Victoria Swarovski, heiress to the world-renowned Swarovski jewelry dynasty and an accomplished presenter, entrepreneur, and style icon will step into one of television’s most dazzling roles this May as co-host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, alongside Austrian actor Michael Ostrowski. With a global audience of around 170 million viewers, the Eurovision Song Contest is the world’s largest music entertainment show.

«There are no words to describe it. I’ve been lucky enough to experience so many incredible things, but the Eurovision Song Contest is by far the most spectacular. I’m very excited – who can say they’ve hosted a show in front of 170 million people? When the request came in, I had to look twice at first. But I knew immediately that I had to say yes and take on this challenge. The Eurovision Song Contest brings people together to celebrate life and music, and it’s this positivity that makes the show so extraordinary. I’m also incredibly excited to be co-hosting with Michael Ostrowski», Victoria Swarovski happily shared.

Born in Innsbruck, Austria, Victoria deliberately forged her own path early on, driven by ambition, authenticity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, she has built a multifaceted international career spanning music, television, fashion, and business.

Her journey began in music. At just 16, Swarovski signed a record deal with Sony Music and released several singles. By 18, she had moved to Los Angeles, collaborating with Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren. She performed in major stadium shows, appeared as a support act for global stars such as David Guetta and Taio Cruz, and performed at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. She also recorded the German title track «There’s a Place for Us» for Disney’s blockbuster The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, whose U.S. version of the song was performed by Carrie Underwood.

Her defining breakthrough came in 2016 when she won Let’s Dance, Germany’s version of Strictly Come Dancing. Soon after, she made television history as the youngest-ever judge on Das Supertalent, Germany’s version of Got Talent. In 2018, Swarovski transitioned into hosting and became a permanent member of the Let’s Dance presenting team, one of the most successful TV franchises in the German-speaking world. Recent hosting highlights include The 100 Years of Disney Show, hosting the Glamour Women of the Year Awards (twice), and presenting the prestigious European entertainment award ceremony, the Bambi.

Beyond television, Swarovski has also established herself into a successful businesswoman. In 2020, she founded her own beauty brand, ORIMEI, representing modern elegance, confidence, and high-quality products that reflect her personal philosophy of beauty, well-being, and empowerment.

As a model, she has appeared on the covers of Forbes, Glamour, and ELLE, and collaborated with international brands including Mercedes-AMG, Calzedonia, and Braun both as an ambassador and creative partner in design and development. A proud Tyrolean, she has also created dirndl collections along with fashion and accessory lines, making fashion a key creative pillar alongside music.

Curiosity, openness and a thirst for new challenges characterise her personality. Swarovski entered rallying in 2025, and in early 2026 she has fulfilled a long-cherished dream by participating in the world’s toughest rally, the Dakar.

With her unique combination of media expertise, entrepreneurial drive, and international presence, Victoria Swarovski represents a new generation of public figures: versatile, ambitious, grounded and unmistakably herself.

Victoria Swarovski’s role as a presenter at Eurovision 2026 promises glamour, professionalism, and a touch of crystal brilliance on one of the world’s biggest stages.

Photo: orf.at, Olga Rubio Dalmau

ORF’s editorial team has unveiled the longlist for Austria’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. This year, twelve artists representing a wide range of genres and performing in different languages will compete for the chance to represent Austria on the international stage.

Among the potential representatives are:

• Anna-Sophie – «Superhuman»
• Bamlak Werner, 24 – «We Are Not Just One Thing»
• Cosmó, 19 – «Tanzschein»
• David Kurt, 26 – «Pockets Full of Snow»
• Frevd (5 members) – «Riddle»
• Julia Steen, 23 – «Julia»
• Kayla Krystin, 31 – «I brenn»
• Lena Schaur, 22 – «Painted Reality»
• Nikotin – «Unsterblich»
• Philip Piller, 30 – «Das Leben ist Kunst»
• Reverend Stomp (4 members) – «Mescalero Ranger»
• Tamara Flores, 28 – «Chingona»

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In total, ORF received more than 500 submissions this year. For the first time since 2016, the selection process returns in the form of a televised show titled «Vienna Calling – Who Will Sing for Austria?», allowing viewers to directly influence the choice of Austria’s Eurovision representative.

The live broadcast will take place on 20 February at 8:15 PM and will air on ORF 1 and ORF ON. The show will be hosted by Alice Tumler and Cesár Sampson.

Photo: Instagram @orf

The relatives of two Israelis who spent more than 600 days in Hamas captivity have reached out to Austria’s Eurovision 2025 winner, singer JJ, urging him to clarify his controversial remarks regarding Israel’s participation in the contest.

The siblings of the former hostages sent a letter to the 24-year-old artist last week. Since they received no response, they reiterated their appeal in a video published on platform X.

«Don’t hide,» said Ilai David in the video. «We want to help you better understand the situation in the Middle East.» Gal Gilboa-Dal added: «Music should unite people, not divide them.»

JJ, who won Eurovision with the song «Wasted Love» in Basel, Switzerland, secured Austria the right to host the contest in 2026. In an interview with Spanish newspaper El País, he expressed disappointment that Russia was disqualified while Israel was not.

«Both are aggressor states,» he said, adding that he hopes for a Eurovision 2026 «without Israel.» His comments sparked significant backlash and outrage in Israel.

Photo: johannesjjpietsch

Following JJ’s triumph at Eurovision 2025, Austria is not only celebrating but also growing increasingly concerned about the financial burden — hosting next year’s contest could cost the country at least €30 million.

Even the winner himself joked about the scale of the expenses facing the state.

«What have I done? Sorry, ORF, this won’t be cheap,» JJ said right after the results were announced.

He became only the third Austrian act to win Eurovision — after Udo Jürgens in 1966 and Conchita Wurst in 2014.

The national broadcaster ORF will traditionally be in charge of organizing the show, and it is already operating under strict budget constraints. The year 2026 will be especially demanding — in addition to Eurovision, ORF will also broadcast the FIFA World Cup and the Winter Olympics.

«It’s a massive project, but we will have to mobilize all our resources to pull it off,» said ORF’s Program Director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz.

For comparison: this year’s Eurovision broadcast cost the broadcaster around €700,000. But the financial situation is deteriorating — ORF is already cutting its expenses by €325 million. Moreover, Austria is experiencing its third year of economic decline. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer even joked on Instagram that he voted for Sweden 3,000 times to avoid the expenses — to no avail.

The host city has not yet been determined. Graz, Innsbruck, and even the small town of Oberwart have expressed interest. In contrast, Salzburg and Klagenfurt have officially declined due to financial risks and lack of suitable infrastructure. The host city will be chosen through a «transparent process.»

Notably, after Conchita Wurst’s victory in 2014, hosting Eurovision in Vienna brought the city around €30 million in revenue, attracted 100,000 tourists, and generated significant media exposure.

Photo: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER