It’s that time of year where we are desperate for our next Eurovision fix. And what better way to cope with those winter blues than to ponder which artists would be fantastic picks for their countries at Eurovision? Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing our top wishlist pick for some of the countries at the Eurovision Song Contest.
The greatest thing about our wishlist is, there are no rules. No “they would never do Eurovision!” No “but that wouldn’t be possible because…”. Not even a “but that country hasn’t participated in X number of years”.
Welcome to the Wiwi Wishlist, where we fantasize about the perfect contest’s line-up.
Wiwi Wishlist: Alternosfera for Moldova
Moldova is known for making bold choices at Eurovision. And as numerous artists have already performed tracks inspired by folkloric sounds (e.g. Zdob și Zdub, Pasha Parfeni, and Natalia Barbu), a fresh musical direction would feel exciting. Alternosfera is an alternative rock band formed in 1998 in Chișinău. They have had the same frontman, Marcel Bostan, since the beginning, and after all these years, he definitely has the stage experience and presence to captivate an international audience.
Across six albums and one EP, the band has consistently written poetic lyrics in Romanian, the kind that could earn extra points if paired with on-screen subtitles. Since their first album in 2005, Alternosfera has become hugely popular in both Moldova and Romania. That same year, they even participated in Moldova’s national selection for Eurovision.
Known for their energetic live shows, the band delivers a sound as clear and powerful as in the studio. In recent years, they’ve tried unplugged performances and introduced their innovative Theatroll concept (theatrical rock ’n’ roll).
Last year, Alternosfera received an honorary award for promoting Moldova internationally (Collective Merited Artist medal).
Since 2022, the band have relocated to Romania, and their songs have taken on strong messages against war, perfectly suited for Eurovision’s current context e.g., “Imnuri de Război” (War Hymns), “Clopote” (Bells), “Recviem fără Refren” (Requiem without Chorus). Their style blends raw rock energy with a touch of melancholy.
Excitingly, they are set to release a new album soon, mixed in collaboration with Adrian Bushby, known for his work with Muse, Foo Fighters, U2, Placebo, and many others.
Discography must-listens: “Frig de Mor” (2025), “Imnuri de Război” (2023), “Flori de Mai” (2008)
Moldova’s last participation at the Eurovision Song Contest
Moldova’s last participation was in 2024 with “In The Middle” by Natalia Barbu, a song that blended folk influences with pop elements. After two consecutive years of folk-inspired entries before her (Zdob și Zdub and Pasha Parfeni), this time the formula didn’t work as well, and the performance failed to qualify. Perhaps it was a sign that Moldova needs to explore a new musical direction.
In 2025, Moldova decided to take a hiatus from Eurovision after holding its auditions and subsequently cancelling the national selection. The decision came as a result of the audience’s reaction to the competing songs, as well as various economic, administrative, and artistic challenges.
If there’s a country brave enough to take creative risks at Eurovision, it’s Moldova. From modern “hora” inspired songs to wild stage concepts, Moldova has always shown a willingness to experiment. Since the very beginning, folk influences have played a key role in the country’s Eurovision identity. Yet one of Moldova’s greatest strengths has always been its staging creativity, which has elevated many of its entries (just think of DoReDos in 2018). Moldova can certainly deliver, they just need something fresh to surprise the audience again.
Over the years, Moldova has given us plenty of joyful and memorable performances — but Alternosfera could mark a total shift from everything the country has sent before. With their poetic lyrics and powerful sound, they could bring a song with a strong, pro-peace message, ideally with subtitles on screen to let every word resonate. Alternosfera could easily capture the Eurovision audience just as maNga (Turkey, 2010), AWS (Hungary, 2018), The Rasmus (Finland, 2022), or Blind Channel (Finland, 2021) once did.
So Alternosfera is our dream pick for Moldova, but who would yours be? Who would you love to see take to the stage in Vienna in May 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
