Barbara Schöneberger and Hazel Brugger to host in February

Nine acts performing nine entries and a charismatic hosting duo that know a lot about the Eurovision Song Contest!... On Saturday 28 February 28, an international jury and a public vote will decide what song will be representing Germany at Vienna 2026.

With double the energy, humour and Eurovision expertise, Barbara Schöneberger and Hazel Brugger will take the stage together for the first time as co-hosts, guiding the audience through a live show that broadcaster SWR promises will be filled with plenty of musical surprises and a Eurovision celebration.

After the songs have been presented, a 20-member international jury, made up of music experts from 20 countries participating in the Eurovision Song Contest, will evaluate the nine performances and select their top three.

In the second stage of the voting, the viewers alone will decide which of these three acts will earn the ticket to represent Germany at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna this May.

As well as the exciting news about the dream hosting duo, SWR also announced the names of the nine artists that they have selected to take part in the German national final.

On Thursday 15 January, the broadcaster teased that lineup for the 2026 pre-selection has been curated as a celebration of different sounds, unique voices and personal stories; from pop and rock songs to ballads and feel-good tunes – they've promised fans a musical spectrum brimming with creativity. And you can already listen to short snippets of each of the nine songs right here.

Here's your lineup, plus a short intro to each of the artists:

BELA: With modern beats, BELA’s song Herz (Heart) presents themes of love, self-doubt and the courage to embrace closeness and belonging.

Dreamboys The Band: Four singer-songwriters combine their friendship and creativity to give listeners warm harmonies in an organic indie-pop sound. Their song Jeanie is an ode to self-confidence, joy, and inner strength.

Laura Nahr: With her acoustic guitar, piano, and inimitable voice, Laura Nahr brings modern pop to life with her great storytelling. In her song Wonderland she offers an honest reflection on the turbulence of growing up and the search for identity.

Malou Lovis: The winner of season 13 of The Voice of Germany promises to combine emotional depth with some modern pop aesthetics in her song When I’m With You.

Molly Sue: Charismatic and with a distinctive voice that delivers emotional 'power pop', Molly Sue is competing with Optimist (Ha Ha Ha) - a song which highlights how inner strength often hides behind a smile.

MYLE: Authentic, guitar-driven pop filled with emotion and hope – MYLE's song A OK was inspired by a heartfelt exchange with a fan and serves as a musical ray of hope for dark times.

Ragazzki: The duo Marti Fischer and David "Miirtek" Starosciak blend Italo-disco with Polish pop – loud, playful and visually striking. Their song Ciao Ragazzki is going to be presented via a truly energetic performance.

Sarah Engels: Her greatest passion has always been her music. With Fire, Sarah Engels delivers an anthem of empowerment, solidarity and self-determination.

wavvyboi: With glitter on his skin and a distorted guitar sound, wavvyboi's Black Glitter merges multi-layered sounds with an artistic freedom that defies traditional genre boundaries.

The winner of Germany's Das Deutsche Finale in 2025 was the song Baller, by Abor & Tynna. The banging dance track went on to represent Germany in Basel and ended up giving the duo a viral hit over the summer.

(all images of the 2026 participants are courtesy of ARD / SWR / Claudius Pflug)