Who will have the pleasure of succeeding the Austrian JJ, last year’s Eurovision champion? To find out, you’ll need to tune in to the final of the Song Contest scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Vienna. In the meantime, predictions are piling up and several artists are tipped as favorites. The case in point is the Finnish entry—a duo formed by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen.
According to bookmakers, the Finnish duo formed by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen could well win this 70th edition of Eurovision with their song "Liekinheitin". As of May 9, 2026, one week before the final, the act representing Finland sits atop the Eurovision Song Contest odds, with a 35% chance of clinching the final, per the bookmakers. The duo is also rated at a 70% chance to finish in the Top 5 and a 57% shot at a Top 3. The two artists, selected in February at the annual UMK event organized by Finnish broadcaster Yle, lead the rankings. In second place is the Greek entrant Akylas with 14%, followed by the Danish representative Soren Torpegaard Lund (11%).
It's fair to say that Liekinheitin, the track performed by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, has a sound that's sure to captivate ears with a blend of rock, classical, and dance. Their performance has racked up more than 3.4 million views on YouTube since March 1.
The Finnish duo features Linda Lampenius, a globally renowned classical violinist. She first joined the Helsinki Junior Strings at just eight years old and later became known by her stage name, Linda Brava. Throughout her teenage years, she embarked on numerous tours across North America, Europe, and Asia. Since then, she has released several solo albums that have charted in Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Pete Parkkonen gained widespread recognition through the television show « Idols », where he finished in third place in 2008. Since then, the singer has released several albums and performed at numerous clubs and festivals across Finland. He has established himself as one of the most prominent voices in Finnish pop and soul music.
This spring, Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen join forces to carry Finland's colors at the Eurovision Song Contest with the track "Liekinheitin". The duo will debut the number in the first half of the first semi-final, on Tuesday, May 12. While the pair are currently among the frontrunners, they have not yet secured a spot in the grand final on May 16, unlike France, Britain, or Germany—the country behind the "Big 4"—which are automatically qualified, as noted in the five automatic qualifiers.
We recall that Finland finished 11th in last year's final, with its entrant Erika Vikman and her song "Ich Komme". So, will Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen do better and win the 2026 edition of Eurovision? Stay tuned in the coming days to find out!
Eurovision 2026: here's the running order for the semi-finals
Ahead of Eurovision’s grand final scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026, contestants will have to pull out all the stops in the dreaded semi-finals, set for Tuesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 14. So, which country will open the festivities? When will the Finnish duo, this year’s big favorite, perform their song? Answer with the semi-final running order! [Read more]
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Eurovision 2026: here's the running order for the semi-finals
