Alicja will represent Poland at Eurovision 2026 with the song Pray, giving the singer known professionally as Alicja a second chance on the contest stage after a run of setbacks that began six years ago. She is scheduled to perform 14th in the semi-final, following San Marino's SENHIT.
The 2026 entry marks a fresh chapter for Alicja Maria Szemplińska, who was born in Ciechanów in north Poland and first broke through by winning season 10 of The Voice of Poland in 2019. Her Eurovision path has already been interrupted once: she won Poland's national selection in 2020 and secured a semi-final place, but the contest was later cancelled because of the pandemic. She was not chosen the following year.
Pray was written by Sinclair Alan Malcolm and Weronika Gabryelczyk alongside Alicja, as she continues developing her first English-language album in 2026. She released her debut album nie wracam in 2024, adding another step to a career that has moved from domestic television success toward a broader international stage.
The timing matters because Eurovision is still absorbing the fallout from the December 2025 EBU general assembly, which voted to introduce new rules aimed at stopping governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters. No vote was held on Israel's participation, even as criticism of the contest over that issue has continued and several countries have discussed boycott plans.
For Poland, Alicja's return comes after Justyna Steczkowska finished 14th with 156 points at Eurovision last year, leaving the country looking for a stronger result. Alicja herself sounded ready for the moment in a short post: "@eurovision I'm comiiiiiiiiiing!" After one cancelled run and one missed follow-up, Poland now has a finalist-caliber singer, a new song and a clear lane into the 2026 contest.
