Eurovision 2026. Praise and criticism for the “outsider” Alexandra Căpitănescu in the international press

The presence of Alexandra Căpitănescu, Romania's representative at Eurovision 2026, on the stage in Vienna was not overlooked in the international press.

Eurovision 2026 final. Alexandra Căpitănescu will take the stage again on Saturday

The artist originally from Galati qualified for the grand final that will take place on Saturday, May 16. The contest will be broadcast live by TVR and on Eurovision's YouTube channel.

“And in the second semi-final there were sentimental songs, pathos, party hits – and, for the eyes, a lot of fire, flames and sparks. For example, from Romania, Alexandra Capitanescu made the hall vibrate for the first time with the song “Choke Me” and her costumes, in a sci-fi-goth-punk setting, with flames and thunder.

Of course, bare skin always appeals – even if vocally things don't always go perfectly,” writes Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), Switzerland's German-language public broadcaster, in a report on the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland failed to qualify for the grand final.

Søren Torpegaard and Alexandra Căpitănescu saved a gala in which no mention was made of the absence of RTVE, the Spanish public television, writes El Peridico, quoted by News.ro.

Most of the songs will go unnoticed, except for those from Denmark and Romania, the Iberian publication also wrote.

The confidence with which Søren Torpegaard stepped onto the Wiener Stadthalle stage was hypnotic, and his qualification was no surprise, although vocally it was not his night, according to El Periodico.

“This is also the case of Alexandra Căpitănescu, who conquered with her notes from the song “Choke Me”. Full of overflowing energy, the Romanian performer has made rock her main weapon. A genre that has already propelled the bands Mor ve Ötesi (Turkey, 2008), Lordi (Finland, 2006) and Måneskin (Italy, 2021) to success,” recalled El Periodico.

And the press from Austria reported on Alexandra Căpitănescu's song, recalling that it was criticized before Eurovision 2026 by experts in the prevention of violence.

“They say that 'Choke Me' sends a problematic message at a time when violence against women is on the rise. However, Alexandra Căpitănescu has consistently emphasized in interviews that the verse has a metaphorical character. The intense and energetic rock song qualified, as expected, in the finals,” wrote Der Standard.

Eurovision 2026. Alexandra Căpitănescu and the comparison with Lady Gaga

“Alexandra Capitănescu from Romania surprised the fans with the song 'Choke Me'”, noted The Sun.

“Romania turned the show into heavy rock with the song “Choke Me”, which caused a small scandal in the run-up to Eurovision because of the lyrics. However, singer Alexandra Căpitănescu, a master's student at the Faculty of Physics in Bucharest, defended the song, insisting: “Unlike the classic heart, which represents romance or cute love, the anatomical heart suggests vulnerability… and intense, physical and almost painful emotions”, according to AFP.

“The competition intensified again on Thursday night at the Wiener Stadthalle, with 15 more countries and their artists looking to qualify for the final. Considered by many to be a much stronger semi-final, Thursday's stage included favorites such as Delta Goodrem from Australia, crowd favorite DARA from Bulgaria and the singer many consider the 'outsider' of the 2026 edition, Alexandra from Romania,” ChronicleLive wrote.

The BBC praised the artist from Romania. “Alexandra Căpitănescu was a real force of nature during her song 'Choke Me', which sounded as if Lady Gaga was the lead singer of the band Evanescence”, wrote the website of the British television.

And the BBC recalls the controversy over the song's lyrics, which critics said glorified sexual violence.

“But Alexandra claims that the lyrics are actually about feeling suffocated under the weight of society's expectations. Expressing her desire to break free from these constraints, she sang strapped to two giant, neon-lit string guitarists,” the BBC noted.