Who is Alicja? Meet Poland's Eurovision 2026 entry

Poland has come close to winning Eurovision over the years, but has never quite managed to take home the trophy, and this year's representative will be hoping to change that.

Representing Poland at Eurovision 2026 is Alicja, who once got close to gracing the stage before the pandemic forced the contest to be cancelled.

The Polish singer will be performing 14th in tonight's semi-final, following on from San Marino's SENHIT.

But what is there to know about this year's act and does she have what it takes to win? Read on as the show kicks off tonight.

Who is Poland Eurovision 2026 entry Alicja?

Instagram: @aliciaszemplinska

TikTok: @aliciaszemplinska

Alicja Maria Szemplińska, known professionally as Alicja, is a singer who rose to fame after winning season 10 of The Voice of Poland in 2019.

This year marks her second try at Eurovision, having won Poland's national selection competition in 2020, securing a spot in the semi-final. But the contest was cancelled due to the pandemic. Though she wanted to participate the following year, she wasn't chosen.

In 2024, she released her debut album nie wracam, and as of 2026, Alicja is developing her first English-language album, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her career.

How old is Alicja?

Alicja is 23 years old.

What nationality is Alicja?

Alicja is Polish, and was born in Ciechanów, a city in north Poland.

What has Alicja said about representing Poland at Eurovision 2026?

Following being chosen to represent Poland after winning the national final, Alicja wrote on Instagram: "@eurovision I'm comiiiiiiiiiing!"

What is Poland's Eurovision 2026 song called?

Alicja will represent Poland with her song Pray. The song was written by Sinclair Alan Malcolm and Weronika Gabryelczyk alongside Alicja.

You can watch the full music video below.

Where did Poland come in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest?

Poland were represented by Justyna Steczkowska at Eurovision last year, and came in 14th place with 156 points.

The Eurovision Song Contest has faced significant criticism over its decision to allow Israel to take part in the event due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

This year, a number of countries will boycott the contest following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision not to expel Israel from the competition.

At the EBU general assembly in December 2025, a vote was held to introduce new rules that would stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters. No vote was held on Israel’s participation.

The EBU said in a statement: "A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place."

Following this, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland confirmed they would not participate in this year’s Eurovision.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ said: "RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk."

The BBC, which broadcasts the competition in the UK, has said it supports the decision made by the EBU. "This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive," it said in a statement.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place on Saturday 16 May 2026.

You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision.

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.