Reclaiming Her Voice: Poland's Entry Alicja & Her Road to Eurovision 2026

There’s something unmistakably different about Alicja this time around. Not just the confidence in her voice, or the quiet certainty in her words—but the sense that this moment has been earned through years of persistence, reinvention, and hard-won self-belief.

Now set to represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Alicja arrives not as a newcomer, but as an artist who has fought to stand exactly where she is.

“It’s been a long journey to get there, to be honest… and now, completely different and grown up. Honestly, it feels amazing.”

Alicja’s Eurovision story is one of near-misses and unfinished chapters. After her 2020 opportunity disappeared and a further attempt in 2023 didn’t quite land, 2026 feels like both redemption and rebirth.

“Long and short at the same time,” she reflects. “Six years ago feels like three lifetimes ago… but also like yesterday. It all depends on how you look at it.”

What changed in that time wasn’t just her career trajectory—it was her sense of identity.

“It’s a journey of growing up and having the confidence to do your own thing… to do your own music the way I always wanted to.”

Signed to a major label at just 17, Alicja quickly found herself navigating an industry that didn’t always make space for her artistic instincts—particularly her love for R&B and soul.

“Being born and growing up in Poland, it’s not easy to make music in those genres that I love,” she explains. The decision to walk away wasn’t easy. “It was super sad and heartbreaking for me… I felt like I was left all alone and didn’t have anyone beside me.”

But it was also the turning point. “After becoming independent for a while, I made the best songs I’ve ever done in my whole life.”

In a whirlwind three-month period, Alicja and her close collaborator, producer Mayra, created around 20 songs—an intense, emotional outpouring that redefined her sound.

“It was a burst of energy… we spent day and night in the studio. Sometimes starting at 12 p.m. and finishing at 5 a.m.”

Those sessions weren’t about chasing hits—they were about honesty.

“We just felt like, let’s sing everything out. Let’s say everything that’s been on my mind and in my heart.”

One of those songs would become “Pray.” Unlike many Eurovision entries, “Pray” wasn’t written with the contest in mind.

“It was not written specifically for Eurovision… it came naturally through me. It came from my heart.”

The track carries a deeply personal message—one rooted in resilience and reclaiming self-worth. “It’s super personal… about the struggles and everything I’ve been fighting for. I like to say it’s a prayer slash manifestation of getting your power back.”

She doesn’t shy away from the darker side of that journey either.

“There were so many people who tried to put me down… but at the end of the day, I figured out the only person who can truly fight for you is you.”

“Pray” may lean into R&B and gospel influences—genres not always dominant in Poland—but Alicja believes authenticity transcends expectations.

“A great song is a great song. It doesn’t matter what genre it is.” The response from fans has only reinforced that belief. “I’ve been given so much trust from my people… even though it’s not the genre they love the most, they still believe in me and in my voice.”

“That’s what makes it so special—that they wanted me to be there with my own thing.”

Despite its emotional weight, “Pray” is still relatively new in a live setting. Alicja has only performed it a handful of times—but each performance has deepened her connection to it.

“I’ve sung it only seven times,” she reveals. “But with an audience, it’s completely different—you can feel their energy, their faces, their eyes.” Alicja explains further, “Sometimes I might do a riff I’ve never done before just because I feel it in that moment… not everything is planned.”.......“That’s one of the most beautiful parts of performing—you’re driven by emotion and the energy of people.”

When it comes to her Eurovision staging, Alicja is keeping details under wraps—but promises something bold and unexpected.

“It’s a completely different performance than my national finals… and I feel like it matches the song so much better.”“It’s important to tell the story visually… to show the power of the song.”...........“We will have a big prop on stage… something I’ve never seen on Eurovision before.”

Representing Poland is both an honour and a pressure— Alicja explains why she feels so deeply about it, and why she sees it’s a responsibility she embraces not only for her country, but for the fans who’ve supported her through years of uncertainty.

“I feel pride. I feel honour. I feel a bit stressed… but I think I can make it. I just want to make them proud.”..“I wanted to come back… even if not for myself, then for the fans who’ve been waiting for me for six years.”

With a new chapter underway—including a UK record deal—Alicja’s journey is only just beginning and why she considers that her ambitions may stretch beyond music.

“I feel like I’m finally being appreciated… people I work with now don’t try to make me into somebody else. If I wasn’t a singer, I would be an actress… and I’m thinking about doing it alongside singing.”

In a competition known for spectacle, Alicja is offering something more enduring: authenticity. “Eurovision should be about going out of the box and showing who you are.”

And as she prepares to take the stage in Vienna, one thing is certain—this isn’t just a performance.

It’s a statement. A declaration. A reclamation.

“Me being me works the best.”

Alicja to the stage in Vienna for Eurovision 2026 in May 2026.

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Article By Steve Harrison