TORONTO — Who will be Canada’s first Eurovision star? The musical acts vying to represent the country at the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest are set to be announced today. CBC/Radio-Canada says it will reveal the five finalists at 3 p.m. ET. Artists from across Canada submitted applications for a chance to make history as the country’s inaugural representative at the famed international music competition. A jury of professionals in the music industry decided on the shortlist, while the public will be invited to vote to determine Canada’s Eurovision entrant. CBC/Radio-Canada says the winning artist will then work with leading music-industry talent to develop Canada’s Eurovision song and performance. Eurovision is considered one of the world’s largest live music spectacles. Organizers say more than 130 million viewers across 35 markets watched this year’s edition. The event also drew unprecedented social engagement, including more than a billion views on Instagram alone. The competition has helped propel several major artists to international fame. Céline Dion’s 1988 win for Switzerland, with the Swiss-written song “Ne partez pas sans moi,” launched her to international stardom. The contest also helped turn ABBA from a Swedish touring band into global superstars, while Italy’s Måneskin achieved international success following their 2021 win. Canada will make its debut at the competition, which has been held annually since 1956. The 71st Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place next May at Arena Burgas in Burgas, Bulgaria. The competition has also faced controversy. Israel’s participation amid the conflict in Gaza prompted five public service broadcasters — from Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia and Iceland — to boycott this year’s event. Ireland’s public broadcaster RTÉ has confirmed a second consecutive boycott of both participating in and broadcasting next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. In contrast, the Netherlands is making a complicated return; while its entertainment broadcaster AVROTROS continues its boycott, the umbrella public broadcaster NPO has stepped in to ensure the country competes in Burgas. In 2022, the European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from participating in the contest following its invasion of Ukraine. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2026. Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
