Who will have the pleasure of succeeding the Austrian JJ, last year’s Eurovision champion? To find out, you’ll need to tune in for the final of the song contest scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Vienna. In the meantime, predictions are swirling and some artists are already favored. Case in point: the Finland representative—a duo made up of Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen.
According to bettors, the Finnish duo formed by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen could indeed clinch the 70th edition of Eurovision with their song "Liekinheitin". As of April 26, 2026, the act representing Finland is leading the Eurovision Song Contest, now at a 31% chance of winning the final according to the bookmakers. The duo even carries a 64% chance of breaking into the Top 5. The two artists, selected in February at the annual UMK broadcast by Finnish channel, stand at the top of the standings. In second place is the French contestant Monroe with 11%, followed by the Danish representative Danish at 10%.
It must be said that "Liekinheitin", the track performed by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, has what it takes to captivate listeners with a blend of rock, classical, and dance. Their performance has already racked up more than 2.8 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.
It's worth noting that Finland finished 11th in last year's final, with their entry by Erika Vikman and her song "Ich Komme." So, will Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen do even better and bring home the victory in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest? Stay tuned this May 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
