May is Eurovision month. We kick off with Norway’s 2026 entry. JONAS LOVV brings us ‘YA YA YA’ (that’s a lot of uppercase shouty letters). He won the Melodi Grand Prix after a very solid win with both jury and public support. Norway performs in the second half of the second semi-final, which ought to suit an entry so physically direct and stage-led.
The song itself comes at Eurovision from an older rock-pop angle, somewhere in the vicinity of Billy Idol by way of INXS, which is not exactly the most crowded lane in this year’s field. That may help. ‘YA YA YA’ is built around a very simple central hook and a performance style that does a fair bit of the heavy lifting. LOVV has obvious charisma, a distinctive look, and, on the evidence so far, the vocal capacity to belt the thing out properly rather than merely pose near it. The national final performance looked like everyone involved was having a genuinely good time, which is often worth more than another layer of concept. My (slight) reservation is that for all its energy and polish, the song does feel written to a formula. It’s technically sharp, but not especially deep, and the closing chord changes come too late.
LOVV, from Bergen, first came to wider attention through The Voice Norway, and Eurovision’s official profile leans hard on his reputation as a high-energy live performer. That tracks with what Norway appears to be banking on here: not a subtle piece of songwriting, but a robust performer delivering something immediate, loud enough and confident enough to land in a semi-final. At a guess, pyro isn’t on ration.
History
Norway’s recent record has been mixed enough to keep expectations sensible. Gåte reached the final in 2024 but finished last, while Kyle Alessandro restored some pride in 2025 with a 14th-place finish.
This looks like a likely qualifier and a plausible mid-table finalist. Juries may respect the control and performance value, while televoters should respond to the immediacy and the fact it sounds unlike much else around it. But there’s a difference between being distinctive and being essential. ‘YA YA YA’ feels more like a strong, entertaining package than a genuine contender for the win. Still, Eurovision has room for songs that know exactly how to occupy three minutes and leave in one piece. Norway should do just fine.
7 Points
