The Eurovision Song Contest is heading toward its 70th edition, which will take place in Vienna (Austria) on May 12, 14, and 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle.
Austria has three victories in the European contest, the most recent of them in 2025 with JJ. On the occasion of hosting the European competition, the broadcaster ORF decided to put an end to the usual internal selections and opted for Vienna Calling – Wer singt für Österreich?, its national final, something that had not happened since 2016.
12 artists competed on February 20 in the preselection, where a professional jury and televote had the task of selecting COSMÓ with “Tanzschein” as the country’s representative, being the audience’s favorite and the second place for the expert panel.
How did he/she make it to Eurovision? What experience does he/she have in the music world? How is he/she preparing the entry with which they will compete in Vienna 2026?
In this edition, we take a look at COSMÓ’s musical career, the context of his/her candidacy, and his/her song. Austria’s representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will try to climb to the top of the grand final ranking with “Tanzschein,” in what will be Austria’s 59th participation in the European contest.
This is COSMÓ, a passion for music from a very young age
Benjamin Gedeon, known artistically as COSMÓ, was born on 18 June 2006 in Budapest, although he has developed his career in Austria, where he lives in Halbturn. Of multicultural origin —German father and Hungarian mother—, he grew up surrounded by diverse influences that shaped his artistic identity. From a very young age he showed interest in music, beginning his training at the age of four at the Neusiedl am See Central Music School. He specialised in piano and, at 13, began vocal training after participating in a school competition.
His style draws inspiration from artists such as ABBA, Queen and Billy Joel, resulting in a pop sound with an 80s influence. During his early years, he began composing and recording songs in a home studio built together with his father, releasing tracks such as “Wrong Medicine” and “Give Me A Moment”. At the same time, he shared covers on YouTube that demonstrated his vocal versatility.
After an unsuccessful attempt to enter The Voice Kids Germany in 2020, he managed to participate in 2022, where he performed “Strangers In The Night” and joined Álvaro Soler’s team. Throughout the show, he stood out for his interpretative ability and went on to win the tenth season, which marked his breakthrough into popularity. He later performed at concerts and festivals in Austria, consolidating his stage presence.
In addition to being a performer, COSMÓ has developed a songwriting career from a young age. In 2021 he won the podium.jazz.pop.rock competition with “Fall Into Your Arms”, and continued releasing music and collaborating with other artists. In 2025 he released his debut album, FROM MY ROOM, an intimate project created in his own personal environment.
That same year he adopted the stage name COSMÓ, in homage to his Hungarian roots, and began a new era. In 2026 he entered the Austrian preselection for Eurovision with “Tanzschein”, winning the competition and earning the right to represent the country at Eurovision 2026.
This is “Tanzschein” COSMÓ’s entry to represent Austria at Eurovision 2026
COSMÓ, directly qualified for the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 as the host country of the event, competes with his single “Tanzschein.” It is a song composed by Benjamin Gedeon himself together with Elias Stejskal and Ella Stern. For the first time since Baku 2012 with Trackshittaz and their “Woki mit deim Popo,” Austria once again opts for a song entirely in German.
Based on a personal experience, in “Tanzschein” (Dance Certificate), COSMÓ conveys an almost symbolic idea: reclaiming the dance floor of a nightclub as the heart of the place. The concept of the “dance certificate” works as a playful and critical metaphor, suggesting that only those who truly want to participate, move, and share the music should be there. Deep down, it is a request to recover the collective and liberating essence of dancing.
Lyrics
German
Steh vor dem Club
Bin schon gespannt
Sag hast du Lust,
Auf einen Tanz?
Wir treten ein
Auf der Suche nach Ekstase
Doch hinterm Neonlichterschein
Liegt eine Tier-Oase
Und der Löwe
Versuchts bei einer Gazelle
Der Hunger macht ihn böse
Und er rückt ihr auf die Pelle
Im Gehege geht er durch wie eine Säge
Ist bekanntlich nicht romantisch
Er steht nicht aufs Gerede
Ey ey!
Das kann doch gar nicht wahr sein
Die machen sich zum Affen
Und Tänzer seh ich gar kein
Ey ey!
Ich hätt eine Idee
Ein Konzept, ja das wär einfach perfekt
Sie brauchen einen Tanzschein
Da muss ich streng sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein
Lass ich Sie nicht rein
Haben Sie einen Tanzschein?
Das soll kein Witz sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein
Da kommen Sie nicht rein
Ich schließ die Augen
Dann bin ich Clubbesitzer
Und auf der schwarzen Liste
Stehen die Steroidenspritzer
Und auch wenn sie nur bellen
Und eigentlich gar nicht beißen
Das ist hier die Regel
Hunde müssen draußen bleiben
Ey ey!
So kann es jeden Tag sein
Wir tanzen durch die Nacht
Und Löwen seh ich gar kein
Ey ey!
Draußen macht sich wer zum Affen
Doch der Türsteher sagt mit einem Lachen
Sie brauchen einen Tanzschein
Da muss ich streng sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein
Lass ich Sie nicht rein
Haben Sie einen Tanzschein?
Das soll kein Witz sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein
Da kommen Sie nicht rein
Der Gorilla in der Ecke
Träumt von seiner Pirouette
Er scheut sich vor den Blicken,
die die Artgenossen schicken
Ich nehm ihn an der Hand, ja
Bildet einen Gang
Wir schauen uns in die Augen
Und jetzt fangen wir an
Ey ey ey ey!
Du kannst mir vertrauen
Ey ey ey ey!
Hier ist alles erlaubt
Ooh!
Wir haben uns doch lang genug versteckt
Und alle wollen einen Tanzschein
Sie wollen wie wir sein
Doch ohne Tanzschein
Werden sie Tiere bleiben
Haben Sie einen Tanzschein?
Das soll kein Witz sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein
Da kommen Sie nicht rein
English
I’m standing outside the club
Already feeling the rush
So, tell me, are you down
To dance with me?
We step inside
Chasing after ecstasy
But behind the neon glow
Lies an animal-oasis
And there’s a lion
Hitting on a gazelle
Hunger makes him reckless
And he’s creeping up on her
Inside the cage he tears through like a blade
Everybody knows he’s not romantic
He’s not into talking
ey ey
This can’t be happening
They’re making fools of themselves
And I don’t see a single dancer
ey ey
But I’ve got an idea
A concept – yeah, that would work perfectly
You need a dance permit
I gotta be strict
’Cause without a dance permit
You’re not getting in
Do you have a dance permit?
No, this is not a joke
’Cause without a dance permit
You’re not getting in
I close my eyes
And suddenly I’m the owner of the club
And on the blacklist
Are the steroid injectors
And even if they only bark
And don’t bite
That’s the rule around here
Dogs need to stay outside
ey ey
That’s how it could be every day
We’re dancing through the night
And I don’t see any lions
ey ey
Outside someone’s making a fool of themselves
But the bouncer just says, laughing:
You need a dance permit
I gotta be strict
’Cause without a dance permit
You’re not getting in
Do you have a dance permit?
No, this is not a joke
’Cause without a dance permit
You’re not getting in
The gorilla in the corner
Dreams of doing pirouettes
He’s scared of all the stares
His fellows throw at him
I take his hand, yeah
Get out the way
We look into each other’s eyes
And then we begin
ey ey ey ey
You can trust me
ey ey ey ey
Anything is allowed here
ooh
We’ve been hiding long enough
And now they all want a dance permit
They wanna be like us
But without a dance permit
They’ll stay animals
Do you have a dance permit?
No, this is not a joke
’Cause without a dance permit
You’re not getting in
Austria at Eurovision: A Quick History
Austria has participated in Eurovision since 1957 and has three victories in its history. The first came in 1966 with Udo Jürgens and “Merci, Chérie”, while in 2014 Conchita Wurst won with “Rise Like A Phoenix”. In 2018 they achieved 3rd place with Cesar Sampson and recorded three consecutive eliminations in the semifinals.
In 2023 they were finalists again with Teya & Salena and in 2024 the country was represented by Kaleen with “We Will Rave”, achieving 24th place in the final. In 2025, JJ represented Austria with “Wasted Love” and achieved victory, returning the country to the top of the European contest. Austria has hosted the contest in 1967 and 2015 in Vienna, and will host the festival again in 2026 following its latest win.