Explore every episode of the podcast The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

The Dream Team—composer Philipp Kirkirov, songwriter/producer Dimitris Kontopoulos, and creative director Fokas Evangelinos—have been involved in some of the most memorable Eurovision entries from the last 20 years. Let’s dive into their catalog!

📸 SVT / EBU

• Fokas Evangelinos (2:39)
• Dimitris Kontopoulous (9:05)
• Philipp Kirkorov (10:23)
• Dream Team Collaborations (15:22)
• Setbacks (24:15)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and Eurovision Song Contest Asia Edition.

We spend some heritage minutes discussing Canada's previous history in Eurovision and why they may have been brought in to participate.

📸 Alesia Kozik | Pexels

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. Join today to listen to our coverage of Eurovision Asia!

Happy Eurovision New Year! We start our 10th Season (sidebar: WHAT?!) catching up on the planning for 2027 as Bulgaria prepares to host the big event for the first time.

📸 Photo by Ondrej Bocek on Unsplash

• Eurovision Rule Updates for 2027 (1:39)
• Voting overhaul? (7:55)
• Netherlands Likely Not Returning while Canada(?) Joins (11:09)
• Welcome to Burgas, Bulgaria! (17:59)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. Join today to get our coverage of Eurovision Song Contest: Asia Edition!

The Eurowhat AV Club finishes out the 1980 Disco Musical Trilogy (which includes The Apple and Xanadu) with CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC.

Spoiler: We would like to stop the music...

📸 EMI Films, Ltd.

• When did you first see Can't Stop the Music? (0:58)
• A Truly Curséd Production (4:43)
• What is Can't Stop the Music about? (13:39)
• Out of Control Promo Budgets (18:23)
• Can't Stop (talking about) the Music (or the Cast) (27:45)
• Would you recommend Can't Stop the Music? (33:39)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest Asia edition.

The Eurowhat Movie Club celebrates the legacy of Olivia Newton-John’s film career with a detour into the roller disco classic(?) Xanadu. And OH BOY do we have questions...

📸 Universal Pictures

• Remembering Olivia Newton-John (1:15)
• What is Xanadu about? (5:47)
• Is Xanadu a musical? (11:12)
• What is the business plan for Xanadu? (22:23)
• Would we recommend Xanadu? (31:46)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest Asia edition.

The instantly-doomed American Song Contest really did seem like a good idea at the time: 56 states and territories competing for the hearts and minds of the public on NBC. The execution was not great, but we were pot-committed back in 2022 when we covered this pale imitation of Eurovision. What lessons can be learned before Asia tries its hand at the ESC formula?

📸 NBC

• Episode 5: That's Not My Jam (5:28)
• Episode 6: Having Nunavut (27:17)
• Episode 7: ......Trash (49:53)
• Episode 8: Grahn Feenal (1:08:22)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

The instantly-doomed Great American State Fair was supposed to bring together all 56 US states and territories. What if there was a song contest that did that? NBC tried it in 2022 and we watched it all.

This episode pulls out some of the best bits from the first half of the series as we consider Eurovision’s next attempt at expanding their brand in Asia later this year.

📸 NBC

• Episode 1: These Boots Were Made for Goofin’ (5:07)
• Episode 2: Sunk Cost Fallacy (22:15)
• Episode 3: Stockholm Syndrome (40:47)
• Episode 4: ENTHUSIASM! IS! FLAGGING! (1:10:21)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Scopitone was a video jukebox from the 1960s that featured short clips that could be considered proto-music videos. Ben discusses the history, production, and cultural impact of the medium while Mike delights in the off-model nature of the content.

📸 Cover Image by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

• What is Scopitone? (3:03)
• Scopitone Production in America (8:15)
• The End of the Scopitone Era (13:44)
• Let's Sample Some Scopitone (19:17)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

What is "Camp"? In 1964, literary critic Susan Sontag investigated this question in her culture-defining essay "Notes on Camp". We discuss how the concept of Camp applies to Eurovision, other forms of pop culture, and our day-to-day lives.

📸 Cover Image by Loyloy Thal from Pixabay

• Notes from Future Mike (0:00)
• Episode Intro (1:32)
• Notes on Camp Background (3:26)
• Is Eurovision Camp? (17:16)
• Camp vs. Time (25:29)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Better late than never: let’s talk about Eurovision 2026. We’ll discuss what happened in Vienna, what this means for the Contest going forward, and share our post-confetti plans. Also: BULGARIA?!

📸 Sarah Louise Bennett | EBU

• Were we engaged with the Contest this year? (0:56)
• The Eurovision Brodacasts (6:16)
• First Semi-Final (10:06)
• Second Semi-Final (16:24)
• The Grand Final (28:41)
• Data Tidbits (46:19)
• Looking Ahead to 2027 (50:21)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Spain has been ride-or-die for Eurovision since debuting in 1961. In this episode, we’ll be taking a look at how Spain’s original approach to the Contest may have informed their decision to not attend the festivities in Vienna for the first time in 65 years.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Eurovision is an expensive enterprise, and the Netherlands has been one of the Contest’s largest financial supporters. In this episode, we’ll be taking a look at the financial impact of Netherland’s absence from Eurovision 2026.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Slovenia has struggled to find momentum and consistency on the Eurovision scoreboard. In this episode, we take a look at how rule changes—especially around who qualifies—has impacted Slovenia’s ability to succeed at the Contest.

• Slovenia and the Relegation Era (4:39)
• One Semi to Rule Them All (11:32)
• Semi Finals go to Pot (15:17)
• Slovenia vs. the Televote (25:39)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Iceland's television broadcaster RUV turns 60 this year and 2026 is also their 40th anniversary of entering Eurovision. We take a look at why it took 20 years for Iceland to join the party, how the country helped push the Contest into a more modern mode, and why they won't be in Vienna this year.

• History of Iceland Speedrun Any% (4:51)
• 1986: Iceland Joins Eurovision (19:38)
• Iceland's First Decade at Eurovision (27:03)
• Pall Oskar / Paul Oscar (29:30)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Boycotts, jury overhauls, technological shifts, major protests, religious and political violence, hot pants... Ireland had a lot to deal with when it hosted Eurovision for the first time in 1971.

• Ireland at Eurovision (0:39)
• The State of Eurovison 1970-1971 (4:33)
• RTE presenting Eurovision in Color (13:53)
• Protests and Politics (22:29)
• Wrapping Up (35:43)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Romania returns from its Eurovision hiatus this year, hopefully with some things figured out. We review the country's history at the Contest, its qualification troubles, and how their strategy at the contest may be high risk, high reward.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

The semi-final era has not been kind to Poland. Though the country has done okay at Eurovision the last few years, they haven’t reached the heights of their debut entry in 1994. We’ll be doing a deep dive on what worked 30+ years ago and identify where Poland may secretly have its finger on the pulse of what does well at the Contest.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Finland's UMK is one of the premiere selection shows each Eurovision season, but it didn't start out that way. We explore the evolution of the format and how YLE continues to make the program must see TV.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Lithuania isn't exactly a Eurovision powerhouse, but their lengthy selection processes have been showcases for the country's music industry. We take a look at the Baltic nation and how their approach to the Contest may be serving a different purpose than competition.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Croatia is very specific about how it chooses to represent itself on the Eurovision stage. We take a look at the country's history at the Contest via its long-running national selection format Dora.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Hey “Everybody”! Estonia and Latvia were the first two new countries to win Eurovision after the EBU expanded its membership in 1993. As we get ready for the Eesti Laul and Supernova selection processes, “I Wanna” take a look at the Contest history of these two Baltic nations.

• Estonia at Eurovision (1:03)
• Join the EuroWhat? AV Club (17:34)
• Latvia at Eurovision (18:45)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Bulgaria returns to Eurovision following a three-year absence. We take a look at the country's history at the Contest: a rough start in its initial tenure, a renaissance after its first hiatus, and looking ahead to how Bulgaria's next tenure may go.

• Selection Season So Far: Moldova, Malta, Luxembourg, Georgia, Israel, Switzerland (0:40)
• Join the EuroWhat? AV Club (4:29)
• Bulgaria's History at Eurovision (6:30)
• How is Bulgaria selecting for 2026? (28:32)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Luxembourg returned to Eurovision in 2024 after a 30-year hiatus. When they left the Contest, they were tied with Ireland and France in having won the most times at 5 wins apiece. We’ll explore Luxembourg’s incredible run and see how they’ve adapted to the modern era as we preview the third edition of the Luxembourg Song Contest.

• Luxembourg Stats at Eurovision (1:20)
• Luxembourg Hosting Eurovision (4:55)
• Luxembourg Song Contest 2026 (17:02)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Moldova has returned to Eurovision after a one-year break and has selected 16 songs to compete for a trip to Vienna in May. Malta has also streamlined their process a bit and will select their entrant from among 18 hopefuls. We’ll take a look at the history of these two countries and preview the selections that will be taking place on Saturday, January 17.

• End of 2025 News (1:19)
• Moldova at Eurovision (4:46)
• EuroWhat? AV Club (Patreon) (30:26)
• Malta at Eurovision (32:23)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

How do fans cope when the object of their fandom becomes problematic? Dr. Zoë Jay returns to the show to share insights from her research within the Eurovision community about this topic through the Eurovisionaries project. We also discuss ideas for fans who may be approaching 2026 with the mindset of new year, new me, new special interest.

Dr Zoë Jay is a researcher in international politics at the University of Helsinki. She is the lead investigator of the Eurovisionaries Project, which explores how Eurovision fans think about and participate in cultural diplomacy and international politics.

📸 Cover photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

• New Insights from the Eurovisionaries Project (2:07)
• What do we do with our problematic faves? (11:17)
• Grief (21:15)
• New Year, New Me, New Special Interest? (28:18)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

• previews of upcoming episodes,
• North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
• National Selection dates
• Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

Special Guest: Zoë Jay.

With the passage of the EBU's new Eurovision rules, Israel will be in Vienna while the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, Ireland, and Iceland have withdrawn from the Contest. We’ll be discussing the fallout from the decision and figuring out how we’ll be navigating 2026...

• What happened at the EBU General Assembly Meeting (1:11)
• What is happening after the Eurovision vote? (19:16)
• What will be happening? (26:59)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Over-the-top costumes, silly phrases twisted to make catchy hooks, and a backdrop that is not always taken seriously can cause a lot of Eurovision hopefuls to be lumped (or perhaps dismissed) into the category of “joke entries.” We’ll explore some examples and try to “get it” in terms of what might be happening under the hood of these songs. Chris Molanphy from Slate’s Hit Parade will join us to help with analyzing the novelty of Eurovision entries.

• What is a novelty song? (1:19)
• Does "Europop" automatically mean "novelty"? (7:04)
• Eurovision Joke (or Novelty?) Entries (10:04)
• When Eurovision hits the Hot 100 (18:57)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Chris Molanphy.

Australia first competed at Eurovision when Austria hosted the 60th Edition of the Contest in 2015. As we approach the 70th Edition (also hosted by Austria), let’s explore Australia’s history with the ESC and do a pulse check on how the country is doing in the competition.

• Australian Artists at Eurovision: The New Seekers, Olivia Newton-John, Gina G (2:47)
• Why is Australia so into Eurovision? (19:14)
• Australia at Eurovision (25:38)
• ...Oh, Canada? (39:57)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

It was a busy October in Eurovision Land: The EBU unscheduled an extraordinary member session, two countries announced their return to the Contest, and several national selections are getting their ducks in a row. We get caught up on the headlines as Eurovision 2026 starts to take shape.

• EBU cancels "extraordinary session" (1:32)
• Bulgaria and Romania return to Eurovision (3:21)
• Gert Kark joins the Eurovision Reference Group (8:15)
• Patreon: PanArctic Sing-Alongs (10:18)
• National Final Roundup: Estonia, Spain, Albania, Montenegro, Luxembourg, Austria, San Marino (11:38)

Photo by Filip Mishevski on Unsplash

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

The European Broadcasting Union has postponed its plan to hold a membership vote to decide if Israel’s broadcaster KAN will be allowed to compete in next year’s Eurovision. While it remains unclear if the vote will still happen, it doesn’t fully resolve how the EBU got to this point in the first place. We’ll take a closer look at other times the EBU’s non-political stance has been tested and see what lessons can be applied going forward.

• Yugoslavia (3:20)
• Administrative Changes to the Contest (13:40)
• Armenia and Azerbaijan (16:42)
• Georgia (26:58)
• Final Thoughts (32:14)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Käärijä, Joost, Baby Lasagana, Tommy Cash... we've used the term "Weird Little Dudes" to describe these contestants from the last few editions of Eurovision. Something else they have in common: all were favorites to win and did extremely well in the televote. We attempt to define the term and try to identify what other Eurovision contestants may fall into this category.

• Where did the term "Weird Little Dude" come from? (1:20)
• Pop Quiz: Is this act a Weird Little Dude? (3:06)
• Dude (5:45)
• Little (9:37)
• Weird (18:16)
• Are "Weird Little Dudes" actually a thing? (33:22)
• Which countries are more likely to have WLDs at Eurovision? (38:28)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Eurovision has given their branding elements a makeover in preparation for next year's 70th edition. Graphic Designer Justin Ladia joins Ben to discuss why rebrands happen, what the EBU may want to accomplish with this rebrand, and first impressions on the new fonts and images introduced for Vienna 2026.

• Why do a rebrand? (2:31)
• Examining the new Eurovision logo and fonts (7:08)
• The Psychology of Branding (22:12)
• Bonus Round: Eurovision 2000 (29:01)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012

Special Guest: Justin Ladia.

It's offficially the pre-season for Eurovision 2026 and we have a lot of news to get caught up on. We're heading to Vienna in May and planning for the national final season is underway. We also review Austria's CV at Eurovision.

• Willkommen in Wien (0:49)
• National Final Updates: Austria, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Ukraine (4:40)
• Coming up: Eurovision's Rebranding and the Intervision Song Contest (11:14)
• Austria at Eurovision (13:29)
• Eurovision Asia J/K (22:17)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012

As we wrap up our 8th season and Eurovision's 69th (nice) edition, we take a rapid fire tour of the Contest up to this point while trying to find something nice or interesting to say about each year. Content warning: goofiness.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

The Grand Final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest featured 21 songs with non-English lyrics, the most to appear since the language rule was abolished in 1999. In this episode, we'll explore the history of the language rule and why language diversity has returned to the Contest.

• The introduction of the Language Rule at Eurovision (4:17)
• The End of the Language Rule (17:17)
• What may be contributing to language diversity at Eurovision? (27:29)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964 (week of August 25)
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

Quite a bit has happened since we last checked in on Eurovision news. Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl will be stepping down, there's a new head of the Reference Group, and we know which cities have made bids to host next year's competition.

• Eurovision Host City: Innsbruck vs Vienna (1:00)
• Martin Österdahl Steps Down (4:48)
• Have you joined the Eurowhat AV Club? (10:43)
• 17 Participants so far for Eurovision 2026 (11:59)
• Eurovision YouTube: Non, Stop Hits (and Geoblock?) (21:17)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987 (week of August 11)
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964 (week of August 25)
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

1990 was the European Year of Tourism. The map of Europe was also changing, as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the movement toward what would become the European Union started to redefine the concept of borders. We’ll be taking a look at how the 1990 Contest in Yugoslavia reflected this new era in Europe, as well as how the 2025 Contest mirrors those reflections 35 years later.

• #EurovisionAgain, again (1:55)
• A Brief History of Mascots and Postcards (4:14)
• The European Year of Tourism (10:20)
• How Yugoslavia Handled Tourism (15:21)
• Yugoslavia at Eurovision (18:53)
• The Year between Lausanne and Zagreb (22:47)
• The 1990 Eurovision Song Contest (28:12)
• After the Year(s) of Tourism (43:43)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990 (hey, that's this one!)
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003 (week of July 28)
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987 (week of August 11)
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964 (week of August 25)
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

Eurovision has a unique ecosystem where the EBU and various blogs, podcasts, video channel, and other fans have a work relationship in covering the Contest. But is that relationship working? We discuss the current state of fan media with dudepoints, Niall from niallpoints, and Derek from 12 Points (all with good points).

• How was your venue covering Eurovision 2025? (4:23)
• What is the distinction between fan media and "real" media? (11:27)
• The EBU / Fan Media Ecosystem (17:18)
• How does fan media view fan media? (23:44)
• What are you looking forward to in 2026? (46:54)
• The Eurovision Pod Crawl and other plugs (52:45)

_Cover photo by Fernando Lavin on Unsplash
_

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

• ESC Insight: France 1959
• Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
• The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990 (week of July 14)
• Niall Points: Latvia 2003 (week of July 28)
• 12 Points from America: Belgium 1987 (week of August 11)
• That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964 (week of August 25)
• Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

Special Guests: 12 Points from America, Dude Points, and Niall Fulton.

We are opening the Patreon vault to share our discussion of Amazon's 2024 documentary I Am: Celine Dion, which chronicles the singer's rise to fame, her prolific career, and her struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome. Here's Amazon's description of the film:

Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness. Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit._

If you were wondering why Celine was not able to make an in-person appearance in Basel, this documentary does a fantastic job of explaining why that was the case.

• What is I Am: Celine Dion about? (2:29)
• Who is this movie for? (9:38)
• Would you recommend this movie? (16:58)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

We ease into the off-season by getting caught up on the news in the immediate aftermath of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. We also dig into the jury and televote results and try to read the tea leaves for what might happen in Austria 2026.

• Is Everyone Still Mad at the EBU Season 2 Renewal (0:55)
• Eurovision 2025 Ratings (10:26)
• Patreon: Doctor Who and Gambamark (13:21)
• Eurovision 2025 Results Data Dive (15:00)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

We have a winner! Eurovision Song Contest 2025 held its Grand Final in Basel, Switzerland and named a champion after tense rounds of juries and televoting. We discuss the show, the results, and what's in store for Eurovision 2026…

• Austria wins the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest (1:18)
• What did you think of the Grand Final? (5:23)
• How were the Interval Acts? (12:20)
• What does Eurovision (and the EBU) look like for 2026? (15:43)
• Eurowhat Off-Season Mode (18:55)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Twenty songs have emerged from the Eurovision 2025 Semifinals and will join six auto-qualifiers on Saturday. We recap the shows from Tuesday and Thursday and get ready for the Grand Final.

• Turquoise Carpet (0:48)
• Semi-Final 1 Results (3:58)
• Semi-Final 2 Results (10:33)
• Grand Final Preview (19:14)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Eurovision Week for 2025 is upon us as well as the 37 artists gathered in Basel. We get caught up on the news leading up to this week before discussing the rehearsals and our predictions for who will advance to Saturday's Grand Final.

• Lumo stuns in Basel debut (0:48)
• Eurovision Artist Support Measures (2:38)
• Ongoing Issues: Flag Policy 2025 and Israel's Participation (6:01)
• Semi-Final Format Changes (10:48)
• Where to watch Eurovision 2025 (16:13)
• Eurovision Semi-Final 1 Predictions (POTENTIAL SPOILERS) (18:27)
• Eurovision Semi-Final 2 Predictions (POTENTIAL SPOILERS) (32:24)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Graphic designer and puzzler Justin Ladia returns to discuss the Eurovision 2025 auto-qualifiers: Spain, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and host country Switzerland.

Graphic designer, puzzle person, and kendo practitioner from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

• Spain - Melody - "Esa Diva" (3:27)
• Italy - Lucio Corsi - "Volevo Essere Un Duro" (12:55)
• Germany - Abor & Tynna - "Baller" (20:14)
• United Kingdom - Remember Monday - "What the Hell Just Happened?" (29:41)
• France - Louane - "maman" (42:38)
• Switzerland - Zoë Më - "Voyage" (50:57)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Justin Ladia.

Ned Raggett joins us to close out our coverage of the second semi-final for Eurovision 2025. This week, we approach the entries from Australia, Serbia, Denmark, Austria, Israel, and Georgia.

Ned Raggett writes a lot, is a denizen of social media, and more things besides. He has written for Pitchfork, the Guardian, The Quietus, Rolling Stone, The Wire, Shfl, Bandcamp Daily, Freaky Trigger, OC Weekly, Nashville Scene, Seattle Weekly, SF Weekly, SF Chronicle, KQED Arts, Vice, Careless Talk Costs Lives, Plan B, Loose Lips Sink Ships, FACT, Red Bull Music Academy, Fake Jazz and probably more than a few things that keep slipping his mind.

• Australia - Go-Jo - "Milkshake Man" (1:34)
• Serbia - Princ - "Mila" (11:01)
• Denmark - Sissal - "Hallucination" (17:43)
• Austria - JJ - "Wasted Love" (26:10)
• Israel - Yuval Raphael - "New Day Will Rise" (39:44)
• Georgia - Mariam Shengelia - "Freedom" (42:06)
• Final Thoughts (50:24)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Ned Raggett.

Critic and educator Maura Johnston joins us again to chat about the Eurovision entries from Finland, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, and Armenia.

Maura Johnston is a writer and editor who teaches at Boston College. She lives in Allston Rock City with her cat, Nuno. Her favorite Eurovision song of recent years is Margaret Berger's "I Feed You My Love."

• Finland - Erika Vikman - "Ich Komme" (1:17)
• Latvia - Tautumeitas - "Bur man laimi" (8:18)
• Malta - Miriana Conte - "Serving" ("KANT") (14:59)
• Lithuania - Katarsis - "Tavo akys" (23:13)
• Armenia - PARG - "Survivor" (30:41)
• Final Thoughts (37:53)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Maura Johnston.

Music journalist Fred Bronson returns to start our conversations about Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final 2. We discuss Montenegro, Luxembourg, Greece, Czechia, and Ireland, plus some delightful stories about long distance friendships and phone calls.

Fred Bronson is the author of seven books: Rockin' the Kremlin with David Junk, The Jacksons Legacy (with the Jacksons), Dick Clark’s American Bandstand (with Dick Clark), The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits and The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits (with Adam White).

Bronson has written the annual television specials The American Music Awards and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. His other credits include two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and an episode of the animated Star Trek series.

For SiriusXM Radio, he has interviewed Paul McCartney, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from ABBA and created "Smokey's Place," a series for Smokey Robinson's Smokey's Soul Town channel where the legendary artist recalls his Motown memories and plays Motown favorites.

He is a long-term contributor to Billboard, covering the Eurovision Song Contest and American Idol among many other topics.

• Montenegro - Nina Žižić - "Dobrodošli" (3:48)
• Luxembourg - Laura Thorn - "La Poupée Monte Le Son" (10:54)
• Greece - Klavdia - "Asteromata" (22:34)
• Czechia - ADONXS - "Kiss Kiss Goodbye" (28:37)
• Ireland - EMMY - "Laika Party" (34:41)
• Final Thoughts (41:38)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Fred Bronson.

Culture critic Euny Hong joins us to discuss the multiple genres represented by Croatia, Sweden, San Marino, Portugal, and Cyprus at this year's Eurovision.

Euny Hong is a journalist and bestselling author of three books that have been published in a total of over 20 languages. The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, an Amazon Editor’s Pick, is being re-released in April 2025. A Yale grad and former Fulbright Scholar, Frankfurter, and Berliner, she lived in Paris longer than any other city. She is a native-level bilingual in French-English and fluent in German and Korean.

• The Birth of Korean Cool (3:59)
• Croatia - Marko Bošnjak - "Poison Cake" (7:05)
• Sweden - KAJ - "Bara Bada Bastu" (15:07)
• San Marino - Gabry Ponte - "Tutta L'Italia" (24:57)
• Portgual - NAPA - "Deslocado" (32:25)
• Cyprus - Theo Evan - "Shh" (38:22)
• Final Thoughts (44:09)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Euny Hong.

Bradley Dalton-Oates from the Eurovision Song Context podcast joins us to discuss the entries from Norway, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Iceland, and the Netherlands.

• Eurovision Song Context (1:11)
• Norway - Kyle Alessandro - "Lighter" (5:51)
• Estonia - Tommy Cash - "Espresso Macchiato" (13:38)
• Azerbaijan - Mamagama - "Run With U" (27:53)
• Iceland - VÆB - "RÓÁ" (36:01)
• The Netherlands - Claude - "C'est La Vie" (44:16)
• Final Thoughts (50:32)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Bradley Dalton-Oates.

We kick off our 2025 Eurovision Review Season with #EurovisionSky poster Ted Van Houten to discuss the entries from Albania, Slovenia, Belgium, Ukraine, and Poland.

Ted is a transportation planner in Washington, DC. As someone who loves European geopolitics, obscure pop music, and being a homosexual, Ted was destined to be a Eurovision fan as soon as he found out about it. Other than Eurovision, Ted enjoys trivia competitions (both online and at his local bar), tennis, reality television, and making puns on Bluesky that get less likes than he wishes they would.

• 🇦🇱 Albania - Shkodra Elektronike - "Zjerm" (5:00)
• 🇸🇮 Slovenia - Klemen - "How Much Time Do We Have Left?" (10:28)
• 🇧🇪 Belgium - Red Sebastian - "Strobe Lights" (17:08)
• 🇺🇦 Ukraine - Ziferblat - "Bird of Pray" (23:38)
• 🇵🇱 Poland - Justyna - "Gaja" (28:07)
• Final Thoughts (36:49)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Ted Van Houten.