Nine music acts from across Germany have qualified for the German final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and are competing to represent the country in Vienna in May. ARD announced the candidates in Hamburg, selected by experts, an international jury, and the public. The final airs on February 28 on Das Erste.
ARD has introduced the nine candidates for Germany's Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final in Hamburg. They hail from various regions of Germany and abroad, offering a wide range of genres from ballads to Italo-pop. The selection process involved evaluations by music experts, an international jury, and public input.
Among the contenders is Sarah Engels (33) from Cologne with her song "Fire," aimed at encouraging women to follow their dreams. "I love taking on new challenges. But this is a whole different level," said the 2011 "Deutschland sucht den Superstar" finalist. Malou Lovis (26) from Wettringen, winner of "The Voice of Germany" 2023, presents the ballad "When i’m With You." Molly Sue (25) from Laboe performs "Optimist (Ha Ha Ha)" to address inner fears.
The duo Ragazzki—Marti Fischer (35) from Lower Saxony and David "Miirtek" Starosciak (33) from Rhineland-Palatinate—brings Italo-pop and Eastern European beats with "Ciao Ragazzki." "Being able to fully stage the project visually on such a platform is an awesome opportunity," Starosciak said. Myle (25), a German-American from Ravensburg, opts for guitar-driven pop in "A OK." wavvyboi (27) from Liechtenstein celebrates diversity in "Black Glitter."
Dreamboys The Band, comprising Jo The Man The Music, Philippa Kinsky, VILLFORTH, and Nina Caroline, performs the indie-pop track "Jeanie," emphasizing everyone's strengths. Laura Nahr (25) from Magdeburg captures her generation's mix of excitement and overwhelm in "Wonderland." Bela (23) from Munich makes his debut with "Herz," about finding one's place in others' worlds.
The live event "Eurovision Song Contest – Das Deutsche Finale 2026" airs on February 28 at 8:15 p.m. on Das Erste, hosted by Barbara Schöneberger and Hazel Brugger. An international jury picks the top three acts, and the public decides the winner. SWR leads the production in collaboration with BR and HR.
