“My System” Failed – Bulgaria’s Didn’t

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  For months, the story of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 felt almost predetermined. I had seen it building the same way I have seen so many Eurovision seasons unfold before: a favourite dominating the betting odds from February (this year Finland), Sweden arriving with another carefully engineered entry titled My System, and Bulgaria positioned as a strong contender, but rarely the obvious winner. And yet, watching the final in Vienna, the outcome felt completely different from the narrative I had been carrying into the evening. Bulgaria won its first Eurovision title. Finland finished sixth. Sweden ended up twentieth. At some point after the voting, I noticed how quickly social media tried to compress the result into a single idea: Bulgaria as a ”shock winner”. But that explanation felt too neat. It didn’t match what I had just watched unfold over three hours. Bulgaria didn’t really ”shock” Eurovision. Something else shifted. And in my reading of the night, it wasn’t Bulga...
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Beyond the 12 Points – Why I’m Writing This

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​I’ve followed Eurovision for most of my life – first as a viewer and listener, and increasingly as someone drawn not only to the songs themselves, but to everything that gathers around them.


Over the years, I’ve come to recognise a familiar pattern. Every spring, Eurovision is described as a celebration untouched by politics – a space where music speaks louder than conflict. And every year, that claim becomes a little harder to defend. Beyond the 12 Points grew out of that tension.


I started this blog because I wanted a place to think about Eurovision more slowly, and with more honesty. Not as a fan diary, and not as a scoreboard obsession, but as a cultural event that reflects how Europe sees itself – and how it sometimes chooses to look away from uncomfortable questions.


The songs matter to me, genuinely. I care about melody, staging, language, and performance. But I’m just as interested in the structures around them: the role of public broadcasters, the influence of juries, the narratives promoted by the EBU, and the moments when “neutrality” quietly becomes a political choice.


This is where my background and interest in politics, language, and public institutions meets my long-standing fascination with Eurovision.


On this blog, I look at odds not to predict winners, but to understand expectations. I look at voting patterns not to accuse, but to trace relationships. I write about controversies not to inflame them, but because the decision to ignore them often reveals as much as the decision to engage.


I don’t believe Eurovision is “just a music contest”. Nor do I think that acknowledging its political dimensions takes anything away from the music. If anything, it helps explain why the contest continues to matter – and why it so often becomes a stage for wider debates about identity, values, and belonging.


Over time, Beyond the 12 Points will follow the rhythm of the contest. Some posts will stay close to a single edition, a voting result, or a decision by the EBU. Others will step back and ask broader questions about Europe, culture, and public service media. The scope may evolve, but the approach will remain the same: curiosity, critical attention, and respect for complexity.


I’m not here to tell you what to think about Eurovision.


I’m here to think aloud – and to invite you to look a little closer with me.


Because once the voting is over, the most interesting part often begins after the 12 points.

Location: Helsingfors, Finland

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