Now that we've reviewed the entries of semi-final 1, it is time to take a look at what the second semi-final has to offer. Without further ado, let's fire up the keyboard and rate some songs.
1. Dara - 'Bangaranga' (Bulgaria) 🇧🇬
Kicking off the second semi-final we have Bulgaria, making its return after a three years' absence. Welcome back! Borrowing its title from the Jamaican Patois word for 'riot', 'disturbance' or 'commotion', 'Bangaranga' is an invitation to the dance floor: 'Come alive / Surrender to the blinding lights / No one's gonna sleep tonight / Welcome to the riot.'
It is then fitting, if a tad unfortunate, that the entry is a chaotic, disjointed mess. Sounding as if it were frankensteined together from four separate demo tracks in the recording studio, the elements never come together to create a single coherent song that would make much sense. The live vocals are feeble for someone singing about starting a riot, so I don't think Dara is going to have a strong vocal performance to fall back on, either. The 'bangaranga' lyrical hook is vapid and repetitive, not to mention delivered in a 'quirky' exotic accent that feels a bit iffy in this day and age.
The best this song can hope for is to become one of those inescapable trending TikTok audio clips, which was perhaps the end goal all along.
★★
2. Jiva - 'Just Go' (Azerbaijan) 🇦🇿
After three consecutive non-qualifications, Azerbaijan has opted for an adult contemporary power ballad. But despite singer Jiva's strong voice and the beautiful backing track, I have a feeling that the country's dry spell is not going to come to an end just yet.
As soon as you realise this is (yet another) break-up story, you just can't look past how platitude-ridden the lyrics are. Of course he said your love would be forever. Of course he fooled you once again. Of course he played games with you. And of course, like in any good break-up song, you ultimately swear to shed no more tears for him. We know, we've heard this all before.
In the second verse, there is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it inclusion of a reverby electric guitar that made me wish they had gone full-on James Bond theme on this song. More guitars, more brass section, more everything. Now, the song would still be mediocre but at least it would be a bit of a moment. In its present state, it's a non-event that just goes in one ear and out the other.
★★½
3. Alexandra Căpitănescu - 'Choke Me' (Romania) 🇷🇴
The last of this year's three returning countries, Romania is back after being absent from the past two contests. And looking back, it wasn't necessarily the worst timing for a little sabbatical all things considered. Which is not to say that 2026 is not without its problems either but I digress.
'Choke Me' is a BDSM anthem in the form of a metal track where the narrator is begging for some rough loving in her pursuit of feeling something:
'All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control, I want you to choke me'
The lyrics went on to spark some controversy claiming they were glorifying sexual violence. Just remember this, kids: there are no fifty shades of grey in consent.
Alternating between operatic high notes and an edgier rock sound, Alexandra Căpitănescu gives a varied and capable vocal performance. Romania has a pretty rough decade behind it in terms of Eurovision success, but 'Choke Me' should qualify with relative ease.
★★★½
4. Eva Marija - 'Mother Nature' (Luxembourg) 🇱🇺
Chains and whips may excite Romania, but Luxembourg's Eva Marija wants us to touch grass. 'Mother Nature' describes how healing and grounding of an experience it can be to go out into the nature and be one with it:
'Dig my roots in the mud
And I lean my head back
Let it out, let it in
And I lean my head back'
A true environmentalist, she's even recycled Jamala's iconic light tree from 2016.
Set to a Lungs-era Florence + The Machine-styled instrumental track, 'Mother Nature' is a cute little indie anthem for any nature lovers out there. I actually quite like the lyrics and they match the spirited energy of the song nicely, but the 'Mother Nature, she knows' chorus line is weak and doesn't really go anywhere. Still, this is easily my favourite of the three Luxembourgish entries since their return in 2024.
★★★
5. Daniel Zizka - 'Crossroads' (Czechia) 🇨🇿
We then move on to Czechia. 'Crossroads' is an interesting one to me. On the one hand, it feels directionless, like a slice of ambience or a mood board more than a song with a clear structure and a narrative arc. But on the other hand, it at the same time resonates with me on some deeper level in a way I can't quite explain. The instrumental has echoes of 90s chill-out/new-age music, and the percussion and the big, long notes add a fascinating balance of tranquility and urgency.
This might not be quite the winning package but if singer Daniel Zizka nails those vocals, this has the potential to be a mesmerising moment in the running order. 'Crossroads' will definitely benefit from the return of the juries in the semi-finals.
★★★★
Monroe - 'Regarde !' (France) 🇫🇷
After two consecutive operatic pop winners (which feels like an anomaly in itself as the same formula usually never works two years in a row), France has set out to see if there's still some more juice to be squeezed out of that fruit.
And look, 'Regarde !' is a very competent – if a tad ostentatious – entry in its genre. The lavish orchestral backing track adds layers upon layers of drama, and Monroe's soprano vocals match its intensity well. The chorus has lyrics simple enough for anyone that has done a basic course in French to follow along: 'Regarde-moi, regarde-toi / C'est ça l'amour, tu ne seras jamais perdu'.
It's just that I fear that Europe might end up feeling a bit of opera fatigue what it comes to picking the next Eurovision winner. Furthermore, I do believe that both Nemo and JJ benefitted from the televote-only semis as the system inherently favoured entries with jury appeal. With more televote-oriented acts in the final, the televote is more likely to spread out, while the smaller number of acts with jury appeal amass the jury points among themselves. It is by no means a coincidence that the three winners of this rule iteration all vote their respective jury votes.
Monroe, however, will not have that advantage since the juries are back in the semi-final, meaning that she will face more competition in the jury darling category. And again, with already two operatic pop winners in a row, the lightning is increasingly more unlikely to hit a third time in the same place.
On a side note, how insane is it that she has that impressive of a voice at the age of just 17?
★★★½
6. Simón - 'Paloma Rumba' (Armenia) 🇦🇲
Next, we have Armenia. 'Paloma Rumba' is a story about breaking free from the 9-to-5 rat race:
'This meeting could have been an email
Free coffee won't keep me here, man
Can't do this anymore
Already at the door'
A sentiment I'm sure anyone exposed to enough corporate jargon and self-congratulatory LinkedIn blather can share. What's the opposite of quiet quitting? Loud quitting? Because I'm pretty sure this is it.
The noisy and in principle relatable track would be much better if it weren't built around an absolutely terrible and boring main riff that the song then doubles and triples down on in the outro. No amount of 'Are you ready?' and 'One more time!' will gaslight me into thinking it's an exciting hook.
I kind of already dread the live performance, particularly the rap verse. The thing about spitting bars, especially when doing it with an accent in a foreign language, is that you need to enunciate in order to be understood. Otherwise you're just making semi-verbal sounds. I don't know, perhaps I'm needlessly harsh on this one and will be gloriously proven wrong, but I'm already preparing myself for a hefty dose of cringe come Thursday evening.
★½
7. Veronica Fusaro - 'Alice' (Switzerland) 🇨🇭
After the cacophony of 'Paloma Rumba', things calm down with Switzerland's 'Alice'. A 90s alt-rock ballad in spirit, this sounds like something a rom-com protagonist could play from the jukebox of a quiet bar during the third-act conflict.
Seemingly a simple love story, the lyrics actually reveal an undercurrent of one-sided, unhealthy obsession:
'Alice, let me inside
I promise, I’ll be polite
No, I won’t make a mess
Why you looking so stressed?
Just let me talk to you
I’ve been watching you'
Yikes – Alice, you in danger girl.
Unsettling lyrical content aside, this is an excellent, quietly confident entry that will not need group choreo or light shows to stand out.
★★★★
8. Antigoni - 'Jalla' (Cyprus) 🇨🇾
Whereas during the past couple of years you couldn't move for all the dancey girl bops in Eurovision, in this year's edition we only have a couple. Perhaps that wave has finally been ridden to exhaustion (for the time being, anyway)?
'Jalla' is an unmistakably Mediterranean bop – there's dancing on the table, there's some traditional Cypriot string instruments, there's even a bit of 'opa' here and there. Featuring lyrics with all the profoundness of 'Let's dance the night away / I want to play with the rhythm / Moving left, right', you'd be wasting your time looking for anything of substance here.
'Jalla' might not be one of the most memorable of the girl bops we've ever had but luckily for it, in this contest it is among the only ones.
★★½
Cosmó - 'Tanzschein' (Austria) 🇦🇹
As the host country of the year and an automatic qualifier, Austria did not have to fret about what to send. And it kind of shows. Singer Cosmó is just 19 years old so I feel like I should cut him some slack but this does have an inescapable amateur-hour aura to it.
The instrumental has a fun indie party tune vibe to it, but the midtempo rhythm, lack of melodic hooks, and monotonous talk-singing make the song weirdly low in energy. And considering the lyrics are about wanting to create a safe dancing environment without animals on the prowl, the growly and quite frankly a little creepy low-pitch vocal delivery is a contradictory choice.
What should have been a dance floor filler ends up being more of a smoke break.
★★
9. Atvara - 'Ēnā' (Latvia) 🇱🇻
We then have Latvia. Translating to 'In the shade', 'Ēnā' is a heartfelt story about addiction and the impact it has on the people around the addicted person. The narrator observes her loved one drink his life away, slowly fading away and becoming a shadow of his former self. The lyrics were inspired by the singer's father who was an alcholic, which adds extra weight and vulnerability to the performance.
Atvara's voice is tender and sincere and on its own, 'Ēnā' is a wonderful ballad with a nice, calming melody in the chorus. I just fear that such a subtle and pared-back entry will struggle to stand out enough to qualify for the Grand Final. I would love to be wrong, though.
★★★
10. Søren Torpegaard Lund - 'Før Vi Går Hjem' (Denmark) 🇩🇰
Despite being the only Nordic country other than Sweden to have won the contest in the past quarter of a century, Denmark has arguably also been the shakiest of the bunch, having only qualified for the final once in the 2020s (and even then merely finishing 23rd).
But it looks like Søren Torpegaard Lund just might have what it takes to turn that trend around. Easily the best Danish entry since 2013's 'Only Teardrops', 'Før Vi Går Hjem' actually enters the race as a serious top contender. The lyrics describe a night out drawing to an end and seeking company in the arms of someone you know is not good for you – but who you still go after just to feel something before going home.
The song is modern and instantly catchy, with the pre-choruses and the bridge being the standout moments. It takes a while to build up momentum due to the stop-and-start nature of the first chorus, but after it gets going, it takes you there. The vocal performance is strong, and the raw note leading to the final chorus adds a gritty touch to the otherwise polished number. Keep an eye out on this one.
★★★★
11. Delta Goodrem - 'Eclipse' (Australia) 🇦🇺
After neither Milkali nor Milkshake did the trick (the former of which I'm still pissed off about, the latter of which I... understand), Australia has chosen to whip out the big guns. An Aussie superstar and internationally successful artist, Delta Goodrem is a consummate professional who means business and is here to pull her country back to the Grand Final.
And with a package this polished and well-produced, she is all but guaranteed to end Australia's recent non-qualifying streak. The only thing holding 'Eclipse' back is that it is an extremely conventional Eurovision number: there is vague lyrical imagery matching the given theme ('Shadows in the moonlight, dancing with the sun / Planets are aligning to love as one'), the chord progression in the chorus is awfully familiar, there are some big notes towards the end, and yes, there's even a key change. This is just a wind machine and a costume change short of scoring the whole bingo card.
Other than that, the soaring 'Eclipse' is a perfectly competent effort. In spirit, it kind of reminds me of Hungary's 2011 entry 'What About My Dreams' in that it is a similarly straightforward and unashamed Eurovision tune with great vocals, slight kitsch and all.
★★★★
12. Leléka - 'Ridnym' (Ukraine) 🇺🇦
Ukraine is a bona fide Eurovision powerhouse that we know to expect great things from. After all, the country has spent the 2020s consistently in the top 10 on top of having won twice in the past decade.
And the quality is there this year as well. The blending of folky elements and electronic sounds feels distinctly Ukrainian. The lyrics paint a picture of resilience and hope in the face of hard times ('When we oppose our fears / And turn all our woes to cheers / We'll see the trees grow even taller') which is sure to resonate with people both domestically and elsewhere, kind of feeling like a thematic continuation from last year's marvellous 'Bird of Pray'.
There is a somewhat saccharine side to 'Ridnym', however, with the chorus in particular sounding like a Disney musical number. I understand that it is a conscious decision to highligh the positivity of the message, but I still wish that the song tapped more into the edgier feel of the pre-choruses or the gorgeous, breathtaking bridge.
Ukraine has set the bar inredibly high during the recent years and although 'Ridnym' might not be quite among the country's absolute strongest, it is still a very solid entry that many countries could merely dream of having to their name.
★★★★
Look Mum No Computer - 'Eins, Zwei, Drei' (United Kingdom) 🇬🇧
Funnily enough, just like 'Paloma Rumba', 'Eins, Zwei, Drei' is also about the disillusionment with the 9-to-5 grind – both even mention feeling caged by it. But whereas Armenia's 'Simón' quits his job in response, the UK's Look Mum No Computer finds solace in... counting in German? Go figure.
Now, the synth-laden instrumental slaps severely, and I can appreciate the anti-Brexit, anti-isolationist sentiment of the lyrics:
'I've always been a fan of aviation
I'm jumpin' on a plane to another nation
And all my pounds, they feel counterfeit
I need some euros to counter it'
But at the same time, I find it a little frustrating that rather than just being a genuine bop, the song feels like it has to try and be humorous and whimsical instead. In that sense, it recalls (and probably appeals to the same people as) 2022's 'Give That Wolf A Banana'. Neither is a joke entry as such, but in both cases I feel like the excellent instrumental tracks were marred by the attempt to be funny.
Also, counting in German for comedic effect? In Eurovision? Groundbreaking.
★★½
13. Alis - 'Nân' (Albania) 🇦🇱
Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone... Wait a minute, this isn't Madonna – this is Alis from Albania!
There is something about Albanian entries that I typically like, and the cinematic masterpiece that is 'Nân' does not disappoint. A poignant tribute to maternal love, the song tells the story of a mother whose child has left home in pursuit of a better life. Lonely in the suddenly quietened empty nest, she is asking when her child will visit her again and promising to always be waiting there.
Grand but never pompous, in my personal opinion this is a stunning entry that plucks on your heartstrings and should be among the clear favourites to win. Although I recognise that I am a perpetual Albania stan, perhaps this year the often underrated country will truly get the finish that it deserves.
I'll be right back, I'm going to go call my mum real quick.
★★★★½
14. Aidan - 'Bella' (Malta) 🇲🇹
This year's Maltese entry is one of those Eurovision love ballads that are just fine – it's pretty enough but nothing particularly interesting or memorable. Singer Aidan has a nice voice and the instrumental gradually grows into an accelerating build-up, but the aftertaste is ultimately syrupy. Serenading his lover that has just broken up with him with lyrics like 'I'll keep holding onto you / After all of this time it's you, and only you', there's not that much to hold onto here.
But here's a fun drinking game: take a sip every time you hear the word 'bella'. You'll be wasted in no time.
★★½
15. Jonas Lovv - 'Ya Ya Ya' (Norway) 🇳🇴
Finally, we have Norway and Jonas Lovv with 'Ya Ya Ya'. Lyrically, this is a straight-forward song about getting it on with someone, but the catchy instrumental makes this feel like a fun indie-rock tune from the noughties or early 2010s. What personally tickles me is how much the bridge sounds like an interpolation of the theme song of the UK game show Countdown (unintentional as it probably is).
In the Eurovision context, 'Ya Ya Ya' is like an improved version of 2023's Sammarinese entry 'Like An Animal', although the line 'Baby I'm an animal, I got no self control' hit uncomfortably close to the predatory undertones of the latter.
'Ya Ya Ya' is definitely elevated by the singer's charisma and great live vocals. Maybe ease up on the crotch-grabbing and hip-thrusting, though. This is a family show, after all.
★★★
Predictions
With 15 hopeful participants but only 10 spots up for grabs, not everyone's dreams are going to come true. Let's try and predict some outcomes then.
Practically already in the final
- Though formulaic, Australia is an extremely polished effort that should shine brightly enough.
- This is the strongest that Denmark has been in years and there is no way they are going home just yet.
- Ukraine has yet to not qualify for the final and this is not the year that happens.
Looking good
- Albania has a gorgeous entry that, in an ideal world, would be clear contender for the top spots.
- Bulgaria's song is a mess but as a fan favourite and one of only two token dance bops of the semi, it should have no difficulty in getting through.
- Romania has a chokehold on the rock vote.
Borderline
- Cyprus is actually pretty weak and will lose in the dance bop category to Bulgaria, but it will probably still muster just enough televote to scrape through. But just barely.
- I feel like Czechia will compete for the same voters as Denmark, with the juries preferring the former and the televote the latter. There still might be room for both.
- Switzerland has an expertly crafted song that I would live to see in the final.
- A well-executed live performance will help Norway qualify.
- Luxembourg has an endearing quality to it but I could see it as an unfortunate close 11th in the results.
Probably not
- Armenia's chaotic cringe will not carry them through.
- Azerbaijan has been in a bit of a slump as of late and will probably face its fourth non-qualification in a row.
- Latvia will sadly be overshadowed by the others.
- Malta is pretty but also pretty forgettable.
That's both the semi-finals reviewed – now all there is to do is to wait and see who will make it through to Saturday's Grand Final. Once we have the final line-up, I'll of course publish a quick write-up on that as well so if you've enjoyed this, make sure to come back.
Best of luck to all your favourites!
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