Bulgaria puts actual names on the table for Eurovision 2026

This feels… different for Bulgaria.
Not rushed. Not vague. Not one of those “we’ll decide later” situations.

Bulgarian National Television has confirmed the 15 artists who have agreed to take part in the national selection for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, and for once, it’s a list that doesn’t need explaining.

Kerana i Kosmonavtite, Mihaela Marinova, Mihaela Fileva, Molec, Roksana, Fiki, DARA, Dara Ekimova, DIA, Elizabet, Innerglow, MONA, Preyah, VALL, Veniamin.

These aren’t forgotten names pulled out for nostalgia. They’re artists people in Bulgaria have actually been hearing all year. On the radio. On TV. On streaming platforms. Some lean more mainstream, others come from a more digital background, but none of them feel random.

And that already says a lot.

A selection built around the artists, not just the song

What BNT seems to be doing here is simple: find out who works on stage first, then worry about the Eurovision song later.

The national selection will run across January, live on BNT 1, and the format isn’t complicated:

On 24 January, all 15 artists will perform a song from their own catalogue. Not a Eurovision entry. Just something that represents them.

A week later, on 31 January, only seven artists will remain. They’ll do the same thing again, and one of them will be chosen as the winner through a combined vote of the public and a professional jury.

No gimmicks. No sudden format twists. Just performances and reactions.

It’s very “let’s see who actually connects”.

Why this matters more than it sounds

Bulgaria hasn’t always made a big show of its Eurovision plans in recent years. Sometimes decisions arrived late. Sometimes very quietly.

This time, the broadcaster is putting everything on screen and in advance. Giving the audience time to form opinions. To argue. To get attached. Or annoyed. All the usual Eurovision emotions.

And it’s happening in a year that isn’t just any Eurovision year.

In Vienna, the contest will celebrate its 70th edition, with the semi-finals on 12 and 14 May and the Grand Final on 16 May 2026. Big anniversary. Big expectations.

No favourite yet. And that’s the point.

Right now, there’s no clear winner. No obvious “this is the one”. And honestly, that’s refreshing.

Bulgaria isn’t pretending it has all the answers already. It’s opening the process, letting the artists stand on their own feet, and seeing who survives the spotlight.

Whether this leads to a strong Eurovision result or not is something we’ll only know in May.

But at least this time, Bulgaria looks like it’s actually enjoying the journey again.

Source: BNT