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ESC Insight

@escinsight.com
1.3K followers 68 following 1.1K posts

In-depth discussion, commentary, editorial and thoughts on the Eurovision Song Contest. We've a website for words, a podcast for audio, and now we have Bluesky for talking to you all through the year.

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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 25/09/2026
As a cross-party group of MPs prepare to hear evidence on why the BBC has performed badly at the #Eurovision Song Contest recently, @itsginajones.bsky.social offers a handy summary of the issues they’ll need to tackle to help turn things around.
Look Mum No Computer performing at Eurovision, a promotional image for an article on UK MP's discussing the BBC's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/09/2026
As the Netherlands returns to the Eurovision Song Contest, it appears the era of the boycott is coming to an end. But are we really going back to normal? James Stephenson asks what comes next. escinsight.com/2026/09/24/e...
Promotional card, "Back To The Way We Were", why the Eurovision Song Contest has never been normal.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 16/05/2026
🚨📊 The Model has made its final prediction for the Grand Final of #Eurovision 2026. We've always asked 'What would happen if Eurovision was held today?' Well, today is that day, and here's our final call. 🇫🇮 Finland 411 (135/276) 🏆 🇦🇺 Australia 362 (214/148) 🇮🇱 Israel 345 (73/272)
The Model makse the following prediction for the Eurovision Song Contest final scores. 1) 🇫🇮 Finland 411 (135/276) 🏆 2) 🇦🇺 Australia 362 (214/148) 3) 🇮🇱 Israel 345 (73/272)
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 13/05/2026
It's a hugely close #eurovision Audience Poll, but tonight the Wiener Stadthalle went BANGARANGA! Australia five votes back in 2nd Thanks to @thateurosite.bsky.social @escxtra.bsky.social @12pointsusa.bsky.social and friends!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 12/05/2026
🚨📊 The Model has made its full prediction for Semi-Final One of #Eurovision 2026. ✅ 🇮🇱🇫🇮🇬🇷🇲🇩🇸🇪🇭🇷🇷🇸🇵🇱🇱🇹🇲🇪 ❌ 🇧🇪🇵🇹🇸🇲🇬🇪🇪🇪 Poland is projected to qualify for the first time at Belgium's expense, while Moldova shoots up the board after winning the Eurovision Audience Poll.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 11/05/2026
The Audience Was On Duty! A HUGE victory for Satoshi and Viva Moldova at the Eurovision Audience Poll this evening! Thank you to all the contributing sites including @thateurosite.bsky.social, @escxtra.bsky.social, @12pointsusa.bsky.social and others!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 05/05/2026
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is just around the corner, but how sure are we of what’s going to happen? James Stephenson has been using The Model to work it out – and here’s what he thinks could make its #Eurovision calculations come undone. escinsight.com/2026/05/05/t...
Promotional image for a Eurovision article, 10 Things The Model Could Get Wrong, by James Stephenson.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/04/2026
🇺🇦 Leléka is just one side of Viktoria Leléka – she has many others. James Stephenson sits down with Ukraine’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 to ask how she’s preparing to balance the light and the dark within herself in Vienna ⤵️ escinsight.com/2026/04/17/l...
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 30/03/2026
Here's the full breakdown of The Model's projections for 30 March 2026
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 23/03/2026
The results of The Model's simulation of #Eurovision for March 23 📊
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 18/03/2026
You mean these Top Trump Cards by ESC Apocalypse for his "Worst Eurovision Ever" book pr?
Worst Eurovision ever promotional top trumps playing cards
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 11/03/2026
35 #Eurovision songs. Which one will win? The Model. Rebuilt, redesigned, and relocated to ESC Insight for 2026. And it's launching LIVE. See The Model's first forecast as a live voting sequence on ESC Gabe's stream this Sunday night, with full results on ESC Insight Monday.
The Model
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Levante is Song 19 with "Sei Tu" (It's You). She is winning over every single voter in the city of #Sanremo with this mirror installation - once you see it, you know Sei Tu is, in fact, about YOU. (Sorry everyone, Levante wrote it for ME.)
the levante "sei tu" mirror
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Song 17 is Arisa with "Magica Favola" (Magical Fairytale). She is the only person to have placed in the top 5 three times this week - will she be the winner tonight? If so, will she jump on the press centre table again? #Sanremo
Arisa jumping on the press centre table
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
If you are seeing the marching band outside the Ariston Theatre now, we caught them walking off the bus to go inside the Ariston about two hours ago #Sanremo
Marching band walking out of a bus parking lot
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
With 57% of the vote it was a landslide for Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen at the #umk rehearsal this afternoon at a packed Nokia Arena. Thank you to ESC Gabe and @eurovoix.bsky.social for collaborating on this. Will Liekinheitin now go forward and be a #eurovision contender?
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Pete x Linda: Liekinheitin #umk #eurovision Breathe. Great camerawork as Pete appears trapped away from Linda. They need to sprint to the main stage for finale with chairs soaring in surrealist art. But, madonna mic limits vocals, Pete doesn't look at the camera and not every idea works yet. Breathe
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Sinikka Monte: Ready to Leave #umk #eurovision Starts on table with tender camera angles from underneath to Sinikka emoting. Turns more intense, circling now the table before cowering below said table before a glass-smash effect and Sinikka ends with the audience. Attention to detail again!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Chachi: Cherry Cake #umk #eurovision Big show stage with Chachi supported by 2, then 4, backing dancers. Choreo strong, but not to SloMo levels, and the dance breakdown has floor writhing a la Noa Kirel. Surprise dance break outro! Very fun! A couple of off notes but not significant to performance
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Antti Paalanen: Takatukka Madness! Antti's a mad scientist in his barbers chair that goes WAY high, and Antti's stamping keeps it bobbing up and down! Great effect where it looks like he's flying through space - so memorable. Can argue last 30 seconds a mess, but WHAT A CHARACTER. Not over yet.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Kiki: Rakkaudenkipee Intimate, mainly close ups, with black sand covering the stage set out in waves creating an other-worldly feel. JJ's paper bits fly around as light flashes on Kiki, turning to red for finale, with lots of strong emotional overlays on screen. The attention to detail is stunning.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Etta: Million Dollar Smile #umk #eurovision Etta starts on steps and the perfroamce interacts with a younger version of herself through great camera angles/graphics. On song finale Etta jumps (while holding a support) from the platform before a pyro curtain bounces satisfyingly off the steps.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Komiat: Lululai #umk #eurovision Band on front of stage throughout in festival stage theme. Crowd loving this, but lead singer Aleksi loves it more and can't stop smiling. TONS of crowd shots with everyone waving the white flags and pyro finale. Beautiful, couple of tears in the eyes from me.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
Don't be late tonight, Erika Vikman starts things off at exactly 20:00 CET with an absolute banger - more Cicciolina in style than Ich Komme - then we get the 7 competing acts parading through before Ich Komme does blast around the arena...featuring JJ on the operatics! What a way to start!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 28/02/2026
10 minutes until the rehearsal for #UMK, Ben is on duty. We are allowed to post max 2 pictures per performing artist as per press rules. Nokia Arena is packed and ready for action!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 27/02/2026
Time for TIM and Toto! It’s a moment with L’Italiano, the 1983 song by Toto Cutugno. This was famously covered by Francesco Gabbiani at #Sanremo covers night in 2020 when he showed up as an astronaut carrying the Italian flag.
Frank Gabbiani as an astronaut carrying the Italian flag
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 26/02/2026
Carlo Conti reminds us all a World Cup is happening. I can think of one #Sanremo hosting veteran who could have delivered this news a little better. #Sanremo
Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Sanremo
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 26/02/2026
Just to be clear, despite what Alicia Keys says, #Sanremo is not a concrete jungle; it looks more like this
Sanremo intersection
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 26/02/2026
Fun facts: Maria Antoinetta’s first album was titled “Maria Anoinetta Wants to Suck Your Young Blood” & Colombre used to be a literature professor who was in a band called Chewingum, which shared its name with an 80s Italian teen comedy. (It’s like calling your band Breakfast Club!) #Sanremo
Chewingum poster
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 25/02/2026
Song 12 is Fulminacci and “Stupida sfortuna” (Stupid luck) which was a Top 5 favourite among the press room. Fulminacci is giving out branded fortune cookies as swag. #Sanremo
stupida sfortuna fortune cookie
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 25/02/2026
This morning I walked down by the harbor and the boat was missing and I thought Max Pezzali had been kidnapped but I am glad that both him and the boat are safe and sound. #Sanremo
The boat yesterday the harbor with no boat today
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
Sanna Nielsen: Waste Your Love BPM: 116 A feel-good pop song that has more in keeping with the G:Son/Boström era of #melfest dominance 15 years ago. I prefer this to much of Sanna's previous track record, and she sells it. Sounds like: What Vanilla Ninja's #eurovision song this year is trying to be
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
Vilhelm Buchaus: Hearts Don’t Lie BPM: 94 I know it's the Hold Me Closer songwriters, but it's THE SAME structure and instrumentational totally. Not complaining, this is a great song with chance for power like Cornelia in Turin. Sounds like: Outwith Cornelia, We Can Work It Out ( #melfest 2010)
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
Lilla Al-Fadji: Delulu BPM: 141 Stupidly addictive and stupid song that puts a smile on my face throughout the entire three minutes. Catchy as anything. Why on Earth have they put all these great tracks in this heat??? Sounds like: Espresso Macchiato with Sean Banan and #melfest production
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
Bladë: Who You Are BPM: 70 Bladë says arena anthem, I'm thinking more deep electronic ballad from the Loreen playlist. Strong production and moments for Bladë to shine vocally. Powerful, unifying song and could definitely challenge with jury votes in final. Sounds like: #melfest isn't over yet!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
JULIETT: Långt från alla andra BPM: 136 Happy and swingy from the group. Some nice harmonies but nothing that can be defined as revolutionary. Feel-good, peppy, positive and pleasantly warm and reminded of times gone by. Full of acoustic produced energy Sounds like: If boybands did #melfest dansband
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
AleXa: Tongue Tied BPM: 161 Spooky, fast-paced production, with some drum'n'bass elements and dancefloor elements and a melody hook in chorus that sneaks down half a step and will rave any dancefloor. Needs a stage show, but made for the stage show! Potential Sounds like: #melfest isn't over yet!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 24/02/2026
Scenic location today for the final #melfest listenings of 2026 - and from the press POV, this is by a country mile the most exciting heat of any NF this year, with a former Song Contest winner, Eurovision 3rd place artist, song written by the team of Cornelia Jakobs and another by af Sillén et al.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/02/2026
Erika Jonsson: Från Landet BPM: 111 Giggling to myself at the silly Hasse Andersson esque storytelling about how country arrived in Värmland. It's all a bit too 'on-the-nose' for us city slickers. Sounds like: af Sillen has re-written new lyrics to Dolly Parton's 9-to-5 for a #melfest interval
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/02/2026
Felix Manu: Hatar att jag älskar dig BPM: 101 Acoustic guitar in the intro, slick kick-back rhythm by second verse, but this is lyric-focused and incredibly Swedish summertime sing-a-long radio melody. Sounds like: Something Signe och Hjördis from Edelweiss in #melfest 2023 would release.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/02/2026
Meira Omar: Dooset Daram BPM: 109 Love that this pokes fun at itself, with the Love Is Blind lyric that will go down well with the #melfest public. Strong production for this, particularly with the chorus full of stringer and the key change is grandiose. Sounds like: 'Hush Hush' has evolved.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/02/2026
Timo Räisänen: Ingenting är efter oss BPM: 151 What a rousing, hopeful, positive, authentic (for #Melfest) bit of arena pop. Karin mentions the songwriters were the same as Maja Ivarsson's Kamikaze Life, Isimilar guitar riff. Sounds like: Outwith the above, Thomas Di Leva's 2012 entry.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/02/2026
Cimberley: Eternity BPM: 107 Radio disco pop, love the chord shifts in the chorus, but that's the only part that revolutionary. Sassy, bouncy and a great show opener. But sounds unremarkable after three previous #melfest heats. Sounds like: Jacqline's Woman has been cloned and I'm not complaining
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 17/02/2026
Time for #melfest heat 4 song listenings!
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 10/02/2026
Sara Ludvigsson: Ain’t Today BPM: 115 A touch darker, but still country-pop and full of fun hooks and toe-tapping, sneaky key change goodness. Sara really excels at this genre and it vocally pops and I'm sure will do well on Saturday. Sounds like: Sara's grown up from last year's #melfest attempt
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 10/02/2026
Eva Jumatate: Selfish BPM: 100 Loving the darker chords, triplets through the chorus and huge notes from Eva as the song builds. Runs out of time, just two choruses, but some lovely songcraft and the dark horse klaxon sounds. Sounds like: Why Am I Crying ( #melfest 2012) and Torn ( #melfest 2019)
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 10/02/2026
Medina: Viva L’Amor BPM: 124 Ballad-esque first verse with some big vocal range! Before it becomes into feel-good Medina that brings a smile to your face. Punchy, hooky, but the sound, and key change, isn't as bombastic as their second place was. sounds like: The end of Medina's #melfest trilogy
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 10/02/2026
Emilia Pantić: Ingenting BPM: 52 Intimate, personal, and I am loving the storytelling verses. Think the chorus, with heavy percussion compared to verses, brings this for Spotify playlists more than emotive performance - needs more space for the tender voice to emote. Sounds like: A #melfest ballad
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 10/02/2026
Korslagda: King of Roll ‘n’ Roll BPM: 140 Classic driving rock, as anticipated. Lead singer's voice distinctive and character-filled. Long guitar solo. Does what you expect. Attitude, aggression and action. Sounds like: We've gone back in time 20 #melfest years, and 40 in real music terms.
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ESC Insight @escinsight.com · 10/02/2026
Patrik Jean: Dusk Till Dawn BPM: 65 (doubles when beat kick in) Big strings on intro, breathy, airy vocal from Patrik - distinctive - and powerful on chorus falsetto. Spoken word (bridge backing track) shifts this from orchestral to dark #melfest club Sounds like: Wasted Love influenced this
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