Class of 246

Philippines

The Philippines turns to the new generation of P-pop with AJAA, a four-member boy group consisting of Ash, JC, Axl and Alex. Formed by Cornerstone Entertainment, they debuted in 2023 with the EP 4 Ü and quickly established a youthful, colourful identity built around catchy pop, coordinated performances and plenty of personality. Singles including “Torpe”, “Bes I Luv U” and “Dedma” continued their rise, while 2026 brought a second EP and their first solo concert.

The Philippines last competed in edition 244, so after sitting out just one contest, the country returns with four Global Music debutants and “Ako Na”, meaning roughly “Choose Me” or “Let It Be Me.”

Subtlety is not really the objective. “Ako Na” is an upbeat love confession from someone tired of watching their crush repeatedly get hurt by somebody else. Instead of quietly waiting on the sidelines, AJAA make their case directly: stop choosing the person who keeps making you cry and give the one who genuinely cares a chance. Bright melodies, a buoyant pop rhythm and the members’ playful vocal interplay keep the pleading light on its feet, even as the lyrics reveal genuine vulnerability underneath. The song became
AJAA’s first release under StarPop and topped the Philippine iTunes chart.

Four boys, one crush and a very uncomplicated proposal. With “Ako Na”, AJAA are not waiting for Global Music to notice them quietly: they are volunteering to be chosen.

United Kingdom

For more than a decade, Perrie was best known as one quarter of Little Mix, the group formed on The X Factor in 2011 that went on to become one of Britain’s most successful girl groups. Alongside Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson, she built a catalogue spanning glossy pop, R&B and dance, powered by the group’s harmonies and Perrie’s formidable vocals. Following Little Mix’s hiatus, she stepped out under her own name, beginning her solo career with “Forget About Us” in 2024 and gradually establishing a sound that puts her voice firmly at the centre.

Perrie has three previous Global Music appearances with Little Mix, including 4th place with “Secret Love Song”. Edition 246 marks her first time competing as a solo artist.

And her solo introduction comes with some rather straightforward relationship advice: “If He Wanted To He Would.”

Instead of agonising over mixed signals and excuses, the song cuts directly through them. If someone genuinely wants to call, stay, make an effort or be part of your life, their actions will show it. Perrie delivers that message through polished contemporary pop with a confident, conversational edge, allowing the verses to build the frustration before the hook turns the title into its uncomplicated conclusion. Her powerful voice gives the song muscle without sacrificing its playful attitude, making disappointment sound considerably more empowering than defeated.

There may be plenty of complicated questions in love, but Perrie has arrived at Global Music with an unusually simple test. If he wanted to, he would. And if the United Kingdom wanted Perrie back, it clearly did.

Poland

Polish singer-songwriter Oskar Cyms has risen quickly from uploading covers online to becoming one of the recognisable young voices in Polish pop. His breakthrough gathered pace with “Daj mi znać” and “My Girl”, while victory in the 2023 edition of Twoja Twarz Brzmi Znajomo brought him to an even broader audience. Cyms specialises in melodic, emotionally open pop, with a warm vocal style that works equally comfortably in romantic ballads and brighter radio productions. His debut album Nigdy wcześniej arrived in 2023, followed by Szkic i kontury in 2025.

His Global Music record contains a particularly frustrating pattern. After beginning with 13th place alongside EMO in edition 215, Cyms came agonisingly close to the podium twice in succession: both “Co noc” and “Caly czas” finished 4th. “No co ty” therefore becomes his fourth appearance, with a first medal still tantalisingly out of reach.

Two near misses might leave anyone asking what more they are supposed to do. Oskar’s response sounds almost incredulous: “No co ty”, a conversational Polish expression roughly equivalent to “Oh, come on” or “What are you talking about?”

The song brings a lighter, more playful energy than that history might suggest. Breezy contemporary pop and a buoyant rhythm surround Cyms’ easy-going vocal, while the conversational title feeds directly into the track’s flirtatious character. Rather than turning romance into grand drama, “No co ty” captures the teasing uncertainty between two people who clearly have something brewing but are not quite saying everything outright. Its charm comes from that informality, with the hook sounding less like a carefully constructed declaration than something blurted out in the middle of an exchange.

After finishing one step short of the medals twice, Cyms certainly has reason to sound a little exasperated. If “No co ty” finally moves him that one place higher, Poland may have found the perfect response.

Australia

Australian duo Baby Smith began on opposite sides of a coincidence. Ray Sonder and Saxon Gable grew up in beach towns on Australia’s east coast, both raised on a parental diet of The Beatles and Nirvana, but did not meet until each independently moved to Berlin within weeks of the other. They subsequently became partners in both life and music, forming Baby Smith in 2023. Their hazy indie-pop draws from 1960s psychedelia, 1990s grunge and classic pop songwriting, resulting in music that can sound sun-drenched even when considerably darker emotions are lurking underneath. Their debut album Lately, Love Is Dead arrived in 2026.

Australia now tunes this husband-and-wife duo into a completely different frequency. Baby Smith make their Global Music debut with “Walkie Talkie.”

Bright colours disguise some decidedly murky thoughts here. Beach Boys-inspired chord movements and psychedelic flourishes give “Walkie Talkie” a playful, slightly wonky surface, but underneath sits the paranoia that can creep into a relationship when words and actions stop matching. The pair drew on past experiences of insecurity and self-doubt, capturing the exhausting internal conversation that follows: does the other person really feel the same, which version of them can be trusted, and are you seeing the relationship clearly at all? That contradiction between breezy music and claustrophobic emotion gives the track much of its personality.

Communication devices are supposed to make things clearer, of course, but this particular one seems to generate more questions than answers. For their first Global Music transmission, Baby Smith press the button on “Walkie Talkie” and wait to see who answers.

Ukraine

Ukrainian artist Temstime belongs to the darker, more alternative edge of the country’s contemporary music scene. Working with a mixture of electronic production, alternative pop and rock influences, Temstime favours atmosphere over glossy conventional pop, creating songs that feel tense, inward-looking and emotionally raw. That combination gives the project a distinctive place among the many new Ukrainian acts using modern production without abandoning a rougher, more underground character.

There is no previous Global Music history to unpack here. Ukraine introduces Temstime to the competition from scratch with “Izgoy”, a title that translates as “Outcast.”

And the title immediately tells us where the song lives emotionally. “Izgoy” revolves around alienation and the feeling of existing outside the world around you, turning isolation into something both personal and confrontational. Dark electronic textures and a heavy, brooding pulse create an uneasy backdrop, while Temstime’s restrained delivery adds to the sense of emotional detachment rather than trying to overwhelm it with vocal theatrics. The track gradually builds its pressure through repetition and atmosphere, allowing the discomfort to linger.

There is little interest here in making loneliness sound beautiful or romantic. Instead, “Izgoy” embraces the unease of not belonging, giving Ukraine an entry that feels deliberately removed from the centre of the room and comfortable inhabiting its own shadowier corner.

For a Global Music debut, being an “Izgoy” might sound like an unusual strategy. Temstime, however, makes standing apart the entire point.

Denmark

Danish singer-songwriter Loui Henderson is only just beginning his solo career, but things are already moving quickly. Raised on Amager in Copenhagen, he grew up in a creative family and later attended MGK before becoming frontman of the band PAK. Leaving the group forced him to rethink his musical direction, and the result has been a more personal Danish-language sound built around strong melodies, live instrumentation and stories about youth, freedom, falling in love and figuring out where life is heading. In 2026, he was selected for P3’s Næste, while his collaboration with Mumle on “Ungdomsritualer” introduced him to an even wider audience.

There could hardly be a more appropriate song for his first Global Music appearance. Denmark hands Henderson a clean slate with “Gør det hele forfra”, or “Do It All Over Again.”

The song was quite literally his new beginning: the first demo Henderson wrote after leaving PAK eventually became his debut solo single. Rather than polished electronic pop, it has the warmth and immediacy of a band playing together, with guitar, piano, organ, bass and drums surrounding his expressive vocal. There is youthful restlessness running through it, but also the exhilaration of recognising that starting again does not necessarily mean returning to zero. Sometimes tearing up the old plan is precisely what brings the energy back.

That feeling clearly travelled beyond the rehearsal room. “Gør det hele forfra” reached both P3 and P4 and climbed to number nine on the Danish airplay chart, giving Henderson’s solo career an encouraging first push.

Global Music now becomes another beginning entirely. Loui Henderson has already discovered what can happen when you “Gør det hele forfra”; Denmark is giving him one more reason to start again.

Norway

Norwegian producer Kygo transformed tropical house from an online phenomenon into a global pop sound, breaking through with “Firestone” before collaborations with artists including Selena Gomez, Whitney Houston, Imagine Dragons and OneRepublic made him one of electronic music’s most recognisable names. Global Music knows him extremely well too: “Take Me Back” becomes his 12th participation, officially putting him among the contest’s veterans. Results have often proved elusive, with six semifinal exits and a best finish of 11th place, achieved only three editions ago with Carter Faith.

His latest partner is Oregon-born Max McNown, whose rise has come from a very different musical direction. After busking on the California coast, the singer-songwriter found a growing audience with his warm blend of folk, country and Americana. His breakthrough “A Lot More Free” became a streaming success, while albums Wandering and Night Diving established his intimate, weathered vocal style. He now makes his Global Music debut.

Kygo has spent years inviting different voices into his electronic world. This time, Max McNown is asking him to turn around: “Take Me Back.”

The collaboration meets neatly in the space between their respective styles. Acoustic guitar and McNown’s earthy vocal give the track a singer-songwriter foundation, while Kygo gradually surrounds it with piano, electronic textures and a restrained dance pulse. Nostalgia runs through the song, with memories of a relationship creating the desire to rewind to something that felt simpler and closer before time and distance changed it. Rather than forcing McNown into a full-scale club production, Kygo leaves enough space for the wistfulness to remain intact.

After eleven previous entries with eleven different sets of collaborators, Kygo has found yet another travelling companion. “Take Me Back” looks towards the past, but with Max McNown beside him, Norway is bringing something entirely new along for the ride.

Portugal

Portuguese singer-songwriter GIIA has been quietly building her catalogue through a series of independent pop releases, developing a sound that favours clean contemporary production and emotionally direct songwriting. Songs including “Honest”, “Bored”, “imagino” and the Portuguese-language “Contramão” have shown an artist comfortable moving between English and her native language, while 2026 has brought further new material as she continues to define her musical identity.

There are no old scores, medals or unfinished Global Music business attached to her name. Portugal introduces GIIA to the competition for the first time, and she is making sure we hear her from both sides with “Stereo.”

The track is compact modern pop, clocking in at just 2 minutes and 40 seconds and wasting little time establishing its melodic hook. Rather than overloading the production, “Stereo” keeps GIIA’s vocal at the centre, surrounding it with crisp electronic textures and a polished rhythmic foundation. The title becomes part of the song’s imagery, using the idea of sound coming from two directions to capture an attraction that seems to fill every available space. There is an immediacy to the track that suits its short running time: it arrives, locks onto its central melody and leaves before the idea has a chance to wear thin.

For an artist making her first appearance, there is something fitting about choosing a song built around being heard. GIIA is switching Global Music to “Stereo”, and Portugal is hoping listeners keep both ears open.

Nepal

Kathmandu-born Samir Shrestha belongs to a new generation of Nepali singer-songwriters who have found large audiences through intimate songs rather than oversized production. He began writing music while still in his teens and quickly gained attention online, with tracks such as “Thamana Haat”, “Char Dewar” and “Je Chhau Timi” collecting millions of streams and views. Acoustic guitar, gentle melodies and an understated vocal delivery are central to his sound, while love, longing and emotional vulnerability frequently provide the raw material.

That quiet approach now travels into completely new territory. Samir makes his Global Music debut for Nepal with “Auna Najeeka”, meaning “Come Closer.”

The invitation in the title captures the song beautifully. “Auna Najeeka” is tender Nepali acoustic pop, led by guitar and Samir’s soft, almost conversational singing rather than dramatic production. The closeness he asks for is emotional as much as physical: the song expresses a desire to shorten the distance between two people, hold onto their connection and find comfort in simply being together. Its melody unfolds gently, with small instrumental details supporting the vocal instead of competing with it, giving the track the feeling of something shared privately rather than proclaimed to a crowd.

That restraint is precisely where much of its charm lies. There are no vocal acrobatics or sudden explosions designed to demand attention; Samir trusts warmth, melody and sincerity to draw the listener towards him.

For a first meeting with Global Music, the title could hardly be more appropriate. Samir Shrestha simply asks us to come a little closer, and “Auna Najeeka” gives Nepal a quietly persuasive reason to do exactly that.

United States

New Jersey-born Natalie Jane has turned emotionally charged pop into a rapidly growing international career. After early appearances on American Idol, she found her real breakthrough online, where her powerhouse vocals and intensely personal songwriting attracted a huge audience. Songs including “Mentally Cheating”, “AVA” and “Intrusive Thoughts” helped establish a style built around dramatic pop production, relationship turmoil and a voice capable of switching from exposed vulnerability to full-throttle release. Her debut album the world i didn’t want followed in 2025, pushing that sound into a larger body of work.

Her Global Music introduction is considerably more recent. Natalie debuted just one edition ago with “Dance Til I Die”, but GM245 ended in the semifinals. There is no waiting around for another opportunity: the United States sends her straight back for attempt number two.

After the first one went wrong, Natalie has even provided a possible explanation herself: “Sabotage.”

The song dives into the destructive instincts that can surface when a relationship begins to matter too much. Instead of simply fearing that somebody else will cause the heartbreak, Natalie recognises the danger of creating it herself, questioning why insecurity and overthinking can make someone damage the very thing they want to keep. Musically, “Sabotage” sits firmly in her dramatic pop territory, beginning from a more exposed emotional space before swelling into a powerful chorus that gives her voice room to break loose. The tension between vulnerability and vocal force mirrors the push-and-pull at the heart of the lyrics.

Coming back immediately after a semifinal exit leaves little time for second thoughts. With “Sabotage”, Natalie Jane gets another chance to prove that the only thing standing in her way does not have to be herself.

Türkiye

Born Hakan Aydın in Gebze, BLOK3 has become one of the biggest names in Türkiye’s new generation of rap. After beginning to release music in the early 2020s, his breakthrough came through tracks such as “Vur” and particularly “Affetmem”, which turned him into a major streaming force. Further hits including “Baybay”, “Yaptırıcaz Tırnaklarını” and “Aklına Ben Gelecem” consolidated his success, while his sound has increasingly blurred the boundary between rap and melodic pop. In 2023, he was named Best Rapper at Türkiye’s Golden Butterfly Awards.

Millions of streams and plenty of domestic success have come first; Global Music comes next. BLOK3 makes his debut for Türkiye with “Sebebi Yar”, roughly meaning “The Reason Is My Love.”

Taken from his 2026 album Kayıp Persona, the track shows the more vulnerable side of an artist often associated with swagger and self-confidence. A restrained beat and melancholic melodic backdrop frame BLOK3’s melodic rap delivery, giving heartbreak room to dominate without losing the contemporary urban sound at the centre of his music. The relationship is already over, but its wounds remain painfully open: the person who walked away is blamed for the hurt, while longing gradually becomes resentment as the possibility emerges that the love was never equally shared.

The title itself carries some of the song’s sting. The Turkish yar means a beloved, making that person both the object of affection and the source of all the pain that follows. For his first Global Music appearance, BLOK3 already knows the cause of the problem: “Sebebi Yar” points straight at the heart.

Sweden

Still only 18, Margaux Flavet has already spent several years becoming comfortable in the spotlight. The Stockholm singer first reached a Swedish television final at just 11 years old on Talang, before returning to national attention through Idol 2024. There she went all the way, becoming the youngest winner in the programme’s history at 16. Her victory song, “I’ll Write Your Name Across the Sky”, launched her recording career, followed by singles including “Hateless” and “Exit”, as she began shaping a sound influenced by the soul and older music she has loved since childhood.

That Idol winning song also introduced her to Global Music, although the result was less triumphant: Sweden finished 26th in edition 230. Sixteen editions later, Flavet gets her second opportunity with “All Eyes on Me.”

This time, being watched is part of the point. “All Eyes on Me” moves Flavet further into contemporary pop while leaving plenty of room for the rich, soulful vocal tone that first made her stand out on television. There is confidence in the song’s polished production and assertive hook, but also an awareness of the pressure that comes with stepping into the centre of attention. Rather than shrinking beneath that gaze, Flavet embraces it, turning visibility into something empowering and presenting herself with considerably more self-assurance than the teenager first emerging from a talent show.

That makes the title particularly apt for an artist whose young career has unfolded largely in public. Margaux Flavet has already learned what it means to have people watching. With “All Eyes on Me”, Sweden makes sure she is no longer asking them to look anywhere else.

Italy

Puglia brings two of its most distinctive voices together as Serena Brancale meets Alessandra Amoroso. Bari-born Brancale is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music slips between jazz, soul, R&B and contemporary Italian pop. After first appearing at Sanremo in 2015, she returned a decade later with the infectious “Anema e core”, introducing a much wider audience to her rhythmically adventurous style. Her Global Music debut came only five editions ago, when “Al mio paese” with Levante and Delia finished 10th.

Amoroso, from Galatina, has been one of Italy’s biggest pop voices since winning Amici in 2009. Her unmistakably husky delivery has powered a long run of successful albums and singles, while Global Music has seen considerably more of her: six previous appearances have brought two 6th places and a bronze medal with “Comunque andare”, alongside rather less successful outings including one DNQ.

One arrives almost fresh from her first Global Music top ten; the other already owns a medal. Italy now sends the two south together for a “Serenata.”

This is not quite the serenade suggested by candlelight beneath a balcony. The song draws heavily on the musical character of southern Italy, mixing contemporary pop with Mediterranean rhythms, acoustic guitar and touches of folk tradition. Brancale’s jazzy flexibility and Amoroso’s grainier, more forceful voice make an immediately recognisable pairing, trading lines before locking together in a buoyant chorus. Sung partly in dialect, “Serenata” celebrates desire and connection with warmth, physicality and the easy communal energy of a summer night in Puglia.

The result feels less like a formal declaration of love than one spilling naturally out into the street. With Serena Brancale and Alessandra Amoroso sharing the song, Italy’s “Serenata” was never going to stay beneath just one balcony.

Israel

Israeli DJ and producer Offer Nissim has been a driving force in club music for decades, particularly known for his high-energy house productions and remixes. His résumé stretches from producing Dana International’s Eurovision-winning “Diva” to official remixes for international stars including Madonna and Cher, while his long collaboration with vocalist Maya Simantov produced club staples such as “First Time” and “For Your Love”. His Global Music record is more modest: “Shufuni” finished 23rd in edition 183, while “Doctor” with Noa Kirel missed the final in GM243.

This time he teams up with Eden Golan, whose powerful voice took Israel to 5th place at Eurovision 2024 with “Hurricane”. Global Music has treated her particularly well: two appearances have already produced a 9th place and, most recently, a bronze medal with “Beautiful Horizon” in edition 236.

Nissim may be looking for his first major Global Music breakthrough, but his latest vocalist already knows the podium. Together, they pick up the “Pieces.”

The 2025 collaboration places Golan’s dramatic vocals inside Nissim’s electronic world, building from an emotionally exposed opening into a driving dance production. At 127 beats per minute, there is club energy underneath the heartbreak, creating a contrast between movement and emotional disintegration. The lyrics describe desperately holding onto someone who has left everything fractured: memories rush back, escape proves impossible, and even the person in the mirror has become difficult to recognise. Golan co-wrote the song with Maya Simantov, connecting Nissim’s newest collaboration with one of his most important musical partnerships.

For Eden Golan, “Pieces” follows two increasingly successful Global Music appearances; for Offer Nissim, it offers a very different route after his recent semifinal exit. Israel brings the pieces together and lets the dancefloor decide whether they fit.

Czechia

Singer, songwriter and actress Olga Lounová has spent much of her career moving between music, theatre and film. Born in Liberec, she studied acting before establishing herself on the Czech music scene, where her catalogue has ranged from melodic pop-rock to more polished mainstream pop. Alongside her solo work, she has collaborated with major Czech artists, performed extensively on stage and even pursued another passion far removed from the microphone: motorsport, including competitive rally driving.

Global Music initially proved a difficult nut to crack. Her first two appearances, including a duet with legendary Czech singer Karel Gott, both ended in the semifinals before “I Just Need You & My Coffee” finally carried her to 13th place in edition 166. Eighty editions later, she is back for attempt number four.
Coffee clearly did the trick last time, but Czechia has switched ingredients completely. Olga Lounová returns with the wonderfully titled “Hombayero.”

The song leans into carefree, rhythm-driven pop, with an upbeat arrangement and a refrain built around the invented, chant-like word of its title. “Hombayero” is less concerned with telling an intricate story than capturing a state of mind: letting everyday worries loosen their grip, enjoying the moment and allowing music, movement and good company to take over. Lounová delivers it with an easy brightness, while the repetitive hook gives the track an almost communal quality, inviting listeners to join in long before they could possibly explain what “Hombayero” means.

Perhaps that is precisely the point. Some words are meant to be understood; others are simply meant to be shouted along with. After such a long absence, “Hombayero” gives Olga Lounová a particularly exuberant way to announce that she is back.

Belgium

Belgian duo The Starlings bring together two artists who had already established careers of their own. Tom Dice represented Belgium at Eurovision 2010 with “Me and My Guitar”, finishing sixth, while Kato Callebaut first became known through Idool 2011. Partners both musically and personally, they formed The Starlings in 2018 and developed a melodic pop sound built around close harmonies and the natural blend of their voices. Their previous Global Music appearance, “Just Come Home”, finished 13th in edition 193.

This time they are joined by Ozark Henry, the long-running project of Belgian musician Piet Goddaer. Since emerging in the 1990s, he has explored alternative pop, electronica and richly arranged, atmospheric songwriting across albums including Birthmarks and The Sailor Not the Sea. His own Global Music history reaches considerably further back: “I’m Your Sacrifice” finished 21st in edition 88, making this his first appearance in 158 editions.

Three voices and two very different Belgian musical histories are now caught in the same gravitational pull. Belgium brings them together for “Under Your Spell.”

The collaboration unfolds as polished, atmospheric pop, allowing the warmth of The Starlings’ harmonies to meet Ozark Henry’s more textured musical world. Its romantic centre is the feeling of being completely drawn towards another person, with attraction becoming something almost beyond conscious control. Rather than turning that idea into an oversized declaration, the song favours elegance and restraint, gradually layering voices and instrumentation to deepen the sense of intimacy.

The Starlings know all about musical chemistry, while Ozark Henry has spent decades creating atmosphere from unexpected combinations. “Under Your Spell” puts those qualities together and lets Belgium surrender to the attraction.

South Korea

South Korean singer Sojeong Shim brings a voice shaped by both contemporary music and Korea’s traditional sound world. Rather than following the polished idol-pop route most readily associated with the country internationally, she works with elements of Korean folk and traditional vocal expression, placing them in arrangements that can reach beyond their historical setting. That meeting of old and new gives her music an identity rooted firmly in Korean culture while remaining open to modern production and interpretation.

Global Music now provides a new setting for that approach. Sojeong makes her competition debut with “Eharadiya”, a title drawn from a traditional Korean exclamation heard in folk music rather than a phrase with one simple literal translation.

And tradition is not merely sprinkled over the finished product. “Eharadiya” places Korean musical character at its core, bringing traditional vocal colours and rhythmic ideas into contact with a more contemporary arrangement. Sojeong’s performance is the focal point: expressive and ornamented, shifting between controlled melodic passages and more forceful calls that evoke the communal energy of Korean folk singing. The recurring “eharadiya” refrain functions almost as an instrument itself, providing both rhythmic momentum and an immediately recognisable hook.

The result offers a side of South Korean music that Global Music does not encounter every day. Instead of smoothing away its cultural roots for an international audience, the song makes those roots the reason to listen, allowing centuries-old musical language to occupy a modern space without losing its character.

For her first Global Music appearance, Sojeong Shim is not arriving quietly. “Eharadiya” is both a song and a call, and South Korea is making sure that call travels well beyond home.

Serbia

Belgrade-born Relja Popović, known simply as Relja, has been a major presence in Serbian urban music for well over a decade. He first became widely known as one half of the hip-hop duo Elitni Odredi, whose mixture of rap, R&B and pop produced a string of regional hits before the pair separated in 2015. Relja subsequently launched a successful solo career, developing a sleek sound in which trap and hip-hop meet melodic Balkan pop. Music is not his only arena either: he has also worked as an actor, including an acclaimed early role in the Serbian film Ordinary People.

Despite his long career and substantial audience across the Balkans, there is one border Relja has yet to cross. Serbia sends him to Global Music for the first time with the suitably well-travelled “Intercontinental.”

The title fits a track built around movement, luxury and attraction without borders. “Intercontinental” sits firmly in contemporary Balkan urban pop, combining a deep rhythmic beat and polished electronic production with Relja’s relaxed delivery, which slips naturally between rapping and melody. Its atmosphere is nocturnal and self-assured, shaped by the imagery of travel, distance and an irresistible relationship that keeps pulling two people towards one another. Rather than relying on a huge traditional chorus, the track draws much of its appeal from groove, repetition and Relja’s cool, understated presence.

It gives Serbia an entry with a distinctly different swagger: less interested in dramatic declarations than in creating a mood and letting the beat do the travelling. Relja has spent years crossing musical boundaries around the Balkans; with “Intercontinental,” Global Music finally becomes his next stop.

Monaco

French-Swiss trio Arcadian first found a wide audience through the fifth season of The Voice: la plus belle voix in France, where Yoann Pinna, Florentin Cabezon and Jérôme Achermann competed together after getting their start playing covers in Parisian bars and on the street. Their subsequent career turned that easy chemistry into bright francophone pop, with acoustic instrumentation, vocal harmonies and an energetic live feel at its core. “Folie Arcadienne” became their breakthrough hit, followed by songs including “Ton combat” and “Bonjour merci”, while two studio albums established them firmly on the French-speaking pop scene.

That breakthrough song also provided their only previous Global Music appearance. Representing France in edition 132, “Folie Arcadienne” finished 21st. 114 editions later, Arcadian are back, but under a different flag as Monaco hands them their second opportunity.

After such a long absence, rushing things would hardly seem appropriate. Arcadian are taking their comeback “Petit à petit”, or “Little by Little.”

The song plays directly to the trio’s strengths, pairing upbeat French pop with acoustic textures and the natural interplay of three male voices. Its light rhythmic bounce gives the track an immediate warmth, while the lyrics embrace gradual progress rather than instant transformation. Life, love and personal ambitions do not always fall neatly into place, and “Petit à petit” finds optimism in moving forward one step at a time. The group’s harmonies reinforce that communal feeling, keeping the song breezy without making its message feel disposable.

Arcadian have certainly taken the title literally when it comes to Global Music: one appearance for France, a very long pause, and now a second chance with Monaco. Petit à petit, they have found their way back.

Canada

For more than three decades, Chantal Kreviazuk has occupied a distinctive place in Canadian music as both a successful recording artist and one of pop’s prolific behind-the-scenes songwriters. Born in Winnipeg and classically trained on piano, she broke through in the late 1990s with the album Under These Rocks and Stones, establishing a sound built around expressive vocals, piano-led songwriting and emotionally direct pop-rock. Beyond her own catalogue, Kreviazuk has co-written songs for artists including Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera, earning international success without always being the voice heard on the finished record.

After helping shape plenty of other artists’ songs, she now has a competition entry entirely of her own. And with Canada hosting this edition of Global Music, Kreviazuk makes her debut on home ground with “Monster.”

There is little monstrous about the song’s sound at first. “Monster” unfolds as atmospheric, piano-centred pop, with Kreviazuk’s distinctive voice carrying an uneasy mixture of vulnerability and resolve. The darker creature suggested by the title is emotional rather than literal, emerging from the damage people can inflict within a relationship and the parts of ourselves that surface when love becomes painful. Instead of dressing that conflict in bombast, the arrangement leaves space for the words and vocal performance, gradually adding weight as those emotions become harder to contain.

It is an intimate choice from a host country that could easily have gone for something much louder. Canada instead welcomes Global Music with an established songwriter making her first appearance after decades in the industry. With “Monster”, Chantal Kreviazuk proves that the things hiding in the dark do not always need to roar to make themselves heard.

Spain

Kosovan-Albanian star Dhurata Dora has built a career that stretches far beyond the Albanian-speaking music scene. Born in Germany, she broke through with a string of Albanian-language hits before collaborations helped expand her international reach, most notably the hugely successful “Zemër” with Algerian rapper Soolking. Her music moves easily between pop, R&B and Balkan-flavoured dance rhythms, often incorporating Afrobeats and other international influences. Global Music saw her once before, but only briefly: “A bombi” failed to reach the final back in edition 123.

Her partner brings an entirely different musical background. Spanish singer Any González is a flamenco-rooted vocalist whose expressive style adds an unmistakably Iberian colour to the pairing. This is González’s first Global Music appearance, making “Qaje” both a new collaboration and a meeting between two musical cultures.

Dhurata has waited 123 editions for another chance, and Spain is not bringing her back alone. This time, Albanian and Spanish voices meet in “Qaje”, meaning “Cry.”

The song turns that title into an emotional command, blending contemporary Balkan pop with Spanish and flamenco touches. Dhurata’s smooth, controlled delivery contrasts with González’s more raw and ornamented vocal style, giving the duet much of its character. Rather than sounding like two separate performances stitched together, the languages and traditions play off one another over a polished, rhythmically driven production. Heartbreak sits at the centre, but there is defiance alongside the pain: tears become something to release rather than conceal.

It is an intriguing cultural collision for Spain, pairing an established Kosovan-Albanian hitmaker with a voice rooted much closer to home. “Qaje” may give them permission to cry, but Dhurata Dora and Any González have no intention of doing so quietly.

Suriname

Dutch trio Flaire have emerged as one of the more distinctive names in the Netherlands’ new pop generation. Consisting of Holty, Max and Jens, the group combine songwriting, production and performance themselves, creating Dutch-language pop that happily wanders beyond straightforward radio formulas. Electronic beats, R&B, dance music and touches of hip-hop all find their way into the mix, while their lyrics tend to stay close to youth, relationships and the exhilaration and uncertainty of nights that refuse to end. Their growing reputation has also translated to the live circuit, including festival appearances and their own headline shows.

None of the three has appeared at Global Music before, so Suriname is introducing the entire package at once. Flaire arrive with “Door Het Oog Van De Nacht”, a title that translates roughly as “Through the Eye of the Night.”

Nighttime is more than scenery here. The track lives in that strange space where the outside world has quietened down but emotions have done precisely the opposite. Flaire wrap the feeling in sleek Dutch-language electropop, balancing a danceable electronic pulse with an atmospheric, slightly dreamlike quality. The vocals pass naturally through the trio rather than relying on one dominant frontman, adding to the sense of friends moving through the same nocturnal world together. There is freedom in the darkness, but also introspection: the night becomes a place to lose yourself, escape ordinary routines and see things differently before daylight returns.

It makes for a debut with its own atmosphere rather than an oversized introduction. “Door Het Oog Van De Nacht” takes Flaire through the eye of the night, and brings Suriname out on the other side with three new faces for Global Music.

Germany

German DJ and producer Felix Jaehn became an international star while still in his early twenties, most spectacularly through the chart-topping remix of OMI’s “Cheerleader” and the global success of “Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better)” with Jasmine Thompson. Tropical house provided the early breakthrough, but Jaehn’s catalogue has since broadened into pop, deep house and electronic dance music. Global Music has brought mixed fortunes: three previous appearances include a semifinal exit with Polina, 22nd place as a solo act and a much stronger 8th place alongside Sandro Cavazza in edition 208.

British singer-songwriter JHart, born James Abrahart, has spent much of his career behind the scenes, writing for artists including Justin Bieber, Usher, Little Mix, Troye Sivan and Kygo. The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter has increasingly stepped up to the microphone himself, and “Pride” now gives him his Global Music debut.

Jaehn has always thrived on collaboration, but this particular partnership comes with something more personal to say. Germany raises its colours with “Pride.”

A bright dance-pop pulse carries a message of self-acceptance, equality and refusing to hide who you are. JHart’s clear, soulful vocal brings warmth to Jaehn’s polished electronic production, while guitar and buoyant beats keep the song celebratory rather than confrontational. At its heart is a simple rejection of prejudice: people may love in different ways, but those differences should be embraced rather than used to divide them. The chorus turns that conviction into an anthem about holding onto your identity when others would rather diminish it.

For JHart, it is a first step onto the Global Music stage; for Felix Jaehn, a fourth attempt with yet another musical partner. “Pride” makes its position much simpler: whoever you are, stand tall enough to own it.

North Macedonia

Macedonian singer Simona Popovska has spent recent years steadily developing her own strand of contemporary Balkan pop. Her catalogue moves between emotional ballads and more rhythmic productions, with songs including “Ti si moja pobeda”, “Lovec i plen” and “Nebiten” showing different sides of her sound. Alongside her this time is Boka Conga, the stage name of percussionist Bojan Stojanov, whose speciality is right there in the name: congas and Latin rhythms, frequently blended with modern pop and Balkan music.

Both already know Global Music, although only briefly. Popovska’s “Beli nokji” failed to reach the final in edition 235, while Boka made his first appearance six editions earlier alongside DNK and Mishel Trajkovski, finishing 18th with “Charshija”. This is therefore their first entry together.

Simona is asking for another chance, but the title keeps the request considerably simpler: “Daj mi”, meaning “Give Me.”

A contemporary Afro-house groove provides the heartbeat, while Boka’s live percussion adds extra movement and a more organic pulse to the electronic production. The summery surface hides a more uncertain romantic story. At the beginning of a new relationship, attraction is accompanied by the fear that it may be nothing more than another short-lived adventure. Popovska wants closeness, trust and something with a future, but first she needs reassurance that the feelings on the other side are equally sincere.

That tension between sunny rhythm and romantic doubt gives the song its character, with Boka’s percussion ensuring the uncertainty never stands still for long. “Daj mi” asks for hope, trust and something real; North Macedonia is giving Simona Popovska and Boka Conga the chance to find all three together.

Andorra

Tenerife-born Agoney Hernández first became widely known through Operación Triunfo 2017, where his extraordinary vocal range and theatrical instincts quickly made him stand out. Since then, he has carved out a distinctly dramatic corner of Spanish pop, combining electronic production, dance music and flashes of rock with a voice capable of moving from delicate falsetto to full-scale vocal fireworks. His debut album Libertad reached number one in Spain, while “Quiero arder” took him to the final of Benidorm Fest in 2023.

Global Music has already provided its own share of drama. Agoney’s first appearance alongside Miriam Rodríguez ended in the semifinals, but his solo record has been considerably stronger: he became Champion with “Quién pide al cielo por ti” in edition 189 and later climbed back into the top five with “Intacto”. “Cine de terror” now becomes his fifth participation.

Having already brought magic, fire and an intact heart into the competition, Agoney is changing genres completely. Andorra has booked everyone a ticket to the “Cine de terror”, or “Horror Movie.”

Dark electronic pop provides the setting, with Agoney embracing the song’s sinister theatricality rather than treating its title as mere decoration. Tense synths, a forceful beat and sharp shifts in intensity create a cinematic atmosphere, while his elastic vocals move between controlled menace and explosive power. The horror imagery becomes a way of framing emotional turmoil and a relationship that feels increasingly nightmarish, giving the track a playful streak beneath its darker surface.

Agoney has never been an artist inclined to underplay a song, and this one gives his theatrical side plenty of scenery to chew on. “Cine de terror” turns Andorra’s entry into a horror film, but Agoney sounds perfectly comfortable playing the leading role.

Estonia

Born in Viljandi to Armenian parents, Stefan Airapetjan, usually known simply as Stefan, has become a familiar name in Estonian pop. He first gained national attention through several appearances in Eesti Laul, initially as part of the group Vajé and later as a solo artist. Persistence eventually paid off when “Hope” won the competition and took him to Eurovision 2022, where its western-flavoured pop sound carried Estonia to 13th place in the final. Since then, Stefan has continued releasing music in both English and Estonian, moving comfortably between radio pop, singer-songwriter material and touches of country and soul.

Global Music has been less generous to him. “We’ll Be Fine” finished 22nd in edition 194, while “By My Side” failed to reach the final in GM206. This third attempt also marks Estonia’s return to the competition after sitting out the four editions since GM241.

Perhaps the secret was waiting at home all along. Stefan is back with “Kiri külmkapi peal”, or “A Note on the Fridge.”

The wonderfully everyday title sets the tone for a song that finds emotion in the small traces people leave behind. Rather than reaching for grand romantic imagery, “Kiri külmkapi peal” centres on something almost painfully ordinary: a message left on the refrigerator becoming a reminder of a relationship and everything attached to it. Stefan wraps that intimacy in melodic Estonian pop with acoustic singer-songwriter warmth, letting his rich, slightly raspy voice carry much of the emotional weight. The result feels personal and lived-in, turning a mundane household object into the centrepiece of something much more tender.

After four editions without Estonia, its comeback does not arrive with fireworks or fanfare. Instead, “Kiri külmkapi peal” leaves Global Music a note on the fridge and trusts that we will stop long enough to read it.

Finland

Best known as the frontman of Finnish glam-rock band Negative, Jonne Aaron has been a fixture of Finland’s rock scene since the late 1990s. With Negative, he found success both at home and elsewhere in Europe through melodic rock songs such as “The Moment of Our Love” and “Frozen to Lose It All”. His solo career revealed another side of his songwriting, moving towards Finnish-language pop and softer rock while retaining the distinctive, slightly fragile vocal tone that made him recognisable in the first place.

His Global Music history contains just one previous appearance, and it came in company. Back in edition 83, Aaron joined rapper Cheek for “Anna mä meen”, finishing 23rd. An enormous 163 editions later, he finally gets his first opportunity to compete on his own.

That is plenty of time for expectations to build. Finland plays neatly with that idea by choosing “Olettamuksia”, meaning “Assumptions.”

Rather than reaching back towards the harder glam-rock sound of Negative, “Olettamuksia” showcases the more mature Finnish pop-rock Jonne Aaron has developed as a solo artist. Melodic and reflective, it places his expressive voice at the centre, with a polished band arrangement that carries emotion without overwhelming it. The song examines the assumptions people make about one another and how easily imagined truths can shape relationships, creating distance between what we believe and what is actually being felt or said. There is melancholy in that uncertainty, but the melody keeps the track accessible rather than heavy.

Much has changed since Jonne Aaron last appeared on the Global Music scoreboard, including the fact that this time he has nobody beside him to share the spotlight. “Olettamuksia” asks us to question our assumptions; after 163 editions away, making any about Jonne Aaron might be particularly unwise.

Switzerland

Behind the imaginary “Republic of Kadebostany” stands Swiss producer and composer Guillaume de Kadebostany, whose project Kadebostany has spent more than a decade bending pop into unusual shapes. Electronic production, cinematic arrangements and rotating guest vocalists are central to its identity, with “Castle in the Snow”, “Mind If I Stay” and “Save Me” among its best-known songs. This will be Kadebostany’s third Global Music appearance after finishing 16th and 21st in editions 114 and 136.

This time the voice belongs to Turkish singer-songwriter Sena Sener, known for her smoky, expressive vocals and a style spanning alternative pop, rock and electronic music. She already has a much stronger Global Music result to her name: her only previous appearance, alongside Mahmut Orhan with “Feel” in edition 129, narrowly missed the medals in 4th place.

Two artists whose Global Music paths once crossed only seven editions apart are finally sharing the same entry. Switzerland puts them together as “Two Lovebirds in a Cage.”

The song deliberately looks backwards and forwards at once. Guillaume de Kadebostany drew inspiration from 1970s pop, surrounding Sena’s striking voice with vintage guitars and dusty keyboards before filtering everything through delicate modern electronics. Its lyrics, meanwhile, dream far beyond the cage of the title. Unhappiness creates a desire to disappear, board a rocket and escape through clouds, stars and distant galaxies with someone special. The result feels nostalgic and futuristic at the same time, with Sena bringing warmth and yearning to its cosmic romanticism.

Kadebostany has always enjoyed creating its own musical universe. With Sena Sener aboard, “Two Lovebirds in a Cage” discovers that even a cage cannot stop these two from dreaming of outer space.

Netherlands

Dutch singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Melle has built his musical identity around craftsmanship in the most literal sense. A graduate of the Conservatory of Amsterdam, he writes, produces and plays an impressive collection of instruments, including some decidedly unconventional ones. His warm indie-pop draws inspiration from singer-songwriters such as Ben Howard and Coldplay, combining acoustic textures, understated production and an intimate vocal style. After a string of singles and EPs, his debut album Memories That I Am arrived in 2023, followed by BEFORE I LOSE IT in 2025.

For an artist accustomed to doing so much himself, there is now one more thing to add to the résumé. Melle makes his first Global Music appearance for the Netherlands with “Good Enough.”

Instead of arriving with fireworks, the song draws the listener inward. “Good Enough” is gentle singer-songwriter pop built around Melle’s soft, vulnerable delivery and an arrangement that leaves plenty of breathing room around the melody. Its emotional weight comes from a painfully familiar question: what happens when you keep measuring yourself against expectations and still fear that you fall short? Self-doubt and the need for reassurance sit at the heart of the song, but its restraint prevents those feelings from becoming melodramatic. Small shifts in instrumentation and intensity do the work instead, allowing the emotion to accumulate naturally.

That understated approach makes this a rather different proposition from the kind of entry that demands attention from its opening seconds. Melle offers something quieter and more personal, trusting the song itself to close the distance.

For his first encounter with Global Music, “Good Enough” poses the question. The scoreboard will eventually provide one answer.

GAbon

Born in Libreville and raised in Franceville, J-Rio is one of the artists who helped shape Gabon’s modern Afropop scene. Real name Junior Sandza, he moved to the United States in 2007 and later formed the group High Definition with fellow Gabonese musicians in Houston. His solo career gathered momentum through locally successful reinterpretations of African and international hits before original songs including “Elle Est Accro”, “Je t’Aime Oh” and “Sors Ça” established him in his own right. Blending Afropop, R&B and dance influences, J-Rio went on to reach audiences across Francophone Africa and earn recognition including a Kora Awards nomination.

That career has taken him across continents, but never into Global Music. Gabon now changes that with “Rêver”, or “To Dream.”

There is no complicated puzzle hiding behind the title. “Rêver” is a warm Afropop love song about a relationship strong enough to survive the doubters, the jealous voices and everything else trying to pull it apart. J-Rio sings directly to the woman who makes him dream, celebrating a bond that has endured through the years and imagining the two of them continuing together whatever comes next. Musically, the track combines an easy Afro-dance pulse with R&B smoothness and an immediately recurring refrain, giving its declaration of devotion a buoyant rather than overly sentimental feel.

That mixture of romance and rhythmic lightness makes “Rêver” an inviting introduction to an artist with a long career but no previous Global Music baggage. For J-Rio, the competition begins with a dream. Gabon will soon discover how far “Rêver” can carry it.

Morocco

One of the leading figures in Morocco’s new generation of pop, Manal has built a career by mixing contemporary urban sounds with a strong North African identity. Born in Casablanca, she first attracted attention through online covers before developing her own material and signing with Sony Music Middle East. Songs such as “Taj”, “Slay” and “Niya” brought her an audience well beyond Morocco, with her music moving confidently between Arabic pop, R&B, hip-hop influences and Moroccan rhythms. She has also become known for striking visuals and lyrics that frequently put female independence and self-confidence front and centre.

Despite that established career, Global Music is entirely new ground. Manal makes her debut for Morocco with “Foras”, a title meaning “Opportunities.”

Here, Manal leans into a polished blend of Moroccan pop and contemporary R&B, with Arabic melodies woven through sleek modern production. Her controlled, expressive delivery gives the track its attitude, shifting between softer passages and a more assertive refrain without needing to overpower the arrangement. “Foras” deals with chances given within a relationship and the moment when patience begins to run out. There may have been opportunities to put things right, but they are not unlimited, giving the song a quietly defiant edge rather than turning heartbreak into outright melodrama.

That balance is very much in Manal’s wheelhouse: traditional musical colour sits comfortably alongside an international pop sound, while vulnerability and self-possession occupy the same space. It makes “Foras” both recognisably Moroccan and unmistakably part of the musical world she has created for herself.

Everyone gets a first opportunity eventually. “Foras” is Manal’s, and she intends to make it count.

San Marino

For nearly three decades, Elisa has been one of Italy’s most versatile and internationally minded singer-songwriters. Born in Trieste, she initially stood apart in the Italian music scene by recording predominantly in English, blending alternative rock, electronic music, soul and sophisticated pop. Her breakthrough album Pipes & Flowers established her in the late 1990s, while victory at Sanremo in 2001 with “Luce (Tramonti a nord est)” proved equally successful in Italian. Since then, songs including “Dancing”, “Gli ostacoli del cuore” and “No Hero” have shown just how comfortably she can move between intimate songwriting and expansive pop.

Few artists know Global Music quite as thoroughly. “Kintsugi” becomes Elisa’s 15th participation, making her a true veteran of the contest. Her long record includes victory with “No Hero” in edition 122, bronze with “Soul” in GM167 and several other top-ten results. More recently the road has been considerably rougher, with her last appearance, “Dancing” in edition 221, becoming her sixth semifinal elimination.

Perhaps those cracks are precisely what make the next song so fitting. San Marino brings Elisa back with “Kintsugi.”

Named after the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and precious metal, “Kintsugi” takes that philosophy into emotional territory: damage does not have to be hidden, and healing can become part of what makes something beautiful. Elisa surrounds the idea with an elegant, atmospheric pop sound, favouring emotional detail and gradual development over an immediate rush for the chorus. Her unmistakable voice moves between delicacy and strength, perfectly suited to a song concerned with fragility without surrendering to it.

It is a title that could almost have been designed for an artist with Elisa’s uneven Global Music history. “Kintsugi” does not erase the cracks; it makes them part of the design.

Cyprus

Few names carry more weight in Greek and Cypriot pop than Anna Vissi. Born in Larnaca, she began her professional career in the 1970s and has spent more than five decades moving between pop, rock, dance and the Greek laïko tradition. Her long creative partnership with songwriter Nikos Karvelas has produced some of her biggest successes, while albums such as Klima Tropiko, Travma and Kravgi cemented her superstar status. Eurovision fans know her equally well: she represented Greece in 1980 and 2006 and her native Cyprus in 1982, when “Mono i agapi” finished fifth.

She qualifies emphatically as a Global Music veteran too. This will be Vissi’s 16th participation, stretching all the way back to the very first edition. Among those appearances are four 9th places and, most importantly, victory with “Kanenas” in GM09. Her latest attempt was much less successful, however, as “Se periptosi pou” failed to reach the final in edition 229.

Seventeen editions later, Cyprus has asked again. Anna Vissi’s answer is “Oxi giati”, or “No, Because…”

The song finds Vissi in dramatic territory, with contemporary Greek pop wrapped around the commanding vocal presence that has defined so much of her career. Rather than chasing youthful trends, “Oxi giati” plays to her strengths: emotional directness, theatrical phrasing and the ability to make a relationship confrontation feel larger than life. Its central idea is refusal with an explanation attached, exploring the point where love is no longer enough to justify accepting what hurts. The production builds around that tension, giving Vissi room to move from restraint towards full-throated intensity.

After more than two decades of Global Music history, there is very little Anna Vissi has not experienced in this competition. “Oxi giati” adds something wonderfully simple to the list: sometimes, the most powerful answer is simply no.

China

London-born British-Chinese DJ, producer and songwriter Baobei has created a musical world she describes as “dancefloor diary entries”, turning relationships, friendships and self-discovery into club music. Her sound draws heavily on UK garage and electronic dance music, mixing skittering rhythms and glossy digital production with soft, intimate vocals and pop instincts. Releases such as “Stereo”, “Don’t Think About It” and the 2025 EP 886 have gradually expanded that world, often accompanied by Chinese-language versions that bring her heritage directly into the music.

Global Music, however, has yet to unlock the right combination for her. Baobei has competed twice before, and both “Don’t Think About It” in edition 227 and “Sync” four editions later stopped in the semifinals. China is now giving her a third attempt.

Two previous signals failed to connect. Perhaps it is time to aim considerably higher: “Saturn” sends Baobei into orbit.

Released in 2026, the track stays rooted in Baobei’s electronic universe while leaning into a dreamy, atmospheric side of dance music. Her delicate vocal delivery floats across layered electronic production and a restless beat, creating a contrast between something airy and almost weightless and the emotional ache suggested by the song’s subtitle. Love here feels distant and difficult to hold onto, with the cosmic imagery giving that emotional separation an appropriately enormous scale.

It is a particularly fitting match between artist and title: intimate feelings placed inside production that seems to stretch far beyond the room around them. With “Saturn”, Baobei is looking beyond earthly complications and taking China somewhere Global Music has not followed her before.

Greece

Natassa Bofiliou is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Greek music, known for combining the tradition of entechno with theatrical pop and sophisticated songwriting. Born in Athens, she studied piano and music theory before beginning her recording career in 2004. A defining feature of her career has been her long-running creative partnership with composer Themis Karamouratidis and lyricist Gerasimos Evangelatos, producing a catalogue noted for its dramatic arrangements, literary lyrics and Bofiliou’s powerful, expressive delivery. Albums including Oi Meres Tou Fotos, Vavel and Kati Kaigetai have helped make her a major presence on the Greek live circuit.

Global Music has seen her only once before, and it was a fleeting encounter. Back in edition 88, “I kardia ponaei otan psilonei” failed to reach the final. Now, an extraordinary 158 editions later, Bofiliou finally gets a second opportunity.

After waiting that long, perhaps only perfection will do. Greece welcomes her back with “Ola teleia”, meaning “Everything Perfect.”

Released in June 2026, “Ola teleia” reunites Bofiliou with Karamouratidis and Evangelatos and brings their unmistakable musical chemistry into a compact three-minute song. It blends sophisticated Greek pop with the dramatic sweep associated with entechno, allowing Bofiliou to move between controlled intimacy and the commanding vocal intensity that has become her trademark. The title carries a knowing edge rather than simple optimism, playing with the idea of everything appearing perfect while more complicated emotions linger underneath.

There is elegance here, but also tension beneath the surface, exactly the kind of contrast Bofiliou knows how to inhabit vocally. Greece may be promising “Ola teleia”, but the imperfections hiding behind those two words are what give the song its bite.

Austria

Born in Vienna, Caro Fux is an Austrian singer-songwriter who has been carving out her own space in German-language pop. Her music mixes catchy melodies with direct, conversational lyrics, often drawing on the messy realities of relationships, attraction and everyday life rather than polishing everything into perfect romance. With her distinctive voice and an approachable style that moves between pop and singer-songwriter territory, she has steadily built an audience through releases including “Zwischen uns”, “Rosarot” and “Aff im Kopf”.

Global Music now becomes part of that story for the first time. And Austria’s debuting artist is arriving with an unusual problem on her mind: “Aff im Kopf”, literally “Monkey in My Head.”

The title comes from the German expression einen Affen haben, associated with being drunk, and the song gleefully plays with that idea. “Aff im Kopf” is bright, cheeky German-language pop with an infectious rhythmic pulse and a chorus built for immediate recall. Fux sings about the aftermath of a night when alcohol has loosened the brakes and someone has taken up rather too much space in her thoughts. Attraction, intoxication and confusion begin to blur together, leaving her wondering whether those feelings are genuine or whether the monkey in her head is responsible for the whole thing.

Rather than turning the situation into romantic melodrama, Fux keeps things light and knowingly playful. The colloquial Austrian flavour of the lyrics adds personality, while the buoyant production makes the mental chaos sound considerably more fun than it probably feels the following morning.

Austria has certainly chosen an unconventional companion for Caro Fux’s first Global Music appearance. Whether it is love or simply one drink too many, “Aff im Kopf” makes sure that monkey will be difficult to shake.

Liechtenstein

Formed in Mannheim in 2017, ClockClock have grown into one of Germany’s most successful electropop acts. The trio consists of singer-songwriter Bojan “Boki” Kalajdzic and producers Mark Vonsin and Fabian Fieser, combining Boki’s distinctive, soulful voice with sleek electronic production and strong pop hooks. Their breakthrough came with “Sorry”, followed by major German airplay successes including “Someone Else” and “Over”. Debut album Dreamers arrived in 2024, while sold-out headline tours and support slots for P!nk, Simply Red and OneRepublic have helped expand their audience across Europe.

There is one scoreboard they have never encountered, however. ClockClock make their first Global Music appearance for Liechtenstein, and appropriately enough, they are bringing “Skeletons” out of the closet.

Released in September 2026, “Skeletons” continues the trio’s knack for wrapping strong emotions inside highly accessible pop. The song blends electropop with a warm, driving beat and an instantly singable chorus, while Boki’s expressive vocals give the polished production a vulnerable edge. Despite its title, these skeletons are not buried secrets. At its heart is the desire for a love so enduring that even growing old together would not be enough: the bond should remain when everything else has faded away. It turns imagery normally associated with darkness and death into something unexpectedly romantic.

That contrast gives the entry its personality: upbeat enough to move to, sentimental without becoming a traditional ballad, and built around a rather macabre declaration of everlasting devotion. ClockClock have already conquered plenty of radio playlists, but Global Music is new territory. With “Skeletons”, Liechtenstein is hoping this particular love affair has plenty of life in it yet.

France

At just 19, Ambre Jadah is already making the leap from television discovery to recording artist. Born in Paris as Ambre Berger, she shot to prominence by winning the 2025 season of Star Academy, where her powerful voice, slightly raspy tone and emotional delivery quickly became her calling cards. Her influences stretch from major Anglo-American pop artists to French chanson, while she has described her own musical ambitions as a mixture of pop, pop-rock and electro-pop. Victory also brought a recording contract with RCA/Sony Music France, opening the door to a career that is only just beginning.

One question she has never had to answer before is how she will fare at Global Music. France gives Ambre her competition debut with a song whose title suggests she already has plenty of questions of her own: “J'me demande”, meaning “I Wonder.”

Released in June 2026 as her first official single after Star Academy, “J'me demande” is a modern French pop-rock ballad that makes particularly good use of Ambre’s husky vocal colour. Rather than celebrating her sudden success, the song turns inward. Its lyrics explore the doubts and pressure that followed her television victory: whether she deserves what has happened, whether she needs to change, and whether she can become the person she has imagined herself to be. The verses carry that uncertainty before the production and vocals expand into a more assertive chorus, balancing vulnerability with determination.

That makes “J'me demande” an unusually fitting introduction. Ambre Jadah enters Global Music at the very beginning of her recording career, armed with a song about questioning where she belongs and what comes next. She may be wondering why she is here, but Global Music is about to give her one possible answer.

Russia

Telekraan are a Russian indie-rock and post-punk band formed in 2017, with Egor Starikov on vocals and guitar at the heart of their sound. Their music sits in the more alternative corners of the Russian scene, favouring wiry guitars, synth textures and a slightly rough-edged, lo-fi character over glossy mainstream production. Releases such as Programma and Reaktor helped establish their catalogue, while their songs often pair energetic arrangements with darker or more melancholic ideas.

For all of that history elsewhere, Global Music is completely unexplored territory. Russia hands Telekraan their first ticket to the competition, and they arrive carrying enough potential firepower for everyone: “Tysjacha deshevyh zazhigalok”, or “A Thousand Cheap Lighters.”

Released in 2019, the track is a brisk slice of Russian post-punk and indie rock, driven by guitar, drums and bass synth and delivered with an appealingly unpolished urgency. Its compact running time adds to the effect: the song races forward without wasting much time on decoration. Beneath that energy, however, lies a relationship that has already fallen apart. The central image compares everything collapsing to a thousand cheap lighters bursting at once, turning an everyday object into a wonderfully strange metaphor for something suddenly and irreversibly broken.

There is something distinctly offbeat about Russia’s choice: short, restless and far removed from conventional polished pop. Telekraan may be making their Global Music debut, but with “Tysjacha deshevyh zazhigalok”, they are certainly not arriving without a spark.

Albania

Inis Neziri has established herself as one of Albania’s notable young power vocalists, building her reputation through music festivals at home and abroad. She first attracted wider attention through Festivali i Këngës, while her commanding ballad style has also brought international recognition, including victory at Romania’s Golden Stag Festival. Global Music audiences know her well too: six previous appearances have produced two 10th places, although she has yet to climb any higher.

Joining her is singer-songwriter Algert Sala, another product of Albania’s busy festival scene. He has competed at Festivali i Këngës as both a performer and songwriter, and his music tends to favour melodic pop with an emotional, distinctly Albanian character. His Global Music experience is considerably shorter than Inis’: his only previous appearance came in edition 228, when “Plumbat” finished 25th. “E imja” therefore marks not only his second participation, but the first time either singer has entered Global Music alongside the other.

Inis has tried six times on her own, while Algert has had just one opportunity. For their next move, they are making things possessive with “E imja”, meaning “Mine.”

The Albanian-language pop ballad puts the contrast between their voices at its centre. Neziri brings the vocal power and dramatic intensity for which she is known, while Sala provides a warmer male counterpoint, allowing the song to develop through their interaction rather than simply functioning as a solo ballad with a guest voice. A polished contemporary arrangement gradually builds around the pair, giving the performance increasing emotional weight.

After competing separately in the past, Albania now brings their voices together. And with “E imja”, Inis Neziri and Algert Sala have something at Global Music they can finally call their own.

Ireland

Walking On Cars emerged from the small coastal town of Dingle in County Kerry, where five school friends turned an isolated cottage on the peninsula into their creative headquarters. Fronted by Pa Sheehy, the band built its reputation on emotionally charged indie rock, combining driving percussion, prominent piano and guitar with melodies designed to grow from intimate verses into sweeping choruses. Their breakthrough began after winning the Red Bull Bedroom Jam competition in 2012, while debut single “Catch Me If You Can” became an early Irish success. Greater international recognition followed with “Speeding Cars”, and their debut album Everything This Way went all the way to number one in Ireland. A second album, Colours, followed in 2019 before the band announced their split in 2020.

Global Music caught Walking On Cars close to the height of that success. In edition 160, “Speeding Cars” carried Ireland to an impressive 5th place. It remains their only appearance so far, meaning that a remarkable 86 editions have passed since they last entered the competition.

Perhaps appropriately, Ireland has finally managed to catch them again. Walking On Cars return to Global Music with the song that helped start everything in the first place: “Catch Me If You Can.”

The track captures the band’s early sound in full flight: an anthemic piece of indie rock propelled by pounding drums, piano, guitars and layers of vocals that steadily increase its sense of urgency. Pa Sheehy’s distinctive, slightly weathered vocal gives the song an emotional edge, while the arrangement keeps pushing forward rather than settling comfortably into conventional pop territory. There is something restless at its core, balancing vulnerability with the kind of expansive chorus that became one of Walking On Cars’ signatures.

Their first Global Music outing ended tantalisingly close to the medals. Eighty-six editions later, Walking On Cars are finally back on the road, and after “Speeding Cars” took them to fifth place, Ireland is now inviting everyone else to catch them if they can.