Romania Selects Alexandra Căpitănescu and 'Choke Me' for Eurovision 2026

Romania's Eurovision 2026 Representative

According to Главком: Romania has chosen its act for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. The winner of the national selection, Selecția Națională 2026, is Alexandra Căpitănescu with her song 'Choke Me'. The final, hosted by Giulia Nahmany and Daniel Nuţă in the TVR studio in Bucharest, featured 12 competing artists, with the outcome decided solely by a professional jury panel.

The Jury and Final Results

The jury was composed of several notable Romanian music industry figures:

• Andreea Bălan
• Andrei Tudor
• Cristian Marica Rădoi
• Cristian Tarcea
• Doru Ionescu
• Elena Popa
• Marius Dia

In the final round, the top three also included HVNDS with the song 'Dor' and the duo Alejandro Zandes & Emil Rengle with 'Bailando solo'.

Alexandra Căpitănescu is no stranger to the spotlight, having won the 11th season of the Romanian version of 'The Voice' in 2023 at the age of 19 as part of coach Tudor Chirilă's team. Her debut single, 'Căpitanu', surpassed 100,000 views on YouTube, a milestone reached by at least five of her songs to date. Eurovision often serves as a major platform for launching artists onto the international stage.

For the 2026 contest in Vienna, Romania will be represented by Căpitănescu. Other early confirmations include Delta Goodrem representing Australia with 'Eclipse' and Dara representing Bulgaria with 'Bangaranga'.

"Alexandra Căpitănescu's victory in the national selection highlights the growing prominence of young performers in Romania." - Source unknown

Her performance at Eurovision 2026 is poised to be a significant career milestone, offering substantial exposure on one of Europe's most watched musical events. The contest provides a unique opportunity for artists to gain recognition far beyond their home countries.