Just days after announcing the finalists for Austria’s national selection Vienna Calling – Wer singt für Österreich?, one contender has pulled out of the competition.
Withdrawal and Replacement
Tamara Flores, who was set to compete with her song “Chingona”, confirmed she is withdrawing from the running due to personal reasons. The national selection will take place on February 20th, and will be hosted by Alice Tumler and Cesar Sampson. The competing songs will be released at a later date. Flores’ departure from the competition was confirmed by broadcaster ORF.
In her place, Sidrit Vokshi, a 35-year-old singer from Vienna, has stepped in as the twelfth finalist. Vokshi will perform the song “Wenn ich rauche”, a heartfelt pop ballad that explores themes of heartbreak and emotional reflection.
Updated Vienna Calling Finalists
With the change, the full list of acts competing on 20 February 2026 now includes:
| Artist | Song Title |
| Anna-Sophie | “Superhuman” |
| Bamlak Werner | “We Are Not Just One Thing” |
| Cosmos | “Tanzschein” |
| David Kurt | “Pockets Full of Snow” |
| Frevd | “Riddle” |
| Julia Steen | “Julia” |
| Kayla Krystin | “I brenn” |
| Lena Schaur | “Painted Reality” |
| Nikotin | “Unsterblich” |
| Phillip Piller | “Das Leben ist Kunst” |
| Revered Stomp | “Mescalero Ranger” |
| Sidrit Vokshi | “Wenn ich rauche” |
Austria’s Eurovision journey
In 1957, Austria made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest, where Bob Martin represented the landlocked nation with the song “Wohin, kleines Pony?”. At the close of voting, it managed to place 10th overall. Since their debut, Austria has participated 56 times (being in the final 49 times), and – before 2025 – had won the competition on two occasions in 1966 and 2014.
In 2025, Austria selected JJ internally to represent the nation in Basel with “Wasted Love. Austria successfully qualified for the final and went on to win the Contest with a total of 436 points. This gave Austria its third win in the Contest, eleven years after its previous victory.
What do you think of the “new” acts confirmed for Wer Singt für Österreich? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: ORF
Photo Credit: Corine Cumming / EBU
Rory Gannon 
Michelle