Eurovision is many things at once: a song contest, a fashion show, a glitter-dusted three-hour fever dream. Next May, for the first time, it will also be a little bit Canadian. And one of the artists hoping to carry the flag grew up in Coquitlam. Out of 325 artists who applied, Tyler Shaw is one of five still standing in the race to become Canada’s first-ever Eurovision act.
The contest, held this time in Burgas, Bulgaria, routinely pulls in 130 to 180 million viewers, more than the Super Bowl. For a country that has spent decades watching from the sidelines (and voting enthusiastically from afar), whoever goes first carries a certain weight.
Shaw says he knew he would apply the moment the debut was announced on Canada Day. Now he’s up against Quebec vocalist William Cloutier, New Brunswick singer-songwriter Josiane, Juno winner Rêve, and Ottawa pop-rocker Talk.
Born in Richmond, Shaw arrived in 2012 with “Kiss Goodnight,” a platinum-selling single that set the tone for a career built on radio-ready pop and unabashed ballads. Three studio albums, a Juno-nominated holiday record, and tours with Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, and Alessia Cara followed. His romantic rework of GAYLE’s “abcdefu,” “Love You Still,” has passed 100 million Spotify streams on its own.
Europe, it turns out, has been listening for a while. In 2025, “Fire,” his collaboration with DJ and producer Gromee, went to No. 1 in Poland, a quiet homecoming of sorts for an artist whose mother is Polish-Ukrainian. This year he played his first European tour.
Eurovision has a reputation for wind machines, pyrotechnics, and costumes that defy physics. Don’t expect Shaw to lean into it. Speaking to The Beat 92.5 from his Ottawa studio, he said he would rather let emotion and songwriting carry a performance than hide behind theatrics. His stated goal is simple: take the crowd somewhere, emotionally, in three minutes.
Your vote counts
Canadians 13 and older can watch all five finalists at CBC.ca/eurovision and vote once a day, up to 10 times, until 11:59 p.m. PT on Thursday, November 5. The public vote will be weighed alongside the jury’s, and Canada’s pick will be named by December.
B.C. has sent plenty of talent out into the world. It has never sent anyone to Eurovision under a Canadian flag. That could be about to change.
