The Eurovision Song Contest is heading towards its 70th edition, which will take place in Vienna (Austria) on May 12, 14, and 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle.
On this occasion, Norway has once again chosen its representative through its traditional national selection Melodi Grand Prix. In its 2026 edition, nine artists competed, including Alexander Rybak, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. JONAS LOVV with “YA YA YA” was the unanimous winner for both the international jury (the favorite of all participating countries) and the televote. In this way, he secured the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest.
How did he reach Eurovision? What experiences have shaped his musical style? How is he preparing his entry for Vienna 2026?
On this occasion, we review the musical career of JONAS LOVV, the context of his candidacy, and his song. The Norwegian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will attempt to take his country to the top of the scoreboard with “YA YA YA”, in what will be Norway’s 65th participation in the European contest.
This is JONAS LOVV, one of Norway’s most prominent emerging voices
Jonas Lovv, born Jonas Lovv Hellesøy on 8 September 1994 in Bergen, is one of the most prominent emerging voices in contemporary Norwegian pop-rock. Raised in the district of Fyllingsdalen, he showed a strong interest in music from a very young age, gradually developing a personal style that now defines his artistic identity.
Although he may seem to many like a recent artist, his career dates back more than a decade in the local Bergen scene. In 2014 he made his first step on television by participating in Idol, although he did not manage to advance to the televised stages. Even so, he continued to grow as a musician, joining several local bands, performing in packed venues and taking part in festivals, as well as being played on radio stations.
In 2017 he founded the band Shuffle Baby together with Erlend Aarli and Truls Prestegard. This synth-pop project, influenced by 1980s electro-funk, marked his first major professional experience. Working in a self-taught way from a home studio, they released several singles and the EP Posers (2019), reaching more than 300,000 streams on Spotify despite their independent nature.
After the band disbanded in 2020, he began his solo career with several singles and the EP Fotografisk Minne (2023). His song “Lovely Liar” was highlighted by NRK P3 as one of the best songs of the moment, consolidating his rising profile.
His major media breakthrough came in 2025 with his participation in The Voice – Norges Beste Stemme, where he captivated the audience with his raspy voice and intense stage presence. His performance led him to Espen Lind’s team and to the semi-finals of the show.
Since then, Jonas Lovv has established himself as a versatile artist who combines pop, rock and alternative sounds. He also stands out for his live energy, his emotional connection with the audience and his use of fashion as a form of artistic expression, breaking stereotypes and reinforcing his unique identity.
This is “YA YA YA”, the proposal by JONAS LOVV to represent Norway at Eurovision 2026
JONAS LOVV defends the colors of Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with his song “YA YA YA”, composed by the artist himself together with Sondre Skaftun.
His song reflects his creative universe: an intense and catchy track that explores the most visceral side of love and obsession. It describes a somewhat destructive relationship, where love is not portrayed as something sweet, but as a force that spirals out of control and causes harm. The protagonist is presented as someone impulsive and driven by emotions, while the other person seems to play an ambiguous, even deceptive role.
With lyrics such as “Baby, I’m an animal, I got no self-control” and a repetitive, cathartic chorus “Won’t let go, ya ya ya ya”, it conveys overflowing passion, vulnerability, and raw energy that define his style, reflecting an emotional intensity that surpasses reason.
Lyrics
English
You’ve been thinking bout love,
How it got you so low.
Baby I’m an animal,
I got no self control.
Left it right all over you and your pretty clothes
I iaiai aiaiai
I got some broken bones
I iaiai aiaiai
I know it won’t let go ya ya ya ya
Pretty little liar, put your makeup on ya ya ya ya
Bang bang like you want it
Like you know I’m gonna love it
Bang bang goes that broken heart
Bleeding right all over me until I fall apart
I iaiai aiaiai
I got some broken bones
I iaiai aiaiai
I know it won’t let go ya ya ya ya
Ah ya ya ya ya
Ya ya ya ya ya ya
Ya ya ya ya ya ya yaaaa
Gooooo ya ya ya ya
Won’t let go ya ya ya ya
Norway at Eurovision: A Quick History
Norway has participated in Eurovision since 1960 and has been present in most editions, with the exception of 1970 and 2002. It has won three times: in 1985, 1995 and 2009, the latter with Alexander Rybak and «Fairytale», one of the biggest successes in the contest.
However, it is also one of the countries with the most extreme results, accumulating several last places and four ‘nul points’. Since the introduction of the semi-finals, it has had an irregular participation with some eliminations. In 2023 it achieved 5th place with Alessandra Mele, in 2024 it dropped to last place in the final and in 2025 Kyle Alessandro finished 18th in the final with a modern and scenically ambitious proposal.