who's representing France with her pop-opera epic Regarde! The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready to join COSMÓ, Alis and Atvara at one of this year's Eurofan Cafés - the legendary Gerstner in Vienna. In front of a live audience of ESC volunteers, the trio of stars talk about their Eurovision experience so far. Austria's COSMÓ chats the Tanzschein, Latvian star Atvara is feeling like a celebrity and Albania's Alis reveals how he got one of his country's acting legends involved in his song Nân. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We can't get Sweden's FELICIA out of our system as she joins us on the podcast, alongside LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER from the UK. The Swedish star talks about her love of Eurovision icon Carola, being influenced by Shrek and tells us about her mask collection. Meanwhile, LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER chats about his rise to YouTube sensation and his hands-on approach to the Contest. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noam Bettan joins the podcast for a chat about his journey to the Eurovision Song Contest to represent Israel. He talks about his lifelong love of music, his influences and the unusual animal he'd like as a pet. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two stars of this year's 2026 Grand Final join the podcast for a catch-up! First, Germany's Sarah Engels returns to talk about musicals, motherhood, and her song Fire. Italian legend Sal Da Vinci also chats to Steve about his song Per Sempre Si, the love he had for his home city of Naples and why food means family. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Marino legend SENHIT is joined by music icon Boy George to talk about their Vienna collaboration Superstar! The pair talk about how their partnership came about, and George's first impressions of the Eurovision Song Contest. Luis and Miguel from Portuguese vocal group Bandidos do Cante also drop by to chat about their friendship, their proud history and their song Rosa. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two amazing piano players join the podcast in Vienna! First up, it's Australian superstar Delta Goodrem to talk about her song Eclipse, her love of representing her country, and how the stars aligned - literally - for her Eurovision debut. Daniel Zizka from Czechia also jumps on the pod to chat about Crossroads, his favourite musicals and how he nearly didn't quite make it to Austria. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh from their first rehearsals, Romania's Alexandra Căpitănescu and Georgia's Bzekebi join the latest edition of the podcast. Alexandra and her bandmates talk about bringing Romania back to the contest, being huge Eurovision fans themselves... and how the singer has an interesting double life as a physicist! Georgian legends Bzekebi discuss their memories of winning Junior, bringing the vibes to their song On Replay, and where to find the best khachapuri in Tbilisi! The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh from his first rehearsal, Luka from Serbian band LAVINA joins Steve on the latest episode of the podcast to discuss their song Kraj Mene. He talks about his love of fantasy, his love of Lordi and Wig Wam, and how his love of metal began. JIVA from Azerbaijan also swings by to chat about her song Go, her musical influences and her love of the contest. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lithuania's Lion Ceccah and Estonia's Vanilla Ninja join the podcast straight after their first rehearsal. Lion Ceccah chats to Steve about his silver era, his multilingual song Sólo Quiero Más , and the support he's getting back home in Vilnius. Meanwhile, Vanilla Ninja are back at the contest, 21 years after they first entered. They chat about returning to Eurovision, ice cream and their interesting side hustle. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello from Vienna!! It's our first episode from Austria as we catch up some of the acts of 2026 straight after their first rehearsals. First up, it's Satoshi from Moldova who's opening the whole event. Representing Finland, Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen talk fire, ice, sauna and violins. And LELEK from Croatia chat about their favourite pop divas, their intricate make-up and how they're bringing the drama on stage to sing Andromeda. he Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LELÉKA is all set to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest with the beautiful ballad Ridnym. She joins Steve on the podcast to talk about her musical life, her love of Rosalía, and how she could break a record for the longest note ever sung at the contest. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veronica Fusaro is ready to rock the stage in Vienna with her song Alice. The Swiss singer talks to Steve about her lifelong love of music, her love of Conchita Wurst and why she's bringing such a powerful anthem to Vienna. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Ferto time! Akylas from Greece joins us for the latest episode of the podcast to talk about his preparation for Vienna. He talks to Steve about his love of the contest, his appreciation of Käärijä, and his journey to Eurovision fame. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We go backstage at the London Eurovision Party to meet some of the stars of this year’s Contest. Steve chats to LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER from the United Kingdom about being a new dad, and Sarah Engels from Germany about lighting a fire in Vienna. He catches up with best friends COSMÓ from Austria and Eva Marija from Luxembourg, and the party’s hosts Sissal (Denmark, 2025) and Cesár Sampson (Austria, 2018) also join for a chat about life after Eurovision. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tamara Živković is representing Montenegro with her empowerment anthem Nova Zora! The singer talks to Steve about her talent on the flute, her love of Lady Gaga and her special friendships with this year's contestants. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by Essyla, who will be Dancing On The Ice for Belgium in Vienna. She meets Steve to chat about fulfilling her lifelong dream to sing at the Eurovision Song Contest, the support she's getting from her tiny city in Belgium, and the advice she's been getting from former Belgian entrants Gustaph and Mustii.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the 2020 contest was cancelled, Alicja from Poland is finally back to have her moment on the Eurovision stage. She talks to Steve about returning with her song Pray, her musical influences and how she set up the group chat for the Class of 2026. Marcus Tang also joins us from Bangkok to talk about the excitement of bringing the first ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia to life. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Latvian singer Atvara will be bringing raw emotion and drama to the Eurovision stage with her highly personal ballad Ēnā. She talks to Steve about the magic of the song, finding fame on TikTok and how she's already vibing with the Class of '26, including Australia's Delta Goodrem and Akylas from Greece. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a love letter to his country, Satoshi is heading to Vienna with the pulsing national anthem Viva, Moldova! He talks about the story behind his song, his love of Linkin Park and some of the hidden moments in his lyrics. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bulgaria’s superstar DARA is ready to bring the energy to Vienna! The singer talks to Steve Holden about the meaning of her song Bangaranga and bringing Bulgaria back to the Eurovision Song Contest.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonas Lovv is looking to make his mark on the Eurovision Song Contest as he competes for Norway with the song Ya Ya Ya. He talks to Steve about his huge win at the Norwegian national final, his love of Queen's Freddie Mercury, and tells us about his impressive array of tattoos. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antigoni is living out a childhood dream by representing Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest. She talks about her song Jalla, honouring her Cypriot roots and performing on stage with Hollywood star Jason Momoa. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Søren Torpegaard Lund talks about channelling his 'inner-Britney' as he gets ready to represent Denmark in Vienna. He talks about his musical theatre background, his energetic staging of Før vi går hjem and his love for 2025's entry Sissal. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several attempts to represent his country, Aidan is finally heading to the Eurovision Song Contest for Malta! He speaks to us about his song Bella, how he loves being an absolute Eurovision nerd and reveals to us his dream collaborations and inspirations. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eva Marija will be representing Luxembourg with her song Mother Nature, and is the first artist from the Class of 2026 to appear on the official podcast! She talks about her winning her national final, how Alexander Rybak inspired her to play violin and chats about her love for one of the contest's legends... Celine Dion! The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Norway’s Queen of Kings, Alessandra, joins us for the first episode of the brand new season of the podcast. She’s going to be joining other icons on the official tour to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest’s 70th birthday. The singer talks about the excitement of visiting cities all across Europe and tells us what she’s been up to since her amazing 5th placed finish in the 2023 final in Liverpool.  Details of tickets for the tour can be found at eurovision.com The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have an end of the year treat for you as we catch up with some of your favourite stars of the Eurovision Song Contest at Amsterdam's Het Grote Songfestivalfeest. The huge concert featured dozens of Eurovision singers who got to perform in front of thousands of people. We spoke to Austria's reigning champion JJ about life after winning in Basel. Joining together are Destiny and Miriana Conte to chat about their friendship and showcasing what Malta has to offer. We catch up with Marcus & Martinus, who represented Sweden in Malmö in 2024. Remember Monday, who sang for the United Kingdom this year, share their highs of douze and nil points. And making their debut on the podcast, it's two-time representatives for Moldova, the Sunstroke Project, with singer Olia Tira. This episode was recorded on 20 November 2025, at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three of this year’s Grand Finalists join Steve to debrief this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Klavdia finished in sixth position for Greece with Asteromata and talks about her final performance, the secrets behind her quick change and the celebrations back home. Norway’s Kyle Alessandro and Denmark’s Sissal became firm friends during the Eurovision season and join this episode together to talk about JJ’s win, celebrating their new found fame and friendships, and Kyle’s wisdom teeth drama. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a victory for Austria! Hear from JJ, just minutes after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with his operatic Wasted Love. He achieved 436 points in the Grand Final. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Eurovision legends join forces as Käärijä and Baby Lasagna team up for the Grand Final in Basel! The pair sit down with Steve to discuss their much anticipated collab #eurodab! They talk about finally meeting in real life for the first time, their experiences as iconic runners-up in Liverpool 2023 and Malmö 2024 and what happens when they join forces on the Eurovision stage.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prepare yourself.... as Irish Eurovision legends Jedward are finally on the podcast!  Brothers John and Edward are two-time competitors, taking part in 2011 AND 2012 with Lipstick and Waterline for Ireland. They talk about their time in Basel, their love of the Eurovision Song Contest, and whether they would ever come back for a third time.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your ten qualifiers from the second semi-final are right here! The artists representing Denmark, Latvia, Israel, Austria, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Greece, Armenia and Malta  give their reaction after making it through to Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. Gjon’s Tears also joins us to chat about what he’s been up to since his third-placed finish for Switzerland in 2021. We hear about his involvement in this year’s show and some secrets from the Rotterdam Grand Final. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Italy’s Lucio Corsi is bringing his poetic song Volevo Essere Un Duro to the Eurovision stage in Basel. He sits down with Steve (and his friend & translator Francis) to discuss his love of the quiet life in Tuscany, the meaning behind his song and his pet parrot. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your ten qualifiers from the first semi-final are right here! The artists representing Iceland, Norway, Albania, Sweden, The Netherlands, San Marino, Portugal, Estonia, Ukraine and Poland give their reaction after making it through to Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final.  We also catch up with three members of the Class of 2024: Marina Satti from Greece, iolanda from Portugal and Jerry Heil from Ukraine. They came together to sing Celine Dion’s 1988 winning entry Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready to serve and run with Malta's Miriana Conte and Azerbaijan's Mamagama! First up, Miriana tells us about her journey to Basel, the pride in representing her country with Serving, and how she's exhausted her country's supply of exercise balls! Next, singing for Azerbaijan with Run with U, it's Mamagama. Asaf, Hasan and Arif tell us about their roots in Baku and all the advice former Eurovision winner Eldar has been giving them. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to get the know the hosts of this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Basel! TV host and singer Sandra Studer and comedian Hazel Brugger are presenting the live finals together. The pair sit down with Steve to talk about hosting the best show on earth, some secrets behind the production and whether they've heard anything from Celine Dion. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The representatives from France and Georgia speak about their Eurovision journeys. French singer Louane tells us about her poignant ballad Maman, which features her daughter, as well as that huge reveal at the Stade de France in Paris.  Next, Georgia’s Mariam Shengelia tells us about her song Freedom, representing her country, and the love of her life… her five-month old puppy.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some of the biggest creative brains at the Eurovision Song Contest join a special episode of the podcast, recorded in front of a live audience at the Novartis Pavilion in Basel. Joining Steve is Teya, Ralf Mackenbach, Ace Bowerman, Jorge Antonio Fujizaki and Melanie Wehbe.  Teya represented Austria in 2023 with Who The Hell Is Edgar? and is now the creative director and co-writer for JJ’s entry Wasted Love.  Ralf Mackenbach won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, but switched his career to his other passion… and is now a leading physicist! Creative director Ace Bowerman and choreographer Jorge Antonio Fujizaki are the brains behind the staging for this year’s United Kingdom and Azerbaijan entries. Melanie Wehbe has worked on four Eurovision Song Contest entries, including Sissal’s Hallucination, where she’s also a backing vocalist.  Also joining Steve are two ‘Novartists’ - Gustavo Prack & Anisah Alyahya - who talk about balancing their careers at Novartis, with their passion for music.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Steve speaks to German representatives Abor & Tynna, as well as Israeli singer Yuval Raphael. First up, brother and sister duo Abor & Tynna chat about their energetic song, Baller, which is the first German entry in the German language for nearly 20 years.  Next, it’s Yuval Raphael, representing Israel with the stirring ballad New Day Will Rise. She talks about her childhood in Switzerland and her favourite karaoke tracks… and there's a cameo appearance from her mum! The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's finally sauna time as Swedish representatives join the podcast, along with Ukraine's Ziferblat. KAJ (Kevin, Axel and Jakob) talk about their sauna anthem Bara Bada Bastu, their thoughts on being one of the favourites this year, and why Finland's Lordi left a lasting impression (literally) on the band. Next up, twin brothers Daniil & Valentyn from Ukraine discuss Bird of Pray, their love of Kate Bush, and why they'll be channeling Roger Federer in the semi-final. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The artists from Austria and Latvia drop by for the latest episode of the podcast! Austrian opera star JJ is ready to bring drama to his Wasted Love performance. He talks about bonding with Conchita, working with 2023 contestant Teya, and his ‘choatic’ friendship with Denmark’s Sissal. Then, all six members of Latvian folk-pop group Tatumeitas tell us about their song Bur Man Laimi and their love of Eurovision ethno-divas.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s podcast, we say a big hello to Claude from the Netherlands and Montenegro’s Nina Žižić. Claude is bringing his feelgood anthem C’est La Vie to the stage. He tells us about his road to Basel, his musical heroes, and why everyone’s going to be hearing his mother at the Contest.  Nina Žižić first represented Montenegro back in 2013 as the singer with rap duo Who See. She;s now flying solo and brings her country back to the contest after a three-year absence with her dramatic ballad Dobrodošli.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a triple threat as Croatia’s Marko Bosnjak, Albania’s Shkodra Elektronike and Theo Evan from Cyprus visit the podcast. First up, Marko Bošnjak has been baking his Poison Cake for the Eurovision stage. Albanian powerhouse duo Shkodra Elektronike tell Steve all about the famous legend inspiring their song Zjerm. And finally, please be quiet as Cyprus’ Theo Evan tells us all about his entry Shh, a performance which channels Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Estonia’s Coffee King Tommy Cash and Slovenia’s TV presenter-turned-Eurovision star Klemen join Steve on today’s episode of the podcast. First up, Tommy Cash takes part in his first EVER podcast to discuss the creation of Espresso Macchiato, his friendship with Charli XCX and the famous names backing him for Eurovision victory. Next, Klemen brings his personal story to the stage in Basel with his ballad How Much Time Do We Have Left?. He tells Steve about the heartfelt ode to his wife, and his background as one of Slovenia’s best known impressionists.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rehearsals in Basel have begun and we're speaking to three acts who performed on stage on day one of the Contest - Væb, Justyna Steczkowska & NAPA! First up, it's Icelandic duo Væb who are opening the whole event with their ocean-inspired anthem RÓA. Brothers Matthías and Hálfdán talk about their rehearsals, whale watching, and their fame in Iceland. Next, it’s Justyna Steczkowska, representing Poland with the epic GAJA. Justyna is returning to the Eurovision Song Contest after first performing 30 years ago... in 1995! Steve also talks to singer Guilherme & drummer João from Portugal's NAPA. They discuss the message behind their beautiful entry, Deslocado and the love of their home island, Madeira and its legendary drink Poncha. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have two HUGE singers for the price of one on today’s episode of the podcast.  First up is Serbia’s long-haired Princ who’s bringing his epic song Mila to Basel. He talks about his cat (also called Mila), his former life as a karate champion, and the unusual third language he speaks. Armenia’s PARG is here to talk about his powerful anthem Survivor. The singer tells Steve about the meaning of the song, what we can expect from him in Switzerland, and his special connection to Rosa Linn.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a very special episode of the podcast, recorded in front of a live audience at the London Eurovision Party! Joining Steve on stage are the United Kingdom’s Remember Monday, Australia’s Go-Jo and Austria’s 2024 entry Kaleen. Next up it’s Iceland’s Væb, Malta’s Miriana Conte and Slovenia’s Klemen, before they passed the microphones to Sweden’s KAJ, Sissal from Denmark and Croatia’s Marjo Bošnjak.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Representing Greece, Klavdia will be bringing the starry-eyed beauty of her song, Asteromata, to the Eurovision stage in Basel.  She talks to Steve about her lifelong Eurovision dreams, her iconic glasses and the strong relationship she has with her Eurovision ‘mother’ Helena Paparizou.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Volvemos a la PrePartyES de Madrid para otro episodio en español del Podcast Oficial de Eurovision! Una vez más, el presentador Víctor Escudero ha charlado con algunos artistas geniales. Por ejemplo, habla con la diva española Melody para saber cómo se está preparando para Basilea y qué le ha parecido la experiencia eurovisiva hasta ahora. Kyle Alessandro representa a Noruega con “Lighter”, pero tiene una conexión especial con España a través de su padre. Habla con Víctor sobre su canción y sobre sus orígenes españoles. Saara Aalto subió al escenario en representación de Finlandia en 2018. Ha sido co-presentadora de la PrePartyES y está encantada de hablar en español, y eso que sólo lleva 3 años aprendiendo el idioma. Por último, Anabel Conde, que sigue teniendo el mejor resultado de España en el festival desde el triunfo de 1969. Quedó 2ª en 1995 con el icónico “Vuelve Conmigo” y nos habla de su legado eurovisivo. El podcast oficial de Eurovision Song Contest llega de la mano de Novartis. Producido y presentado para la UER por Steve Holden. Música compuesta por Will Kitchener. Diseño de Ángela Espejo y Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We catch up with Switzerland’s Zoë Më at PrePartyES 2025 in Madrid as she gets ready to welcome everyone to her home city of Basel! The singer talks about her friendship with Gjon’s Tears, becoming KAJ’s fourth member and the meaning of her song Voyage.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember Monday are three lifelong friends who will be representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. With a background in musical theatre, Charlotte, Holly-Anne and Lauren are no strangers to the big stage. They talk about their entry, What The Hell Just Happened?, chat about their favourite musicals and tell us why you can never go wrong with a spaghetti bolognese The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Thorn is hoping she can generate a sixth win for Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest with her song La Poupée Monte Le Son. She tells us about honouring her country’s history and how she’s juggling two jobs, as a music teacher as well as Luxembourg’s Eurovision entry.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adonxs is representing Czechia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with his powerful entry Kiss Kiss Goodbye. The singer joins Steve to talk about his pop star dreams as a child, nailing the song’s epic dance break, channeling Queen and Prince, and he reveals the other Eurovision stars that were in his class at university.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sissal is representing Denmark this year with her EDM banger Hallucination! The singer was born in the Faroe Islands and lives in Copenhagen. She joins Steve to talk about how she’s switching things up for her performance in Basel, her raucous 30th birthday celebrations and her love of Swedish singer Robyn.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re saying a big hello to Australia’s Milkshake Man… Go-Jo!  The singer is preparing to bring his colourful style, his moustache and his love of broccoli to the contest. He chats to Steve about his ultimate milkshakes, his lifelong love of music, and how a mystic predicted his journey to Basel. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is brought to you by Novartis! It is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabry Ponte is one of the world’s most successful DJs but he is now taking on a huge new challenge as he competes at the Eurovision Song Contest. His entry Tutta L’Italia was used as part of the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, but it’s now been chosen to represent San Marino in Basel. Gabry chats to Steve about the journey of his anthem and his excitement about competing in Switzerland. He also talks about his time in Eiffel 65, when he created one of the biggest dance tracks of all time: Blue (Da Ba Dee). The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Norway’s Kyle Alessandro has been a Eurovision Song Contest fan since he sang Dami Im, Barei and Jamala in a karaoke bar at the age of 10! He chats to Steve about the meaning of his entry Lighter, his Spanish and Norwegian influences, his friendship with Queen of Kings Alessandra, and how he’s the Norwegian Will Ferrell.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red Sebastian is living his childhood dream by representing Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest. He’s singing Strobe Lights and speaks to Steve about making the club banger he is taking to Basel. He also talks about how the Little Mermaid shaped his life, his love of Whitney, Christina and Gaga, and how Belgium’s 2023 entry Gustaph taught him to sing!  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EMMY is going to represent Ireland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with her song Laika Party. It’s a tribute to Laika the dog, who was one of the first animals to go into space.  Steve caught up the Norwegian singer to hear how she’s feeling about singing for Ireland,, learning Irish traditions and find out whether Jedward or Subwoolfer might make a cameo in Switzerland.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erika Vikman will represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest with her song Ich Komme, and becomes the first act of 2025 to appear on our official podcast! Steve caught up with her the morning after winning the Finnish national final UMK (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) in her home city of Tampere. She talks about her amazing stage performance, her friendship with Käärijä and how she has become the talk of Finland’s biggest social scene - the sauna!  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The legendary Tia Kofi is the first guest on a brand new season of the Official Eurovision Song Contest! Tia is a drag icon, singer, podcaster and a WINNER of RuPaul’s Drag Race vs The World. As we get ready for this year’s competition in Basel, Tia joins Steve for a chat about her love of the contest, her ambition to sing at the event, her love of San Marino and her history of putting on her own Eurovision-themed events.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Will Kitchener. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve been chatting to some of your Eurovision favourites in Amsterdam at Het Grote Songfestivalfeest, where dozens of acts come together for a huge party in the Ziggo Dome. From the class of 2024, we catch up with Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil from Ukraine, and Ireland’s Bambie Thug.  Steve also welcomes Australia’s Guy Sebastian to the podcast, as he reveals what it was like to be Australia’s very first representative.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Machine Sound. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re celebrating the 2024 Junior Eurovision Song Contest final in Madrid! Steve is joined by the three Spanish hosts of this year’s final: Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Clotet and Melani Garcia.  Ruth talks about her own experience at Eurovision after she came 10th in 2014 with her song Dancing In The Rain. Marc is a well known actor and model in his home country and Melani returns to Junior as the co-host, after placing 3rd in the 2019 contest as a contestant, with her entry Marte. We also catch up with the defending champion of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Zoé Clauzure, who won for France in 2023 with her song Cœur.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The music is composed by Machine Sound. Design by Ángela Espejo & Chris Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Basel has been announced as the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025! To celebrate, Steve’s been speaking to some of the people who were in the room when Nemo wrote The Code, bringing the contest back to Switzerland. At a songwriting camp in Malta, he chats to Nemo’s bestie Teya (Austria 2023), as well as the song’s co-writers Linda Dale and Benji Alasu.  He also catches up with some of Malta’s previous Eurovision entries - Destiny (2021), The Busker (2023), Sarah Bonnici (2024) and Christabelle (2018).  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nemo has won this year's Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland. Their song, The Code, received 591 points to finish in first place, ahead of Croatia and Ukraine. They speak to Steve, just moments after receiving the coveted trophy to discuss what the win means to them. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's here! The Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Malmō. On this episode, Steve catches up with brothers Marcus & Martinus, who are opening the show for Sweden.  Also, dropping by are drag superstars Nicky Doll and Courtney Act, as well as Serbian Eurovision legends Bojana Stemanov (2015) and Konstrakta (2022). After Käärijä almost won for Finland last year, we pay a visit to the country's commentator Mikko Silvennoinen. In a year of amazing choreography, Meshach Henry explains how he’s created the mind-melting dancing for the UK’s Olly Alexander. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reigning champion Loreen returns to the podcast, one year after she won the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time.  She discusses the crazy year she’s had since winning with Tattoo, her famous nails, her new single Forever and her upcoming tour. Steve also speaks to Georgia’s Nutsa, Magnus from Norwegian band Gåte, Austria’s Kaleen and Latvia’s Dons after they qualified for the Grand Final.  Joining once again is music journalist and Swedish commentator Tina Mehrafzoon to offer her thoughts on the ten qualifiers. And Sarah Dawn Finer (AKA Linda Woodruff) gatecrashes the interview after taking part in the Swedish interval song - We Just Love Eurovision Too Much.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After becoming one of Italy’s breakout stars of 2023, Angelina Mango is representing her country with La Noia at the Eurovision Song Contest.  She talks to Steve about the meaning behind the song, her win at the Sanremo Music Festival and her incredible musical roots.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olly Alexander is representing the United Kingdom with his song Dizzy! He joins the podcast to talk about the mind-melting staging for his performance and his preparations for Malmö.  The singer also discusses his appearance in UK soap Eastenders, his cats Fanta & Sprite and the friendships he’s made in the build up to the Contest. Steve also talks to Slovenia's Raiven, Serbia's Teya Dora, Cyprus' Silia Kapsis and Portugal's Iolanda after they qualified for the Grand Final. Also joining for a debrief is music journalist and Swedish commentator Tina Mehrafzoon to offer her thoughts on the ten qualifiers. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pour la première fois, le podcast officiel du concours Eurovision de la Chanson vous est dévoilé en français! L’animateur, Rémi entame la discussion avec Slimane, le représentant français, qui a été le premier artiste à être dévoilé pour l'édition 2024. Il partage ses réflexions sur sa chanson Mon Amour, exprimant ses sentiments à l'idée de représenter son pays et évoquant les liens qu'il a tissés avec d'autres participants cette année. La conversation se poursuit avec Mustii, le représentant de la Belgique, interprétant Before The Party’s Over. Il dévoile les nuances de son titre, expliquant ce qu'il représente et signifie pour lui, tout en soulignant l'influence de la scène drag dans son expression artistique et sa mise en scène. Ensuite, le duo arménien LADANIVA, basé entre Lille et Paris, interprétant Jako à Malmö, partage ses inspirations musicales et raconte leur rencontre singulière. Ce podcast, officiellement produit pour l’UER (EBU) par Steve Holden, est animé par Rémi Gautrelet. La composition musicale est l'œuvre de Machine Sound, tandis que les conceptions visuelles sont signées Chris Fox et Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Swedish superstar Benjamin Ingrosso joins Steve for a chat about his career, new music and his many connections to the Eurovision Song Contest. In Malmö, Benjamin is performing a medley of songs in the interval of the first semi-final.  In this episode, he talks about his appearance for Sweden in the 2018 Contest, when he came seventh with Dance You Off. He also discusses his personal links to Sweden’s Eurovision winners, working with Björn Ulveaus from ABBA and why Melodifestivalen is responsible for his entire existence! The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Petra Mede is back to host the Eurovision Song Contest for the third time, and is joined on the podcast by her best friend - and this year’s writer and director - Edward af Sillén. They talk to Steve Holden about their friendship, their love of Abba and the legacy of their 2106 interval act Love Love Peace Peace.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve speaks to the brains behind Europapa! Joost Klein is representing the Netherlands with his happy hardcore bittersweet hit. He talks about the message behind the song and what happens inside his creative mind.  Zaachariaha and Michael are Electric Fields, who are singing One Milkali (One Blood) for Australia. They discuss their love of Janet Jackson, the song's meaning and their long-standing friendship. 5MIINUST are one of Estonia’s most successful bands and joined up with duo Puuluup for their Eurovision entry which is called (nendest) markootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi. Joining Steve are Marko from Puuluup and Kohver from 5MIINUST to chat about their collaboration, bonding in the sauna and learning choreography for Eurovision.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Germany’s ISAAK brings the anthemic Always On The Run to the Eurovision stage. He joins Steve for a chat about his career so far, his unusual musical talent and why translating songs into German isn’t always that straightforward. Eden Golan is singing Hurricane for Israel and discusses her musical idols, her Eurovision heroes and the love of her life… her 15-year-old chihuahua Leo. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve is joined by Greece's Marina Satti, who has already had a huge hit in her home country with her Eurovision entry Zari.  She talks about her musical style, the song, her unique music video and the love for the 2005 Greek Eurovision champion Helena Paparizou. Azerbaijani singer FAHREE has teamed up with Ilkin Dovaltov to sing the powerful anthem Özünlə Apar. The pair speak about their partnership, FAHREE’s special spoon (honestly!) and how Ilkin might just have the best moustache in Malmö.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve is joined in the delegation bubble for a gossip by Swedish radio and TV presenter Tina Mehrafzoon, who’s commentating for her home country at this year’s contest.  Dons is singing Hollow for Latvia. As one of his country’s biggest singers, he talks about his idol Freddie Mercury, voicing a Disney icon… and the best way to cook an egg.  Norway’s Gåte are bringing ethereal drama with their anthem Ulveham. Singer Gunnhild Sundli and guitarist Magnus Børmark discuss their staging, Gunnhild’s incredible voice and why the midnight sun isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three Eurovision queens join Steve on the latest episode from Malmö. Portugal’s Iolanda speaks about Grito, tracking down the best Portuguese tart in Sweden and reveals her favourite pop bangers of all time.  After representing Iceland in 2010, Hera Björk is back for a second time with Scared Of Heights. She talks about the love in the Eurovision community, her powerlifting preparation and whether she is actually scared of heights!  Albania’s BESA is performing Titans in Sweden. She chats about her passion for rescuing dogs (she has six of them!) and reveals the singer who messages the most in the Eurovision What’sApp chat. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve catches up with two more acts who have arrived at the podcast fresh off stage from their first rehearsals in Malmö. First up is Malta’s Sarah Bonnici, who talks about the complicated choreo for Loop as well as putting her original career on hold to chase the Eurovision dream.  We also catch up with Switzerland’s Nemo. They have revealed their elaborate staging for The Code. They also discuss hitch-hiking to Malmö from Zurich, and making friends with the Class of ‘24. If you heard them on the podcast previously, you can also find out if they were ever reunited with their missing luggage. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Croatia’s Baby Lasagna has had crowds going wild for his anthem Rim Tim Dagi Dim. The singer, whose real name is Marko, talks to Steve about his love of cats and the reception he receives in his home town. He also answers the big question… how much does he actually love lasagna? The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hej from Malmö! Joining us straight from their first rehearsals are Ukraine's alyona alyona and Jerry Heil, who are singing Teresa & Maria. The pair discuss their long journey to Sweden, their performance and alyona alyonna demonstrates her incredible rap skills. Poland's LUNA is bringing The Tower to the contest. She talks about her musical influences and her ambitious staging. Before that, Steve finally meets Silia Kapsis face-to-face, who's performing Liar for Cyprus and chats about a potential Eurovision supergroup. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a very special episode of the podcast recorded in front of a LIVE audience at the London Eurovision Party.  Steve welcomes Conchita on stage to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their iconic win in Copenhagen. They discuss the impact of Rise Like A Phoenix, working on the Eurovision movie and the perils of skiing.  Gustaph (Belgium, 2023) and Keiino (Norway, 2019) also share their Eurovision memories and stories.  From the Class of 2024, Malta’s Sarah Bonnici, Ireland’s Bambie Thug, Austria’s Kaleen and Belgium’s Mustii drop in too.  Thank you to the London Eurovision Party for hosting us. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week’s episode, Marcus & Martinus sit down with Steve to talk about representing this year’s host country… Sweden! The twins are taking their song Unforgettable to Malmö, where they’ll be first to perform in the Grand Final on May 11.  The soccer-crazy brothers discuss which one of them is the better footballer, their embarrassing historic haircuts and how Loreen is their ‘Eurovision Mother’.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining Steve on this week’s episode are Georgia’s Nutsa Buzaladze and Serbia’s Teya Dora.  Nutsa is taking her song Firefighter to Malmö. She speaks about her experience on the finals of American Idol, singing with Kylie Minogue and tells us about the joys of one of Georgia’s delicious national dishes - khachapuri! Teya Dora will sing the ethereal ballad Ramonda in Sweden. She speaks about winning the Serbian national final and getting the support of Konstrakta and Luke Black. She also discusses her gigantic viral hit Džanum, which has had billions of views and streams around the world.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

El podcast oficial del Festival de Eurovisión os llega desde la PrePartyES 2024 en Madrid. Víctor Escudero presenta este episodio en español y habla con algunas de las fantásticas candidaturas de este año.  Charla con Nebulossa de España para conocer el vínculo especial que existe entre este dúo de marido y mujer.  Después de competir en el Benidorm Fest, Megara se dirigió a San Marino y ahora representan al microestado con su canción 11:11.  Desde Portugal nos acompaña Iolanda, que cantará Grito en Malmö. Y la copresentadora de Víctor en la PrePartyES, Melani, nos habla de cómo fue representar a España en Eurovisión Junior en 2019 y de sus futuras metas. El podcast oficial del Festival de Eurovisión está producido para la UER por Steve Holden. El tema musical está compuesto por Machine Sound. Diseño visual de Chris Fox y Ángela Espejo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode comes from the first pre-party of the season… in Madrid!   First up is Nemo, who’s representing Switzerland with The Code. They talk about the song, weird breakfasts and losing their luggage. There’s also a special guest appearance from one of their best friends… who happens to be Teya (of Teya and Salena fame)!  Then Steve catches up with LADANIVA who are representing Armenia. The duo are singer Jaklin and instrumentalist Louis who are taking their song Jako to Malmö. All we’ll say is that you should keep listening for the best impression of a chicken you will ever hear. Big thanks to Eurovision Spain for hosting us at the PrePartyES 2024.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve catches up with Ireland's Bambie Thug as they prepare to bring their witchy brand of goth pop to Malmö. They chat about their pride at representing their country, their hatred of tap dance and how they brought some Mean Girls inspiration to the video for Doomsday Blue. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SABA will be taking the bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö to represent Denmark with her song Sand.  The singer tells host Steve Holden about her unlikely journey to the Eurovision Song Contest via musical theatre and her talents as a footballer. She also discusses the special bond with her identical twin sister. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Steve heads to a dance studio at a secret location to meet Kaleen, who's representing Austria with We Will Rave. As we find out, the singer is no stranger to the Eurovision Song Contest as she's previously stood in for artists including Eleni Fouriera. She talks about the plans for the staging of her song, the making of the music video and her dancing prowess. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining Steve this week is Silvester Belt, who’s representing Lithuania with Luktelk.  He talks about his life since winning the Lithuanian national final and the advice he’s received from both Monika Linkytė and Monika Liu. He speaks about the beauty of the Lithuanian language and why he’s looking forward to meeting the UK’s Olly Alexander in Malmö.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re saying hello to Mustii, the singer and Drag Race judge who’s representing Belgium with his epic track Before The Party’s Over.  Steve chats to Mustii about his Eurovision plans, his love of Madonna and David Bowie, and how he’s getting loads of support from all his friends on Drag Race Belgium. Last year’s Belgian entrant Gustaph drops in to offer his support… and find out Mustii’s weird choice of song when he’s out at karaoke.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve welcomes Finland's Windows95Man and vocalist Henri Piispanen to the podcast. The pair stormed to victory in the Finnish national final, UMK, with their 90s-inspired club hit No Rules. They chat about the epic performance which featured a denim egg, pyrotechnics... and a special pair of denim shorts. They also discuss the impact of Käärijä's success in Finland, and the advice he's given them. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Steve is joined by two of this year’s Eurovision stars: Aiko and Silia Kapsis. Aiko is singing Pedestal for Czechia and she talks about the making of the song, her friendship with Teya (from Teya & Salena) and the unusual form of exercise that keeps her strong. We then hear from Silia Kapsis, who’s representing Cyprus. The teenager is busy finalising the choreography for her song Liar. She tells us about her Cypriot roots, her love of Whitney Houston, and the famous neighbour who lives near her back home in Sydney.  The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Steve chats to Raiven, who's representing Slovenia with her dramatic ballad Veronika. They discuss her opera background, meet her pet macaw Georgie and talk about how the song is going to transfer to the Malmö stage. Also dropping in to surprise Raiven is Joker Out's lead singer Bojan Cvjetićanin, who represented Slovenia in Liverpool last year. The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is produced and presented for the EBU by Steve Holden. The theme music is composed by Machine Sound. Visual design by Chris Fox and Ángela Espejo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices