Newsroom
Eurovision Song Contest 2026 fever is officially back in Cyprus after Antigoni Buxton powered her way into Saturday’s grand final with an explosive performance of “Jalla” during Thursday night’s second semi-final in Vienna.
For one night at least, living rooms across Cyprus turned into mini Eurovision parties again, complete with shouting at the TV, WhatsApp messages flying between friends and the annual national debate over whether “this could finally be our year.”
Performing eighth on the stage of the Wiener Stadthalle, Antigoni delivered a high-energy performance packed with choreography, dramatic visuals, and enough confidence to immediately set social media buzzing back home.
And yes, people are already talking about the table.
Not just any table, a massive one.
The oversized stage prop became the centerpiece of the performance, doubling as both a dance platform and catwalk for Antigoni and her four Cypriot dancers: Anna Hadjikyriakou, Konstantina Spyrou, Natalia Michael and Sofia Papakonstantinou.
Fans were quick to compare the performance to Ivi Adamou’s unforgettable 2012 Eurovision appearance in Baku, one of Cyprus’ most iconic Eurovision moments, with many calling Antigoni’s staging a modern, upgraded version of that same bold Mediterranean energy.
The performance was directed and choreographed by well-known Swedish creative director Sacha Jean-Baptiste, who is behind several memorable Eurovision stage productions over the years.
Cyprus was among 10 countries that qualified from Thursday’s semi-final, alongside Bulgaria, Ukraine, Norway, Australia, Romania, Malta, Albania, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Earlier this week, Greece also secured a place in the final with Akylas and the song “Ferto,” meaning Greek and Cypriot fans will once again share the familiar Eurovision excitement heading into the weekend.
The grand final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest takes place Saturday night, with Cypriots now hoping “Jalla” can deliver another memorable result for the island.
Because in Cyprus, Eurovision is never just a music competition.
It is one of the few nights where nearly everyone suddenly becomes a music critic, stage expert and voting strategist all at once.
