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Entertainment
Ben Rogerson

“It doesn’t fundamentally affect anybody’s songs”: Eurovision boss explains why Finland’s bow-shredding violinist is playing live at the 2026 Song Contest, while other instrumentalists aren't

Finnish singers Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, representing Finland with the song 'Liekinheitin', perform during the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 (ESC) at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria on May 12, 2026.

It can sometimes feel like anything goes at the Eurovision Song Contest, but the fact is that participating countries and contestants are required to stick to a pretty rigid set of rules.

One obvious example is that lead vocals must be performed live on stage. Instrument parts, on the other hand, have to be pre-recorded.

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