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The RTL Lëtzebuerg (RTL) has announced the full line-up of eight acts that will vie in the third edition of the Luxembourg Song Contest 2026 to represent the Grand Duchy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna.
Following submissions and auditions — 58 artists submitting 83 songs — an international jury selected the finalists. The show is scheduled for 24 January 2026 at the venue Rockhal in Esch-sur-Alzette.
Here are the eight artists confirmed:
Andrew the Martian
Right then, let’s kick things off with Andrew the Martian, shall we? This Portuguese-born, Luxembourg-dwelling artist has been calling the Grand Duchy home for a decade now, and he’s completely self-taught—because apparently formal training is overrated when you’ve got raw emotion and indie-electronic vibes to spare. Andrew’s utterly captivated by that “raw connection between performers and their audiences,” which sounds wonderfully pretentious until you hear him, and then it all makes perfect sense. He’s devoted himself entirely to cultivating diverse and authentic sounds, bridging his Portuguese roots with his adopted Luxembourgish home, and frankly, we’re rather intrigued to see what he brings to Rockhal in January.
Daryss
Now here’s someone who clearly can’t sit still—Daryss studied at the Conservatoire of Dramatic Arts in Mons (fancy!), runs her own theatre studio for children and adults, helps out in the family restaurant, AND still finds time to compete for Eurovision. From childhood, she’s been all about storytelling through acting, singing, and dancing, having cut her teeth on plays and musicals before deciding music was the best way to express emotions and connect with audiences. One does wonder when she actually sleeps, but that’s the kind of dedication that wins Eurovision—or at least makes for a cracking good national final performance. We’re expecting full theatrical drama, and we won’t accept anything less.
Eva Marija
Oh, this one’s adorable—Eva Marija was three years old when she watched Alexander Rybak win Eurovision 2009 with “Fairytale,” fell madly in love with the violin, and basically said “right, that’s my life sorted then”. Born in Luxembourg to Slovenian parents, she went absolutely bonkers at the Conservatoire, studying not just violin but singing, piano, bass guitar, jazz, classical, pop, AND rock, because apparently choosing just one thing is for quitters. She’s been performing since age 14, maintains connections to both her Luxembourgish and Slovenian heritage (dual Eurovision appeal, anyone?), and is currently studying songwriting in London, presumably so she can write the next “Fairytale” and complete the circle. If that’s not a Eurovision origin story, we don’t know what is.
Hugo One
Hugo One started singing in his school choir at six and literally never stopped—which is either dedication or a complete inability to read the room, we’ll let you decide. When he’s not working as a Communication Officer at the University of Luxembourg (steady paycheck, sensible choice), he’s gracing stages from the Philharmonie de Luxembourg to Den Atelier, and once even spontaneously ended up performing with Anastacia, which sounds like the kind of thing that either happens to you or absolutely doesn’t. He blends soul, pop, and disco, taking inspiration from Michael Jackson, George Michael, Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, and Guy Sebastian—so basically, he wants to do everything brilliantly. Oh, and he apparently looks like Elon Musk, which he’s not particularly thrilled about, and honestly, can you blame him? Let’s focus on the music, shall we?
Irem
Right, prepare to feel utterly inadequate: Irem speaks five languages, performs pop and R&B with Luxembourgish and Turkish roots, trained in classical music theory AND jazz dance at the Luxembourg Conservatoire, performed in multiple musicals, released two EPs (“Look At Me” in 2023 and “Diamonds & Birkins” in 2025), AND is currently pursuing a master’s degree in physics in Vienna. Physics! While doing Eurovision! Some people are just showing off at this point. She’s become a regular at festivals and venues across Luxembourg, and honestly, if she can balance quantum mechanics with R&B vocal runs, representing her country at Eurovision should be a doddle. We’re absolutely here for this multilingual, multitalented powerhouse—just don’t ask us to explain her thesis.
Luzac
Ah, Luzac—he’s back for round two after placing third in 2025 with “Je danse,” which means he knows exactly what it feels like to come this close and have it snatched away. The 27-year-old discovered his musical calling aged nine watching “High School Musical” (we’ve all got our origin stories, no judgment here), spent years writing for other artists before launching his solo career in 2021, and somehow juggles all of this whilst working as a specialized educator in psycho-educational support. That’s right, when he’s not pursuing Eurovision glory, he’s actually helping young people who need extra guidance—which makes him significantly more useful to society than most of us. He’s been collaborating with Luxembourgish artists and performing at festivals since his 2025 attempt, and you can bet he’s coming back with vengeance and something absolutely brilliant up his sleeve. Second time’s the charm, Luzac!
ShiroKuro
Ooh, this is sophisticated—ShiroKuro are an indie/pop-rock trio from Liège featuring Luxembourger Louis Comblin alongside Belgians Matias Pollicino and Nathanaël Paulis, who all met at the Royal Conservatory of Liège because apparently that’s where cool people hang out. Two of them have master’s degrees in contemporary composition, one’s specialized in percussion, and they’ve branched into concert production, artist management, and music production, which basically means they know absolutely everything and the rest of us know nothing. Their 2022 EP “In Sight” served up catchy melodies, heavy guitars, and sampling inspired by Coldplay and London Grammar, tackling themes like love, depression, and the artist’s place in society—you know, light Sunday afternoon listening. On stage, there’s guitar, piano, drums, violin, and vocals, creating this wonderfully rich melodic sound that bridges their classical training with proper modern indie-rock energy. We’re expecting something rather special from these three.
Steve Castile
And finally, the most beautifully 21st-century origin story of the lot—Steve Castile discovered music through a piano app on his iPod, which is simultaneously the most Gen Z thing we’ve ever heard and also oddly inspiring. He eventually upgraded to actual instruments (progress!), spending 15 years developing his guitar and piano skills before adding songwriting, production, and finally singing about eight years ago. When he’s not making music, Steve’s wrapping up a master’s degree in Germany—either in Information and Communication Sciences or Cultural Media Studies, depending on which source you believe, but either way, he’s clearly got his academic life sorted. As one of the emerging names in this year’s competition, we don’t know loads about his artistic style yet, which means January’s going to be full of surprises. We’re keeping our eye on this one—sometimes the dark horses are the most fun, aren’t they?
The selection process required artists to satisfy at least one criterion: Luxembourg nationality, a minimum three-month residency in the country, or a significant connection to the Luxembourgish cultural/music scene. The latter being a bit like knowing a man who once knew your nan.
With the finalists now known, attention shifts to their songs – which will be revealed in December – and then the live final where one act will earn the right to carry the Luxembourg flag in Vienna. Perhaps.
