Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius have secured a record-breaking UMK victory with ‘Liekinheitin,’ but their journey to Vienna 2026 is far from simple. As Finland eyes its second Eurovision trophy, Ben Robertson reports from Tampere on the political pressures, boycotts, and the difficult balancing act facing the artists.

Dude Points examines the power and responsibility placed on Sanremo’s Artistic Director. With complete control over the songs, the acts and the presentation, their decisions echo across Italy and the world. Were the right choices made in 2026?

Ciao from Sanremo, this is Alloracast! James Stephenson and Dude Points are here with your preview for one of the most exciting nights in the Eurovision Song Contest calendar – the final of the Festival di Sanremo.

UMK has evolved into an “artist bootcamp” where Finnish technical precision meets a rebellious, no-rules creative spirit. Ben Robertson writes how this National Final puts in an effort like no other to produce each three-minute performance and delivering quality, rather than quantity.

Ilaria Pagano compares the two approaches of Sanremo’s most recent Artistic Directors, Amadeus and Carlo Conti.

On today’s Alloracast, James and Dude have another Top 5 from Thursday’s performances to analyse, as the competition begins to take real shape ahead of Saturday’s final.