¡¿Perdona?! Excuse me?!
Yes, you read that right. Benidorm Fest will be back in 2026. A couple of weeks ago, during a press event in Madrid, Spanish broadcaster RTVE unveiled the new group of artists vying to win the coveted bronze trophy on February 14, 2026.
Spain is one of the five countries that are potentially going to be absent from the upcoming edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place in Vienna, Austria, next May. Regardless of this possibility, the network has decided to move forward with its national selection as a move to further cement and establish its brand within the country.
Over 900 songs were submitted to participate in the fifth annual edition of the revived Benidorm Fest. A great mix of genres was received by the broadcaster, which, through an expert panel, reduced this grand batch to just 18 entries.
This edition’s creative team is led by Spain’s recently appointed Head of Delegation, César Vallejo. Longtime followers of this country’s ESC-related shenanigans might remember him as one of the creatives behind the online part of their 2017 selection process, El Eurocasting. He is now filling in for Ana María Bordas, who is now presiding over the Song Contest’s Reference Group.
Vallejo is also joined by Eurovision’s new sought-after stage director, Sergio Jaén. And following his victory by directing the 2025 Austrian entry, he’s stepping in to continue to elevate Spain’s stage showings both in the national selection as well as in Eurovision, as it was announced that in the event this Big 5 does go to Vienna, he will be their lead creative director. Sergio is joined by some of his closest collaborators, among them choreographer Broja Rueda. Broja will be this year’s lead choreographer for Benidorm Fest.
Now let’s meet this year’s artists!
The Big Stars
Funambulista is the stage name of singer Diego Cantero. He’s one of the largest names in today’s music scene in Spain. A career spanning over two decades, with eight albums published and thousands of sold-out concerts, proves that he is one of the most sought-after composers in the country. This is his first rodeo as a lead artist for a potential Eurovision entry; he previously participated as a composer in the Spanish 2018 selection process, penning Miriam Rodríguez’s “Lejos de tu piel”.
Miranda! + BailaMamá is the musical and artist combo that results when the stars align. One of Argentina’s most well-known pop acts, Miranda!, the electro-pop duo formed by Juliana Gattas & Ale Sergi, has teamed up with Varry Brava’s lead singer Óscar Ferrer. If you recall, we spoke with Varry Brava when they participated in the first-ever Benidorm Fest in 2022. BailaMamá is Óscar’s solo project. Juliana and Sergi have a cult-like following in their home country and across Latin America, where their classic bangers from the 2000s, like “Don” or “Perfecta”, have been on people’s playlists for over 20 years. All we can say is that we are HYPED for this amazing project to drop!
The Triumphant Darlings
The Operación Triunfo representation is back in Benidorm. First up, we have rising sensation MAYO, who finished 8th in OT 2023. Since his time on the show wrapped up, MAYO has been establishing a career as the next electronic pop sensation in Spain. His first EP, SEASON I, was a big hit when it was released last year, taking his project to the most prestigious music festivals in the country. MAYO’s first full album, MAYO SEASON, was released in September.
María León & Julia Medina show up in this section because of the former. Julia was a finalist in OT 2018, where she finished in 5th place. Benidorm Fest 2026 is not her first try at going to Eurovision, as together with the majority of her season’s cast, she was part of the selection process back in 2019 with the song “Qué Quieres Que Haga”, where she missed out on the superfinal round. On the other end, María León is one of Mexico’s most established pop music acts. Having been a lead vocalist of 2 bands, most notably Playa Limbo, she has later cemented a successful career as a telenovela actress and singer.
The Latin Hunks
Dani J has been dubbed as Europe’s most well-known bachata singer. The Sevillian singer has mixed this Caribbean musical genre with pop, flamenco, and R&B, as well as others, throughout his decade-long career. His music has taken him to perform across Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, where he’s put people to dance ‘til there’s no tomorrow.
Kenneth is the kid all grown up. Aged 11, he participated in the Spanish version of The Voice Kids, where David Bisbal was his mentor. Now, at 23, he’s ready to take another leap of faith in music by going solo following his stint with Orquesta Panorama City (last year’s entrant, David Afonso, had also collaborated with this band in the past). Kenneth is prepping to bring his Venezuelan roots to shine at the Benidorm stage.
The Melodic Men
Greg Taro is no stranger to Eurovision, as he is one of the composers behind Germany’s 2024 entry “Always on the Run”. Now, after having lived in Germany and worked heavily in the industry for the last 8 years, he’s coming out with his next solo musical project. Throughout his journey, he has collaborated with artists such as Álvaro Soler (who also happens to be his sibling), Martin Garrix, and San Marino’s 2025 ESC entrant Gabry Ponte.
Hailing from a very well-known artistic family, Izan Llunas is no stranger to singing and performing, as he’s been doing that since childhood. His grandfather, Dyango, won the classic Festival de Benidorm in the 1970s. And in the late 1990s, his father, Marcos Llunas delivered a passionate ballad that took Spain that finished 6th in Dublin 1997. In recent years, Izan has worked hard to build himself a name in the local scene, having collaborated with artists such as BF 2023 entrants, Twin Melody, providing a pop and urban sound to the Spanish market.
And from one former Spanish entrant’s child, we go to another. Mikel Herzog Jr. is the son of 1998 entrant Mikel Herzog. Although his father finished terribly at ESC, and has stayed active throughout the years, Mikel Jr. has worked very hard to make his own name in the Spanish market. More recently, he’s achieved mainstream recognition by participating in the 2025 season of family variety show Your Face Sounds Familiar. There, he made it all the way to the end, and amongst his performance, we can note that he delivered a rendition of Spain’s 1989 Eurovision entry, “Nacida Para Amar”.
The Pop Rock Bands
From making it to the Guinness World Records to taking Benidorm by storm, Madrid-based rock band KITAI is here to make itself heard. They’ve been in the scene for over a decade. Kenya Saiz (lead vocals), Eduardo Venturo (guitar), Fabio Yanes (bass and backing vocals) & David “Deivhook” Serrano (drums) have released 4 studio albums and several EPs over the years. Throughout their successful career, they’ve collaborated with artists such as Rayden, Miss Caffeina, Varry Brava, Hombres G, among others.
Another Benidorm returnee is featured in the band The Quinquis, who pay homage to Spain’s quinqui sound from the 1970s, now reinvented with electronic, funk, and today’s current beats as well. Reys, one of the members, is part of Miss Caffeína, another legendary Spanish pop band that competed in 2024 (and if you click that link, you can watch our conversation with them from back then!). So far, the band has only released the song “Te Estoy Amando Locamente (T.E.A.L)” in late 2024, featuring a different set of collaborators from its current formation.
The Girlies Made in España
She’s baaaack! You are not reading incorrectly, Luna Ki is back at Benidorm Fest. Following the misstep in 2022 when she originally attempted to go, we will finally see her take the stage in 2026. Luna has stated that returning to BF is all part of reinventing her music career. With her multidisciplinary and culturally diverse background, we can’t wait to see what she brings to the scene!
Atyat is a one-of-a-kind artist. Her music mixes today’s pop with her Egyptian roots. She has released several singles over the last few years and has performed in multiple festivals and events in Spain, including Madrid Pride.
Hajar Sbihi, better known on stage as Asha, is a multifaceted artist. Asha can pen bangers; among those she’s written, we can include Lola Índigo’s iconic debut single “Ya no quiero ná” (that is a BANGER, Fam!). Asha’s music combines pop and her Moroccan roots, most notably in her most recent single “SOLA”, which has versions in both Spanish and Arabic.
Spanish folklore will also have its presence at Benidorm Fest, as Rosalinda Galán comes in ready to make it happen. Her singles, such as “La Suri” or “CU4RTO”, show the distinct personality of her work, blending stage power with poetic sensitivity. As an actress, she has worked under Javier Fesser in Historias lamentables and starred in Zoe, presented at the Málaga Film Festival. On stage, she’s led productions such as Quiero ser María Jiménez, performing the singer’s repertoire with her blessing. Each of Rosalinda’s performances is intense, truthful, and passionate, just like copla is.
Note: Copla is a style of poetry that originated in Spain and, in its musical form, is one of the most popular genres of Spanish folklore. Some of its most prominent contemporary performers include tabloid queen Isabel Pantoja and Eurovision 2012 representative Pastora Soler. In poetry, the copla is a four-line verse form found in many traditional Spanish songs as well as in Spanish-language literature. The language used in coplas, whether in poetry or music, is typically colloquial and very direct.
The Electric Vibes
From a 1990s one-hit-wonder to Benidorm Fest, Ku Minerva is ready to wow us with her talent and experience. Her musical journey began thanks to her aunt, a dancer for Paco Pil, who encouraged her to audition for a new project. She rose to fame in 1995 with her single “Llorando por ti”, from her debut album, which became an international hit and reached number 3 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Tracks. Over the years, she has released four albums, composed for several artists, and performed at major festivals across Spain and Latin America.
Tony Grox + Lucycalys are a producer-singer duo ready to dominate the stage! Tony is an experienced producer having worked in Miami, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. He blends flamenco with electronic innovation in his work. Known for his Tony G Tapes project, launched in 2022, he combines musical experimentation with a strong cinematic aesthetic. His artistry merges tradition and modernity with striking versatility. Meanwhile, LUCYCALYS has launched her career with tracks like “Ápeiron”, “Gala”, and “Piel de bronze”, showcasing her sensitivity and strength as a performer.
Dora + Marlon Collins are a duo that combines musical creativity, heritage, and fun. Dora is the daughter of model Bimba Bosé and musician Diego Postigo, and inherited her family’s artistic passion, learning piano at five and performing covers of Ella Fitzgerald and Kendrick Lamar by nine. She began sharing music on YouTube at eleven and gave her first concert with her father at thirteen. While her partner, Marlon, trained at the University of Dramatic Arts in Havana, Cuba and continues his studies in Madrid. The 26-year-old actor appeared in the Cuban series 10 Latidos por Segundo, as well as several music videos and theater productions. As a singer, he has released two singles: “Perra Nueva” and “Bahía Guaraná”.
That’s all we have for now. Stay tuned to Eurovision Fam for more Benidorm Fest updates!