A statistical journey into my losing bet from last year’s Song Contest. And with that, I wonder if Eurovision voters nowadays vote more tactically than ever before.

Vienna is hosting a big Eurovision experience Here is what they want all of you to know about the city before, and after, you visit for the Song Contest

Our latest pod is out now, considering the jury contenders. open.spotify.com/episode/1b3s... with @bensvision.bsky.social who kindly joins us from @escinsight.com

The big question from this study is…. Which song is this year’s Soldi?

With Austria drawing out its Eurovision running order spot, our hosts will sing last. It's time to drop this random draw, argues @bensvision.bsky.social and have the host country automatically awarded the final slot in the running order for the good of the Contest. escinsight.com/2026/03/18/t...

What a line up to be alongside ”Along the way, they chat with Pete & Linda, Erika Vikman, ESC Insight’s Ben Robertson, Euroviisutsomeksi’s Vilho, and JJ”

While Finland's Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius celebrated victory with 'Liekinheitin', the fireworks in the Nokia Arena couldn’t mask the tension simmering outside. Ben Robertson reports from Tampere on a #Eurovision National Final caught between musical celebration and international protest.

What sets UMK, Finland’s selection show for Eurovision, apart from the others is the quality of its staging concepts, argues @bensvision.bsky.social. Here, he speaks with Show Producer Matti Myllyaho to learn how Yle finds each act, the quality-over-quantity approach, and how it all comes together.

Time for my favourite part of the #melfest season, revealing what all the sponsors are doing and giving away as we go around the six week tour!

Time for my favourite part of the #melfest season, revealing what all the sponsors are doing and giving away as we go around the six week tour!

Bookmark this article for when you see his performance tonight…and you don’t understand

Watching the #melfest rehearsal now, final ten minutes are on. Artists no longer on stage and remain in the green room and no recap repeated. Still awkward interviews with each act, but time reduced to about 3 or 4 minutes. Better, but zero entertainment or climax to the show.

The new voting system at MelFest means a new way of presenting the votes, and many of the artists are not in favour of the highly visible way in which tension is being pulled out of them. @bensvision.bsky.social goes into more depth on the impact of the changes. escinsight.com/2026/01/30/m...

This has to change And has to change at the next rehearsal For the good of entertainment And for the good of the artists

Full article after the rehearsal, but these are #melfest heat voting rules: 🥇Most votes in first round 🥈Most points in age group voting after two voting rounds 3rd-6th places are decided by age group voting position. Finalkval spot goes to song from 3rd to 6th with most total votes

Instinct after first rehearsal at #melfest 1. Greczula 2. A*Teens 3. Indra 4. Jacqline 5/6 noll2/Junior Lerin

Junior Lerin #melfest rehearsal Starts alone on stage and is joined by four dancers with one dancer on the catwalk ”playing” the steel drums. Junior ends on the catwalk and will get the party going there in the middle of the arena. Song objectively awful and Junior quite out of key mind you

Jacqline #melfest rehearsal Legs. Lots of legs. Jacqline has great legs and gets to show them off at every opportunity. Prop on stage well used as a sort of bed/lounger for extra sultry seductiveness. Dancers in typical SJB formations Harmonies sound fine in arena.

Took a walk around #Linköping during the break, here is a thread of how the city is preparing for #melfest this weekend

More #melfest rehearsals start in ten minutes Or maybe not Fire alarm has gone off. And the firefighters are here (no, not Brandsta City Släckers, that’s next week)

A*Teens #melfest rehearsal Huge Shady Lady prop on steroids and it looks big budget on camera. A*Teens stay in boxes until the 2nd chorus and then break to front of stage, before 20 seconds of awkward audience shots as they climb their platforms. Executed well if lacking that je ne sais quoi

Indra #melfest rehearsal Starts on platform at front of stage with side lights reminding of Hold Me Closer. Colours change to deep orange for 2nd verse as Indra walks to main stage and is fully oximated by dry ice. BIG lights on key change and strong impact on ending. Needs camera tweaks but good

Noll2 #melfest rehearsal Two onstage throughout, mainly separated as green side and orange side standing on their boxes, singing to each other but also to camera. Lyrics on screen in same colours, perhaps a bit too childish? Despite the obvious fiddle melody, no one plays instruments.

Greczula #melfest rehearsal Clear 80s-esque motivs as the song slowly builds from quiet to this Queen/ABBA hybrid. Effective lights that come from ceiling all the way down, giving Cesar Sampson effect. Gimmick lift at end of catwalk for finish.

Home #melfest First rehearsals in 10 minutes

Next stop: Iconic Linköping Nu kör vi! #melfest

🇸🇪 60-second snippets of Melodifestivalen 2026's first heat entries have been released on SVT Play. Greczula, Jacqline, Noll2, Junior Lerin, Indra and A-Teens will compete on Saturday in Linköping. Listen here: www.svtplay.se/melodifestiv...

Thanks SVT for the invite to the press song listenings for @melodifestivalen.se 2026. Always a privilege to take part Reviews will be published on the @escinsight.com channel and I’ll be taking over our Bluesky account for the next five Tuesday mornings. #melfest song reveals start at 10:00 CET.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year #melfest

Moldova's TRM put on a selection for the ages this weekend, not just for the Contest, but also for the nation itself. @bensvision.bsky.social attended a transformational National Final to find out why Moldova needs Eurovision as much as Eurovision needs Moldova. escinsight.com/2026/01/20/a...

Watch the Moldovan selection tonight! Live at 18:00 CET! Here is our preview to the show

I took a train journey and wrote about it But also about EU membership, Romanian reunification, train gauges, the Eurovision Audience Poll and the war between the Russian and Ottoman Empires And a certain Eurovision song that is now part of our folklore

Arrived! #eurovision #moldova

Off on a #eurovision adventure to match all adventures

Part 2 of our look at Israel’s place in Eurovision, reflecting on the outcomes for the Song Contest if Israel stays, or goes. Either way, the result is going to get ugly.

Grateful to do some research on a difficult topic: "The reality is that every other field will be watching the EBU with interest to see whether the Contest maintains its inclusion of Israel or takes the unprecedented step of exclusion. That makes the EBU’s decision for 2026 a defining one."

Some big number crunching from me here, but the main conclusion is this: Why oh why is Eurovision voting more opaque than many of the public broadcasters they represent? Any discussions about voting can't just be about the methodology, but also about the transparency.

The #eurovision Audience Poll from Vörå 1st, Sweden, 990 votes 2nd, Finland, 10 votes 3rd all others (Obviously fake)

HUGE reaction to ICH KOMME in Vörå #eurovision

We have never seen a regional song succeed to this scale at #Eurovision before, like Sweden's entry this year. But we have in the fictional universe. KAJ's journey is the same as Lars and Sigrit. And Bara Bada Bastu is their Husavik. escinsight.com/2025/05/17/t...

Now on the organised KAJ tour that goes around Vörå district

The Grand Final is the final act of the Eurovision 2025 season. We now know who sings first and last on Saturday's marathon. @bensvision.bsky.social examines the pace and narrative of the Grand Final, as well as picking winners and losers from the 26. escinsight.com/2025/05/16/t...

The big one is out My Grand Final Running Order analysis for #Eurovision 2025 escinsight.com/2025/05/16/t...

We have arrived in KAJland

Our welcome at Vaasa Airport

Forget Eurovision, we are en route to Vöråvision! Next stop Vaasa!

After 1,850 votes, here are the results of the Audience Poll for Semi-Final 2! Thanks to @12pointsusa.bsky.social, @escxtra.bsky.social, @thateurosite.bsky.social, @eurovoix.bsky.social, and @vdan.design for their collaboration and efforts! See you Friday for the Grand Final Poll! #Eurovision

📊 Tonight, we asked the audience who their favourite was from the Evening Preview of Semi-Final 2 of #Eurovision 2025. The Audience Poll was conducted by That Eurovision Site, @12pointsusa.bsky.social A, @escxtra.bsky.social , @escinsight.com, @eurovoix.bsky.social and @vdan.design

1,850 attendees voted in this year's Semi 2 audience poll, and it was a photo finish! Thanks to our friends at @escinsight.com @thateurosite.bsky.social @escxtra.bsky.social @eurovoix.bsky.social @dudepoints.fun @vdan.design for helping make this happen! #Eurovision

🗳️ The results of the #Eurovision Audience Poll 2025 Semi-Final 2 are here! After the evening preview, we collaborated with @escinsight.com, @12pointsusa.bsky.social, @dudepoints.fun @eurovoix.bsky.social & @thateurosite.bsky.social to get the first reactions of those leaving St. Jakobshalle!