A Big Deal for a Hometown Voice
Canada is entering Eurovision for the first time ever, and the country just revealed the five artists in the running to represent it at the 2027 contest in Bulgaria. Talk, the Ottawa-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, made the cut alongside Quebec’s William Cloutier, Acadian singer-songwriter Josiane, Montreal-to-Toronto dance-pop artist Rêve and B.C.’s Tyler Shaw.
Canada joining the lineup is historic in its own right. It’s the first new country to join Eurovision since Australia came on board back in 2015, and the broadcast typically pulls in more than 130 million viewers across 35 countries.
Getting to Know Talk
If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because of Run Away to Mars, the song that first put Talk on the global map after he wrote it during what he’s described as a particularly lonely night. He followed that breakout with the album Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees and a sold-out international tour, then took home the 2024 Juno Award for breakthrough artist of the year.
He’s got another project in the works too: a concept album called The Ballad of Ozzy Moon is slated for release in early 2027. As for Eurovision itself, Talk says he’s been watching the contest for 15 years, so this isn’t just a career opportunity, it’s something closer to a dream fulfilled. He’s already hinted he wants to bring something ‘a little more mysterious, a little more dramatic’ to the stage if he’s chosen.
Meet the Rest of the Field
Talk is up against some serious talent. William Cloutier, dubbed Quebec’s own pop prince, has starred in the musical Starmania more than 360 times and won Star Académie in 2021. Josiane, from Dieppe, New Brunswick, blends French and English pop with her Acadian roots and won La Voix in 2020.
Rêve, who grew up in Montreal and now calls Toronto home, is a Juno winner known for blending contemporary pop and R&B with ’90s eurodance energy. Tyler Shaw, raised in Coquitlam, B.C., broke through with Kiss Goodnight back in 2012 and spent 2026 touring sold-out shows across Germany, Austria and the U.K.
How the Finalists Were Picked
The five weren’t chosen lightly. CBC and Radio-Canada received 325 applications, narrowed the list down to 15, and then handed the final decision to a jury of music industry professionals and public broadcasting executives who weighed everything from vocal ability and stage presence to artistic vision.
How to Cast Your Vote
Now it’s up to Canadians to pick who gets to carry the torch. Performances from all five finalists are up at CBC.ca/eurovision, and anyone can vote for their favourite up to 10 times before the window closes on Nov. 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
The winner will be announced by December, which means Ottawa has just a few more days to make some noise for its own. If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to rally behind a local talent, this is about as good as it gets.
