Veronica Fusaro
On Sunday, the Thun native walked the turquoise carpet. On Thursday, she will be in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. The betting offices have their doubts, but her stage show is surprising. And at the end of the year, she returns to the stage in Switzerland as part of her European club tour.
Vienna, 200 meters of carpet, 35 delegations, a few thousand fans in the drizzle: this is how the 70th Eurovision Song Contest began on Sunday evening. In the middle of it all: Veronica Fusaro (29) in a black mesh dress by British designer John Richmond. A brand that David Bowie and Michael Jackson already wore on stage. The label suits the Thun native: "Rock should redefine itself," she said in the run-up to the event.
Fusaro will compete on Thursday, May 14, with starting number seven. Her song "Alice" is a pop-rock piece in three-four time that deals with violence against women. Musically, it stands out in a year full of synthetic Euro-dance. And therein lies an opportunity. The betting odds only put Fusaro in 26th place and therefore outside the top 25 for the final. But the rules have been adjusted: Juries now also award half the points in the semi-final. They traditionally reward musical substance more than the pure public vote.
The stage show comes from Swedish staging director Fredrik "Benke" Rydman, who has already designed Nemo's revolving stage. It relies on a dark visual language: blood-red ropes symbolize control, a cube-shaped scaffold and a guitar solo with a knee drop are further elements. "Drama, baby!" was SRF's verdict after the second rehearsals on Friday. Fusaro was much more satisfied this time than after the bumpy opening. The label "dark horse" is already circulating in the ESC bubble.
Politically, the competition remains tense. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland are boycotting it because of Israel's participation. Fusaro is staying out of the debate and wants to appear with a "message of peace".
What comes after Vienna has long been planned. She is writing new songs in the summer and will be performing on stage at the Heitere Open Air in Zofingen on Saturday, August 8. Her first European club tour through seven countries starts in the fall. Two Swiss dates will follow shortly before Christmas: On Tuesday, December 15, 2026, she will play at 8 pm in the Klubsaal of the Kaufleuten in Zurich. On Wednesday, December 16, 2026, she will also perform at 8 pm at the Bierhübeli in Bern with Sanaë as the support act.
Whether Veronica is in the Grand Final on 16 May or not, her career will continue either way. "Music is like sport, but without a finish line," she said recently.