Who will Canada choose? Voting open until Nov. 5
It’s time to vote: Who will Canada send to its first Eurovision Song Contest?
Today, CBC/Radio-Canada unveiled the five musical finalists vying to compete to represent Canada on the world stage in Bulgaria in May 2027.
The contest — which is in its 71st year — is known for its over-the-top, highly extravagant musical performances. Think the Olympics, but for musicians, songwriters and vocalists.
Canadians can vote up to 10 times per day on their favourite finalist until Nov. 5. At the end of November, one will be announced as the winner to represent Canada.
Canada’s 5 finalists
The five finalists competing for your vote were selected by a jury of industry professionals from more than 300 applicants from across Canada.
Want to get an idea of who to vote for? You can head to cbc.ca/Eurovision to check out performances from each finalist and vote on them there.
The finalists include:
William Cloutier from Quebec.
Josiane (Josiane Comeau) from Dieppe, New Brunswick.
Rêve (Briannah Donolo) from Montreal, Quebec.
Talk (Nicholas Durocher) from Ottawa, Ontario.
Tyler Shaw from Vancouver, British Columbia.
What Eurovision could mean to Canadian kids
Canada’s 5 Eurovision finalists say the annual contest could mean a lot for Canadian kids in terms of inspiration, opportunity and representation. (Image credit: CBC)
CBC Kids News got a chance to ask the finalists what they think the competition could mean for kids across the country one day.
For Tyler Shaw, Eurovision is a chance for kids to see Canadians from diverse backgrounds on a massive platform — something he said he was missing as a young Chinese Canadian.
“To me, that’s what I’m doing, I’m inspiring different kids coming from different cultures.”
Talk said that Canada’s participation in the global phenomenon — and building more love for arts performance across Canada — could lead to more opportunities for kids across the country.
“If you see Canada doing well at Eurovision, we’re going to see a lot more investment into arts and culture.”
For Rêve, Eurovision is a place for any kid in Canada — even ones without dreams of being a musician — to see what confidence can look like.
“[It teaches kids] to be confident in who you really are because Eurovision really rewards unapologetic maximalism and individuality.”
Josiane believes there’s a national pride and community that’s built when kids get to see members of their country representing them on the world stage.
“Just being inspired by dreaming bigger and dreaming to go to Eurovision, I think it’s amazing.”
And finally, William said it’s a chance to remind kids to chase their dreams.
“We feel like kids now because it’s literally a dream come true, so I think it’s the best idea to represent what we are feeling.”
What is the Eurovision Song Contest?
Although you may not have heard of Eurovision before, the annual talent competition — which began in 1956 — is a household name to most Europeans.
Bulgarian singer Dara performs her winning song Bangaranga at the Eurovision Grand Finale on May 16, 2026. Most years, Eurovision’s winning country hosts the following year, which is why the finals are going to be hosted in Bulgaria in 2027. (Image credit: Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
The contest is a chance for up-and-coming artists to springboard their careers and is known for its over-the-top, out-loud performances with extravagant costumes and pyrotechnics.
Similar to the Olympics, the contest brings together different countries — 32 with Canada’s inclusion – that put forth talents to represent them on the world stage.
After seeing the performances, people from around the world have the chance to vote for a winner.
Despite the contest’s focus on joy and entertainment, it hasn’t been without controversy.
During the 2026 Eurovision, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia boycotted the contest to protest Israel’s continued inclusion in the event while the war in Gaza continued.
European broadcasters did not disqualify Israel and the country’s participation remains controversial.
Canada’s first Eurovision
Canada is the first country to join Eurovision since Australia in 2015.
We became eligible earlier this year after CBC/Radio-Canada became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union, a requirement for competing countries.
Although this is the first time Canada as a country will compete, it’s not the first time a Canadian has taken part.
Canadian icon Céline Dion won Eurovision when she was 20 years old. (Image credit: Bruno Torricelli)
Back in 1988, 20-year-old Céline Dion won Eurovision, competing on behalf of Switzerland singing a song called Ne partez pas sans moi.
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