Canada will take part in Eurovision Song Contest 2027

Canada will take part in Eurovision Song Contest 2027Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Canadian singer Céline Dion, competed for Switzerland - and won - in Eurovision in the 1980sByMark SavageMusic CorrespondentPublished1 minute agoCanada will take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, organisers have announced.It becomes the first new country to join since Australia in 2015, and follows a turbulent year where long-standing competitors such as Ireland and Spain pulled out over Israel's participation.The path for Canada to compete was cleared last week, when the country's public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which stages the annual competition.The country can already claim one winner. Quebec-born Celine Dion represented France in the 1988 contest, and took the trophy with her song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.Other Canadians have since competed, including Natasha St-Pier, an Acadian New Brunswicker who represented France in 2001, and La Zarra, a singer from Montreal who represented France in 2023.According to organisers, Canada will debut at next year's semi-finals in Bulgaria.CBC/Radio-Canada will unveil details on how Canada's entry will be selected later this year.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Dara won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest with her song Bangarang!Canada is far from the first non-European country to join the contest; Israel and Australia regularly compete, and Morocco competed in 1980.The Carney government said in November that it was working with the CBC, Canada's public broadcaster, "to explore participation in Eurovision". His government's budget included C$150m (£80m) in funding for the broadcaster.Eurovision's rules state that participation in the contest is open to countries with broadcasting organisations that are members of the EBU.Before Thursday, the CBC had been an "associate member"."Canada's voice in...