Canada’s national broadcaster has unveiled its short list of artists vying to represent the country at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, marking the nation’s debut in one of the world’s most-watched live television events.

For Karen Fricker, the moment is both a long time coming and a chance to see a spectacle she has studied for 25 years with fresh eyes.

One of Canada’s pre-eminent Eurovision experts, the Brock University Adjunct Professor of Dramatic Arts co-edited the 2013 book Performing the ‘New’ Europe: Identities, Feelings and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest and is co-editing The Oxford Handbook of Eurovision Song Contest Studies, forthcoming in 2029.   

“When I first watched Eurovision while living in Ireland in the early 2000s, I was captivated by a European cultural tradition that is both historically significant and fun, campy entertainment,” says Fricker. “While Canada’s presence in the contest is geographically improbable, it’s also a great opportunity for Canadian musical artists to reach new audiences.”

The five finalists, revealed by CBC during Eurovision Song Contest 2027: Canada’s Choice, include William Cloutier, Josiane, Rêve, Talk and Tyler Shaw. Canadians will be able to vote online for their favourite performer until the voting window closes on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 8:59 p.m. EST.

The finalist will then go on to compete for Canada at the Eurovision Song Contest semifinals, taking place in Burgas, Bulgaria, on May 11 and 13, 2027, with the contest final on May 15.

“I’m impressed by the Canadian short list — this will be an interesting race,” says Fricker. “That said, the CBC/Radio-Canada has its work cut out in building an audience for Eurovision. The Australian broadcaster had been airing the contest for decades when it joined as a competitor in 2015. Here, it’s much less known.”