Wikipedia

Alice (Veronica Fusaro song)

"Alice" is a song by Swiss singer-songwriter Veronica Fusaro. Discussing themes on abuse and violence against women, the track was composed by Fusaro and Charlotte Danielle McClean, and was originally released on 24 October 2025 as part of her second album, Looking for Connection. It was later released as a single on 11 March 2026 through Deepdive Records, under Nettwerk's exclusive license. The song represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, and reached number ninety-four on the Swiss single chart.

"Alice"
Single by Veronica Fusaro
from the album Looking for Connection
Released24 October 2025 (2025-10-24)
Genre
Length3:00
Label
Songwriters
  • Charlotte Danielle McClean
  • Veronica Fusaro
ProducerCharlotte Danielle McClean
Veronica Fusaro singles chronology
"Gold Rush"
(2025)		 "Alice"
(2025)
Music video
"Alice" on YouTube
Eurovision Song Contest 2026 entry
Country
Artist
Languages
Composers
  • Charlotte Danielle McClean
  • Veronica Fusaro
Lyricist
Charlotte Danielle McClean
Finals performance
Semi-final result
11th
Semi-final points
108
Entry chronology
◄ "Voyage" (2025)
Official performance video
"Alice" (Second Semi-Final) on YouTube

Background and composition

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"Alice" was composed by Veronica Fusaro and British songwriter and producer Charlotte Danielle McClean, with the latter producing the song.[‡ 1][2] The track originally appeared from Fusaro’s second studio album, Looking for Connection, released in 24 October 2025.[3][4] Following its selection for Eurovision, the track underwent a reproduction process to create the "ESC Version" which Fusaro described as "a little bigger" and "more confident" than the original album cut.[5]

Lyrically, the song addresses themes of physical and psychological violence and abuse, as well as erosion of personal boundaries.[6][7] "Alice" refers to a woman who never gets a chance to speak and completely becomes the object of the other person.[8] The song title stresses "how easily a person's voice can be taken away".[9] Fusaro intended for the song to highlight forms of violence that are often disguised as affection, stating that the character "becomes completely objectified by the person in front of her".[6][10]

In addition, "Alice" is musically described as an "alternative pop track with rock influences", composed with a 6
8 time signature.[5] The song starts with a "light waltz-like rhythm", which quickly gives way to heavier rock textures, reflecting the tension of the story.[11]

Release and music video

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The song was officially released as a single on 11 March 2026 through Deepdive Records, under the exclusive license of Nettwerk.[‡ 1] The music video, directed by Ruy Okamura and filmed in Lucerne, was simultaneously released on the official YouTube channel of the Eurovision Song Contest.[12][13] The song's themes are reflected in the music video, which features a wedding ceremony, serving as a "narrative framework for a game between observation and obsession".[11][12] Throughout the ceremony, the bride was subjected to the actions of her controlling husband, until she is outright pied when the wedding cake arrived.[14] The music video ends with a scene between the bride and Fusaro at the lake, hugging each other, to which the latter suggests as having a "queer undertone".[4]

Promotion

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To promote "Alice" before the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, Fusaro announced her intent to participate in various Eurovision pre-parties. She participated at the Nordic Eurovision 2026 which was held at Rockefeller in Oslo on 21 March 2026.[15] She also performed at the London Eurovision Party 2026 held at Here at Outernet on 19 April 2026.[16] Prior to the latter pre-party, she gave her first television performance of the song on the entertainment program Happy Day [de] on 11 April 2026.[17]

Critical reception

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Swiss media and personalities

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"Alice" was met with mixed reviews from Swiss music critics. In a review for Corriere del Ticino, Mauro Rossi praised the song's "excellent indie rock" sound, stating it was "neither banal nor predictable" despite its radio-friendly aims. While he lauded Fusaro’s "consummate confidence", he expressed concerns regarding the song's chances in Eurovision, noting that it might be "too busy for the standards of the event".[18] Ane Hebeisen of Tages-Anzeiger praised Fusaro’s vocal performance and songwriting craftsmanship, but found that the song lacked a memorable melody or genuine emotional urgency, describing it as having "harmonic progression reminiscent of 60s heartbreak ballads, yet it cleverly breaks free from this pattern time and again". He compared the track's impact to that of a routine television crime drama, suggesting that as soon as the song builds up, it then disappears "without a melody or any urgent emotion lingering in the short-term memory". Hebeisen also expressed doubt regarding the entry's Eurovision chances, noting that rock-influenced songs from Switzerland have historically struggled in the competition.[19]

Writing for Bote der Urschweiz, Michael Graber noted the effective pairing of Fusaro’s vocals with the song's rock arrangement, but he argued that the track lacked the energy and distinctiveness required for the contest. However, he suggested that they are always at their best when they are "not on everyone's radar".[20] In Watson, Nadine Sommerhalder characterised the track as a solid and well-produced radio song and called Fusaro's vocals "convincing", but found it too "predictable" for the competition and that the song fell significantly short compared to the entries Switzerland has sent to the contest in recent years. While she suggested the song's craftsmanship might appeal to professional juries, she believed its lack of a "surprise" factor would make qualifying for the final a challenge.[1] Similarly, Niels Bossert of Neue Zürcher Zeitung wrote that despite the song's compelling theme and Fusaro's "powerful vocals", the chorus does not "burrow deeply enough to be truly memorable" and found the song "too tame". He further noted that the "thematically strong" entry might find more favour with professional juries than with the general public during the semi-finals.[21]

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In the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant, Robert van Gijssel and Els de Grefte dubbed the song as one of the 10 best Eurovision songs of 2026, praising Fusaro's vocals by calling it "beautiful" and "raw enough" to convincingly deliver the song's message and that she can "deliver the high notes without losing her coolness", albeit noting that the guitar solo is "quite cliché".[22] Eva Frantz of Yle gave the song a rating of nine out of 10, praising its "old school rock sound" and Fusaro's "pleasant voice", but acknowledged that the entry is "not everyone's cup of tea".[23]

Jon O'Brien from Vulture ranked the entry fourth out of the 35 entries, describing it as a "well-crafted" but "sobering meditation" on domestic violence that lacked the qualities of a typical crowd-pleaser. While he predicted the song might struggle to gain public support in a similar nature as "Voyage" by Zoë Më, he suggested that Fusaro may be the "contestant with the brightest future".[24] In the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, Ralf Lofstad gave the song a four out of six, calling it "quite atmospheric and rock club-like" and likening it to "Stop!" by Sam Brown and "Lose Control" by Teddy Swims. While he applauded Fusaro's vocals, he expressed doubts about the track's lasting appeal.[25]

Eurovision Song Contest 2026

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Internal selection

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On 2 June 2025, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) announced its intent to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.[26] SRG SSR later opened a submission period between 4 and 25 August 2025 for interested artists and composers to submit their entries. Artists and songwriters of any nationality were able to submit songs, with priority given to Swiss nationals or residents.[27] At the closing of the window, 493 entries had been submitted.[28] Submissions were assessed in various rounds by a Swiss public panel, an international public panel, and a 25-member international expert jury; the public panels consisted of Swiss and international audience members, while the international jury consisted of former national jurors for their respective countries at the Eurovision Song Contest.[29] It was then announced on 20 January 2026 that Fusaro will represent the country in the contest,[28][30] and was later revealed that she will be performing the song "Alice",[31] with the Swiss-German newspaper Blick unofficially confirming the entry shortly before the broadcaster's announcement.[32]

At Eurovision

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The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 12 and 14 May and the final on 16 May 2026.[33] During the allocation draw held on 12 January 2026, Switzerland was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.[34] Fusaro was later drawn to perform seventh, after Armenia's Simón and before Cyprus' Antigoni.[35]

Fusaro performing "Alice" during the Eurovision 2026 second semi-final

For her Eurovision performance, the staging was directed by Fredrik Rydman.[36] Fusaro wore a black jacket with sequins and epaulettes.[37] The staging featured a cage of red ropes which formed a sort of spiderweb, to which is a visual metaphor of bullying. She was also accompanied by four dancers who were also "imprisoned", symbolising the relationship between victims and the system.[38] During her performance, Fusaro began by interacting with the camera, using a microphone which is also attached to a red rope to simulate a tug-of-war with the camera operator. The backing dancers then accompanied her to the cage, to which she later broke free, before kneeling to spell out the name "Alice" using a red rope.[39]

"Alice" finished 11th in the second semi-final, scoring 108 points with a split score of 48 points from the juries (9th) and 60 points from the public televote (9th), failing to qualify for the grand final. Regarding the former, the song not receive any sets of 12 points; the most a country gave was an eight from Czechia, Romania, and Ukraine. The song also did not receive any sets of 12 points from the public televote; the most a country gave was an eight, with it being awarded by Azerbaijan and Ukraine.[40][41]

Charts

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Chart performance for "Alice"
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42]94
Switzerland Airplay (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] 23

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Alice"
Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
Various 24 October 2025 Album track Self-released
11 March 2026 Eurovision version
Italy Radio airplay Nettwerk

References

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  1. 1 2 Sommerhalder, Nadine (11 March 2026). "«Alice» bringt uns nicht ins ESC-Wunderland" ["Alice" won't take us to ESC wonderland]. Watson (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro vertritt die Schweiz am Eurovision Song Contest 2026 mit «Alice»" [Veronica Fusaro will represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with "Alice"] (in Swiss High German). SRG Deutschschweiz. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  3. ↑ Grace, Joel (11 March 2026). "Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro releases Eurovision 2026 song Alice". Aussievision. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  4. 1 2 Projer, Leonie (11 March 2026). "Veronica Fusaro setzt sich mit ESC-Song für ein ernstes Thema ein" [Veronica Fusaro uses her Eurovision song to address a serious issue]. 20 Minuten (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 Alarcón, David (11 March 2026). "Veronica Fusaro - A Mirror of Emotional Tension". Metal Magazine. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Veronica Fusaro to perform 'Alice' for Switzerland at Eurovision". SWI swissinfo. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Havelock, Polly (7 April 2026). "One to Watch: Switzerland's Veronica Fusaro Promises Electrifying Performance At Eurovision 2026". Essentially Pop. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro all'Eurovision, la canzone è 'Alice' (il video)" [Veronica Fusaro at Eurovision, the song is 'Alice' (video)]. laRegione (in Italian). 11 March 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro releases Switzerland's song for Vienna". Eurovision.com. European Broadcasting Union. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro: Presskit Eurovision Song Contest" (in Swiss High German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  11. 1 2 Dell'Anna, Fabio (11 March 2026). "Découvrez le clip de la Suisse pour l'Eurovision 2026" [Discover Switzerland's video for Eurovision 2026]. 20 minutes (in Swiss French). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Découvrez "Alice", la chanson choisie par la Suisse pour l'Eurovision 2026" [Discover "Alice", the song chosen by Switzerland for Eurovision 2026] (in Swiss French). Radio Télévision Suisse. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Farren, Neil (11 March 2026). "Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro Releases "Alice"". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  14. ↑ Nussbaum, Virginie (19 March 2026). "Veronica Fusaro, un atout rock à l'Eurovision" [Veronica Fusaro, a rock asset at Eurovision]. Le Temps (in Swiss French). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Farren, Neil (18 March 2026). "Veronica Fusaro Confirmed for Nordic Eurovision Party". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  16. ↑ Granger, Anthony (19 April 2026). "Tonight: London Eurovision Party 2026 & More". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "«Happy Day»: Überraschen, lachen, glücklich machen" ["Happy Day": Surprise, laugh, make happy] (in Swiss High German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Rossi, Mauro (2 April 2026). "In cammino verso Vienna con un'anima rock" [On the way to Vienna with a rock soul]. Corriere del Ticino (in Italian). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  19. ↑ Hebeisen, Ane (11 March 2026). "So klingt der neue Schweizer ESC-Song von Veronica Fusaro. Ist er gut genug?" [This is what the new Swiss Eurovision song by Veronica Fusaro sounds like. Is it good enough?]. Tages-Anzeiger (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  20. ↑ Graber, Michael (11 March 2026). "«Alice» für Wien: Mit diesem Song reist Veronica Fusaro an den ESC" ["Alice" for Vienna: Veronica Fusaro is taking this song to the ESC]. Bote der Urschweiz (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  21. ↑ Bossert, Niels (11 March 2026). "Der Schweizer ESC-Beitrag «Alice» von Veronica Fusaro ist eine rockige Ballade mit wichtiger Message. Reicht das für den Final?" [Switzerland's Eurovision entry, "Alice" by Veronica Fusaro, is a rock ballad with an important message. Will that be enough for the final?]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  22. ↑ van Gijssel, Robert; de Grefte, Els (11 May 2026). "Dit zijn de tien beste liedjes van het Songfestival, volgens de Volkskrant-experts" [These are the ten best songs of the Eurovision Song Contest, according to de Volkskrant experts]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  23. ↑ Frantz, Eva (24 April 2026). "Så här bra är de 35 bidragen i årets Eurovision Song Contest" [This is how good the 35 entries in this year's Eurovision Song Contest are] (in Swedish). Yle. Archived from the original on 25 April 2026. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  24. ↑ O'Brien, Jon (11 May 2026). "Every 2026 Eurovision Entry, Ranked". Vulture. Archived from the original on 12 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  25. ↑ Lofstad, Ralf (14 May 2026). "Eurovision Song Contest 2026: Vi anmeldte låt for låt" [Eurovision Song Contest 2026: We reviewed song by song]. Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 14 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  26. ↑ Jiandani, Sanjay (2 June 2025). "Switzerland: SRG-SSR confirms participation at Eurovision 2026". ESC Today. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  27. ↑ "Song-Einreichung für den Eurovision Song Contest 2026" [Song submission for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026] (in Swiss High German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 30 June 2025. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  28. 1 2 "Veronica Fusaro will sing for Switzerland in May". Eurovision.com. European Broadcasting Union. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  29. ↑ Conte, Davide (30 June 2025). "Switzerland: Eurovision 2026 Song Submission Window Opens on August 4". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro singt für die Schweiz am Eurovision Song Contest" [Veronica Fusaro sings for Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest] (in Swiss High German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  31. ↑ Farren, Neil (11 March 2026). "Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro Releases "Alice"". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  32. ↑ Imhof, Michel (10 March 2026). "Ist das unser Song für den ESC in Wien?" [Is this our song for the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna?]. Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  33. ↑ "Vienna announced as host city for Eurovision Song Contest 2026". The Guardian. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  34. ↑ "Vienna 2026: Semi-Final Draw results". Eurovision.com (Press release). European Broadcasting Union. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  35. ↑ "Vienna 2026: Semi-Final Running Orders revealed". Eurovision.com (Press release). European Broadcasting Union. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  36. ↑ Conte, Davide (19 March 2026). "Switzerland: More Details on Veronica Fusaro's Eurovision Performance". Eurovoix News. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  37. ↑ Nussbaum, Virgine (14 May 2026). "Eurovision: au bout du suspense, la Suissesse Veronica Fusaro est éliminée en demi-finale" [Eurovision: After a nail-biting finish, Swiss singer Veronica Fusaro is eliminated in the semi-finals]. Le Temps (in Swiss French). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  38. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro all'Eurovision 2026: la notte della verità" [Veronica Fusaro at Eurovision 2026: The night of truth] (in Italian). Radiotelevisione svizzera. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  39. ↑ Mazoyer, Vincent (5 May 2026). "XTRA REHEARSALS — Ropes and cages for Switzerland". ESCXTRA.com. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  40. ↑ "Eurovision 2026: The Second Semi-Final Qualifiers". Eurovision.com. European Broadcasting Union. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  41. ↑ "Second Semi-Final of Vienna 2026". Eurovision.com. European Broadcasting Union. 17 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  42. ↑ "Veronica Fusaro – Alice". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  43. ↑ "Schweizer Airplay Charts: Woche 11/2026" [Swiss Airplay Charts: Week 11/2026] (in Swiss High German). Swiss Hitparade. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
  44. ↑ Beschi, Laura (11 March 2026). "Alice - Veronica Fusaro". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved 19 April 2026.

Primary sources

In the text, these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):

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