26th edition

The twenty-sixth edition of WAO Song Contest took place in the city of New York, situated in the  United States.

For the second time ever in the history of the competition, the venue has been built for the occasion inside the famous Central Park, with the singers Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera as hosts. The slogan has been "Live for the moment" and "Wake Up", by Egzod and Chris Linton, the theme song.

    The top three of the 25th edition automatically qualified for the final and the lucky country have been: the  United States,  Australia and  Greece. Three semi-finals took place and 8 countries made it from each one of them. The songs that arrived 9th had a "Second Chance" to qualify. 28 countries competed in the final.

    For the third time in the competition, achieved the first place the host country of the edition. In fact the singer Kesha won, representing the  United States with her song Praying.

## Participating artists

**Aija Andrejeva**
Representing  Latvia**Alim Qasımov**
Representing  Azerbaijan**Amira**
Representing  Romania**Ani Lorak**
Representing  Ukraine**Arijit Singh**
Representing  India**Astrid S**
Representing  Norway**Aura Dione**
Representing  Denmark**Ayumi**
Representing  Kazakhstan**Baby Jet**
Representing  Ghana**Bastian Baker**
Representing  Switzerland**Batyr**
Representing  Kazakhstan**Bouchra**
Representing  Morocco**Buba Corelli**
Representing  Serbia**Carla's Dreams**
Representing  Moldova**Carmell**
Representing  Poland**Castro**
Representing  Ghana**Chayanne**
Representing  Puerto Rico**Dafina Zeqiri**
Representing  Kosovo**Daft Punk**
Representing  Canada**Damir Kedžo**
Representing  Croatia**Dana International**
Representing  Israel**Demy**
Representing  Greece**DiezZ**
Representing  Romania**Dina El Wedidi**
Representing  Egypt**Diogo Piçarra**
Representing  Portugal**Eleftheria Eleftheriou**
Representing  Cyprus**Elisa**
Representing  Albania**EMIN**
Representing  Ukraine**Enrique Iglesias**
Representing  Spain**Ermal Meta**
Representing  Albania**Evelina Young**
Representing  Lithuania**FAUN**
Representing  Germany**Franco de Vita**
Representing  San Marino**Funda**
Representing  Turkey**Girls' Generation**
Representing  South Korea**Groovefore**
Representing  Hungary**Imany**
Representing  France**Indila**
Representing  Luxembourg**Iveta Mukuchyan**
Representing  Armenia**IZA**
Representing  Brazil**Jala Brat**
Representing  Serbia**Jia Jia**
Representing  Taiwan**Kesha**
Representing the  United States**Kofi Kinaata**
Representing  Ghana**Kristian Kostov**
Representing  Bulgaria**Las Ketchup**
Representing  Andorra**Lea Rue**
Representing  Belgium**Lorenzo Fragola**
Representing  Italy**LuHan**
Representing  China**Liam Payne**
Representing the  United Kingdom**M. Pokora**
Representing  Monaco**Magdalena Cvetkoska ENA**
Representing  North Macedonia**MBAND**
Representing  Russia**Meet Bros**
Representing  India**Milan Stanković**
Representing  Serbia**Muzikfabrik**
Representing  Hungary**Natalia Oreiro**
Representing  Uruguay**Neha Kakkar**
Representing  India**Nick Jonas**
Representing  Sweden**Nicky Jam**
Representing  Spain**Nilufar Usmonova**
Representing  Uzbekistan**Norma John**
Representing  Finland**NUTEKI**
Representing  Belarus**Olga Lounová**
Representing  Czech Republic**Peter Bič Project**
Representing  Slovakia**Quavo**
Representing the  United Kingdom**Rati Durglishvili**
Representing  Georgia**Rubén Rada**
Representing  Uruguay**Saci & Böbe Szécsi**
Representing  Hungary**Sebastián Yatra**
Representing  Colombia**Sylvia Erla**
Representing  Iceland**Tessanne Chin**
Representing  Jamaica**The Veronicas**
Representing  Australia**The Weeknd**
Representing  Canada**TK**
Representing  Japan**Tove Lo**
Representing  Sweden**Troye Sivan**
Representing  South Africa**Vanilla Ninja**
Representing  Estonia**Westlife**
Representing  Ireland**Ximena Sariñana**
Representing  Mexico**Yade Lauren**
Representing  The Netherlands**Yellow Claw**
Representing  The Netherlands**ZSA ZSA**
Representing  Croatia
## Returning artists

**Ani Lorak**
Previous participations: 5th and 20th edition for  Ukraine, 7th edition for  Russia**Arijit Singh**
Previous participation: 20th edition for  Sri Lanka**Aura Dione**
Previous participation: 18th edition for  Denmark**Demy**
Previous participations: Previous participations: 13th and 14th edition for  Cyprus, 18th and 23rd edition for  Greece**Diogo Piçarra**
Previous participation: 16th edition for  Portugal**Eleftheria Eleftheriou**
Previous participations: 6th and 8th edition for  Cyprus**Elisa**
Previous participations: 12th edition for  Italy, 13th, 16th and 19th edition representing  Vatican City**EMIN**
Previous participations: 9th, 12th and 24th edition representing  Azerbaijan**Enrique Iglesias**
Previous participations: 7th edition for  Andorra and 17th edition for  Spain**Evelina Young**
Previous participation: 18th edition for  Lithuania**Indila**
Previous participations: 4th and 19th edition for  France, 10th edition for  Luxembourg**Iveta Mukuchyan**
Previous participations: 18th and 21st edition for  Armenia**Liam Payne**
Previous participation: 13th edition as part of One Direction for  Ireland**M. Pokora**
Previous participation: 11th edition for  Monaco**Magdalena Cvetkoska ENA**
Previous participation: 21st edition for  North Macedonia**Markus Feehily (as part of Westlife)**
Previous participation: 12th edition as a solo artist representing  Ireland**Milan Stanković**
Previous participation: 9th edition for  Serbia**Neha Kakkar**
Previous participation: 17th edition for  India**The Veronicas**
Previous participation: 5th edition for  Australia**The Weeknd**
Previous participations: 8th and 12th edition for  Canada**Tove Lo**
Previous participation: 6th edition for  Sweden**Troye Sivan**
Previous participation: 24th edition for  South Africa**Vanilla Ninja**
Previous participation: 14th edition for  Estonia

## Semi-final 1

Also the  United States voted in this semi-final.

## Semi-final 2

Also  Australia voted in this semi-final.

## Second Chance

Every country gave 1 point to its favourite country. One country qualified. Voting was not compulsory.