Eurovision Song Contest: these are the 26 participants in running order

It's one of those nights again, where all of Twitter and other social media will be filled with comments about, and references to, a very peculiar European event: the yearly Eurovision Song Contest.

A recurring meme on the internet will be this image. Eurovision contestants tend to be exuberantly dressed and often resonate with the LGBTQ community. Watching Eurovision is a party in itself, and either you love it, or you hate it with all your heart.

So, what can we expect this year? The Eurovision Song Contest is held in Liverpool, the city by the river Mersey where The Beatles gave their first performances in the local Cavern Cave.

The reason for the UK hosting, despite Ukraine's victory in 2022, is that the war-torn country is simply unable to take on the task. The winning band, Kalush Orchestra, will be in Liverpool though, to perform at the beginning of the evening.

In addition, the British organizers of the festival have made sure that it will be an entirely bi-national event. Landscapes and flags from both countries are displayed, and performances during the voting break will be collaborations between Britons and Ukrainian stars.

Image: Rita Ora's performance at the first semifinal, May 9.

To some, the night may seem to last forever, as there are no less than 26 songs to perform, but for others, it will fly by. To keep you up to date, and perhaps help you with the voting, we give you the complete list of participating countries in order of their appearance.

Image: King Charles and Queen Camilla, as they opened the Liverpool Eurovision stage on April 26.

We start with a hilarious performance from Austria. Teya & Salena know each other from the 2021 Austrian talent show Starmania. The lyrics of their Eurovision song suggest that they are possessed by Edgar Allan Poe, and they hope that his creativity can help them solve their money problems. An original idea!

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

As it often does, Portugal sends in a true piece of art of a well-defined, classic genre. Marisa Isabel Lopes Mena, better known by her stage name Mimicat, is a versatile artist and her performances are clearly inspired by cabaret. She sings 'Ai Coração', in which she beautifully addresses the themes of alienation and hope in love.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

The war in Ukraine stirs things up, as Switzerland is one of the countries with an anti-war song in this contest. The beautiful and melodic song is performed by Remo Forrer, the winner of 'The Voice of Switzerland' in 2020. It focuses on the innocence of childhood when people only play with water pistols instead of real ones.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Blanka Stajkow is a charming singer with Polish and Bulgarian roots, and she knew since her teens that she wanted to connect her life with music. Her song is about letting go of someone who isn't right for you and finding the strength to move on and embrace single life.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Although the title suggests otherwise, the Serbian Luke Black performs a song in English with the occasional phrase in Serbian. 'Samo mi se spava' means 'I want to sleep alone' and tells the sad story of someone who prefers to hide in his bed and avoid bad events such as war, pandemic, and violence. He appears on stage in a large lotus flower and his dancers represent a world of zombies.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

The 25-year-old La Zarra is a Canadian singer based in France. Her inspiration comes from different styles of music, such as Céline Dion - who also sang for France in Eurovision - as well as Edith Piaf, Barbara, Dalida, and Lady Gaga. 'Évidemment' is about the struggle and strength of a woman leaving behind a painful relationship.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

The Australian Cypriot singer became famous after posting covers of popular songs by stars like Sam Smith and Zayn Malik on his YouTube channel in 2013. The lyrics of his Eurovision song are about perseverance and survival. You can't break a broken heart any further, he says.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Blanca Paloma presents a song with flamenco elements to Eurovision. She wants to reveal the parts of our soul that go beyond words and pay tribute to her roots. Inspired by a lullaby, the song is sung in Spanish and the lyrics of one verse translate as follows:
'My child when I die / Should they bury me in the moon / So I can see you every night / Every night but one'.

A big favorite for the prize this year, so definitely don't choose this moment to take a bathroom break! Loreen is a legendary Eurovision artist who needs no introduction. Her winning song 'Euphoria' from 2012 is one of the event's biggest hits around the world. Fun fact: if Loreen wins again this year, she and Johnny Logan will be the only artists to have won the festival twice.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Albina performs together with her family as backing vocalists. Their song is in Albanian and describes how a family falls apart due to a minor quarrel, causing the children to suffer in this torn family.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Marco Mengoni won the Italian 'X Factor' in 2009 and represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 with his song 'L'essenziale.' Then he finished seventh, and this year he hopes to get further in the competition. His song 'Due Vite' is already high on the Italian charts. According to Mengoni, it is about a double life where his subconscious appears to be more realistic than his actual, everyday life.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Alika, is an Estonian singer of Russian origin. Her song 'Bridges' emerged from a collaboration with composer Wouter Hardy, who also wrote 'Arcade' (the Eurovision winner of 2019) and 'Tout l'univers' (3rd place in 2021). So expect an entry of high quality!

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

And here we have another contender for the top ranks at Eurovision 2023. Käärijä is a Finnish artist who combines rap, singing, and songwriting. His song is in Finnish but really easy to catch on by people who don't speak the language. Brought with a cheerful dance act and wonderful outfits, 'Cha Cha Cha' describes someone who just wants to go out and relax after a busy week. A must-see!

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Vesna's founder Patricie put together an all-female band in 2016. They give a strong performance with a song in English and Czech, about female strength and solidarity, and a wonderful combination of clothing, choreography, and light effects.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Voyager is a progressive metal band from Perth with an upliftingly melodic entry. The lyrics of their entertaining song are about taking risks and exploring new possibilities.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Belgium's act is a memorable one with a catchy 90s-type song and a flawless show. Stef Caers, who goes by the stage name Gustaph, wears a striking white hat. You will not forget him or his song about the families people form out of the people they meet in life.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Brunette has been singing since she was four years old, writes music, and sings with the girl group 'En aghjiknery.' Most of her Eurovision song is in English, but she switches to Armenian at the end of the chorus.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

A dramatic entry that is clearly performed by someone with experience on the big stage. Pasha Parfeny is an old acquaintance at Eurovision: He represented Moldova in 2012 and came in 11th place. This year he sings again, and his lyrics are about the sun, the moon, and other wonders of nature.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

This year Ukraine, the current winner of the song contest, enters again with a powerful song. TVORCHI is an electronic music duo of producer Andrii and singer Jimoh from the city of Ternopil. They won the national song contest in a bunker near a subway station due to the war. The duo wants to show Europe the electronic music and diversity of Ukraine and prove that Ukrainians are unbreakable, even in the midst of war. The song is about overcoming negativity, pursuing your dreams, and believing that there is always someone listening to you.

Photo: Corinne Cumming, EBU / Eurovision.tv

This wonderful entry seems to come out of a Scandinavian fairy tale or a musical, but it addresses modern feminist themes. Alessandra Mele, a young Norwegian singer of Italian descent, has been praised for her song by international juries and the Norwegian public alike. It's about how a woman frees herself from a cage and sheds her chains to become the 'queen of kings.'

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

Lord of the Lost is a gothic metal band from Hamburg. They have released several albums and toured Europe and North America. The lyrics of their Eurovision song deal with the duality of life and the choices we make. It basically says: we fall and then will rise above it all.

Monika Linkytė represented Lithuania at Eurovision in 2015. She and her stage partner Vaidas Baumila then finished 18th. Of course, this time, she hopes to get to a higher position. Her song mixes English and Lithuanian words that refer to local folk music and spiritual ceremonies.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett - EBU / Eurovision.tv

You can tell from her performance that Noa Kirel is not a newcomer in the pop scene. She already scored several number 1 hits. Her song, about perseverance and strength, was partly written by the person who also wrote Israel's winning song 'Toy' in 2018. So that's a good sign.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

This Slovenian indie rock band sings in Slovenian, even though the title is a well-known Latin phrase. Its message is simple and in line with the upbeat performance: enjoy life and worry less about the future.

Photo: Corinne Cumming - EBU / Eurovision.tv

One of the most talked about entries of Eurovision 2023 is from this Croatian rock band. It is known for its provocative songs with progressive messages about topics like women's and LGBT rights. The band's Eurovision song is an anti-war anthem about a mother who has to experience the painful event of her son going off to war, even though she bought him a tractor. The song also describes how a rocket with the letters ŠČ lands on Earth during Armageddon. This performance is equally powerful as it is bizarre, with a light show, costumes, and choreography that should not be missed. So stay put!

Photo: Chloe Hashemi - EBU / Eurovision.tv

After last year's impressive second-place finish, the United Kingdom is hungry for Eurovision again. This year, the BBC is sending the talented Mae Muller who had a hand in writing the song herself. The song tells of a broken relationship and the chorus how the initial reaction - like being sad at home - can be transformed into something positive:
'Instead, I wrote a song / I feel much better now / I'm out with my girlfriends / And we're all singing along'.

Photo: Corinne Cumming, EBU / Eurovision.tv