Five Finalists Chosen for Canada’s First Eurovision Entry
Canada has selected five bilingual music acts to vie for the distinction of becoming the country’s inaugural representative at the Eurovision Song Contest, cbc.ca reported. Among those competing are Ottawa-born hitmaker Talk, B.C. singer-songwriter Tyler Shaw, Quebec pop showman William Cloutier, Montreal-to-Toronto dance-pop artist Rêve, and bilingual Acadian singer-songwriter Josiane.
CBC/Radio-Canada revealed the contenders at a media event in Toronto, setting up a public vote that closes on Nov. 5, 2026. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is overseeing the voting system and tabulation of results for the broadcaster.
Selection Process and Jury Evaluation
The five finalists emerged from a pool of 325 applications submitted between Aug. 31 and Sept. 9, 2026, according to cbc.ca. CBC/Radio-Canada music teams narrowed those entries down to 15 before a seven-member expert jury chose the final five at an Oct. 8 meeting in Toronto, CP24 reported.
Applicants faced evaluation on vocal ability, stage presence, artistic experience, musical vision, availability, and their potential to deliver a strong international performance. The decision-making panel consisted of CBC executive vice-president Douglas Smith and Radio-Canada executive vice-president Dany Meloul, alongside soprano Élisabeth St-Gelais, social media strategist and Eurovision specialist Shawn Myers, television composer and musical director Orin Isaacs, choreographer and director Sam Chouinard, and Montreal International Jazz Festival programming director Maurin Auxéméry.
Contender Backgrounds and Musical Styles
William Cloutier won Quebec’s Star Académie in 2021 and played Johnny Rockfort in the musical Starmania more than 360 times across Europe and Quebec, following earlier appearances on youth talent shows. Josiane won the French Canadian edition of The Voice, La Voix, in 2020, and amassed over six million streams with her song Lose It All. Rêve broke through in 2021 with electronic and dance-pop tracks, drawing on club culture and ’90s eurodance. Talk gained global attention with the song Run Away to Mars, won the 2024 Juno Award for breakthrough artist of the year, and embarked on a sold-out international tour. Tyler Shaw broke through with Kiss Goodnight in 2012, released a 2022 romantic version of Gayle’s hit song, and toured Europe in 2026 with sold-out shows in Germany, Austria, and the U.K.
Public Voting and Upcoming Debut
Public voting opened immediately following the announcement, with the winner to be announced by December. Canadians can watch performances at CBC.ca/eurovision and cast up to 10 votes for their preferred artist before the window closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Nov. 5, 2026. The winning artist will be announced by December and will work with industry talent to develop Canada’s song and performance. Canada will make its debut at the 71st Eurovision Song Contest next May in Burgas, Bulgaria, marking the first new country to join the competition since Australia in 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where will Canada make its Eurovision debut?
Canada will make its official debut at the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in May 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria. This marks the first time a new country has joined the competition since Australia participated in 2015.
How can Canadians vote for the finalists?
Canadians can watch the finalists’ performances and cast up to 10 votes for their preferred artist at CBC.ca/eurovision. The voting window closes on Nov. 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT, with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP overseeing the tabulation.
Who serves on the jury that selected the five finalists?
The seven-member jury included Maurin Auxéméry, Sam Chouinard, Orin Isaacs, Shawn Myers, Élisabeth St-Gelais, Radio-Canada executive vice-president Dany Meloul, and CBC executive vice-president Douglas Smith.
Keep reading
- Proforma Celebrates 12 Years as Title Sponsor for Davis Islands Halloween in the Village
- Videor Co., Ltd. and TAS Holdings Establish OmniSpark Inc. on Nov. 1, 2026
- After pushback, the Dutch reverse course and withdraw from Eurovision again (newsylist.com)
- McDonald’s Canada Details Allergen Risks and Nutrition Data (archyde.com)