Pop
Interview: Eurovision Calling! Rising Star Switzerland’s Veronica Fusaro is heading to Wiener Stadthalle stage in Vienna, Austria for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with dark alternative pop song Alice, a raw exploration of domestic violence
“I think it’s beautiful to share music from different countries and to get together and prove the world that it’s possible to celebrate each other…”
Veronica Fusaro, Switzerland’s Eurovision 2026 entry, is no stranger to emotional depth in her music, but her latest era feels like a defining chapter in an already fast-rising career.
The Swiss-Italian singer-songwriter has built a reputation for blending alternative pop with raw, introspective storytelling, drawing on a mix of cultural influences that shape both her sound and her identity on stage.
Growing up between two languages and two cultures has played a central role in her artistic direction. “I grew up in a household where I spoke both languages, I grew up with both cultures,” she explains. “The way you grow up big time shapes you, how you think, act and how you live life.”
Fusaro’s influences span across alternative and rock-leaning artists, shaping the mood and direction of the track. “All the artists that you mentioned are artists I like listening to and I grew up listening to as well,” she says, referencing inspirations ranging from Billie Eilish to Lorde, Alabama Shakes and Black Pumas.
Alice may look whimsical on the surface, but at its core, a narrative that explores much darker real-world themes.
The track tells the story of a woman whose boundaries are repeatedly crossed, with her voice gradually erased as the narrative unfolds. “The bigger subject of the song is abuse of women,” Fusaro explains. “Alice is in danger.”
The inspiration, she says, is rooted in real-world issues she regularly sees reported in the news, particularly the early, often invisible stages of emotional and psychological violence.
“It’s something that I read a lot on the news. It’s unfortunately something that’s very present in society,” she says. “Violence starts a lot earlier, violence is often disguised in words of love and affirmation. But it’s not ok. It’s still violence.”
We sat down with Veronica Fusaro ahead of the second semi-final on Thursday evening (14.06.26), performing seventh, where she spoke about identity, inspiration, and the making of Alice, including how Swiss-Italian duality shaped her Eurovision journey and why she believes music should always leave space for interpretation.
Veronica Fusaro / Alice
You’re Swiss Italian, how are you bringing that duality into the Eurovision?
I grew up in a household where I spoke both languages, I grew up with both cultures, I think the way you grow up big time shapes you, how you think, act and how you live life.
I carried both cultures within and I think both cultures influenced the way I make music and the way I go on stage and all of that
I think the way you grow up big time shapes you, how you think, I grew up listening to Italian music and that influenced me so I’m still optimistic
I’ve listened to song, I quite like the dark alternative kind of like Lana del Rey, Lorde, Billie Eilish, that’s what it’s giving me, who was your inspiration, did you always like that kind of music?
All the artists that you mentioned are artists I like listening to and I grew up listening to as well. I listen to a lot of specific genres. I think specifically for this song, you know, from Alicia Keys to Jack White to Alabama Shakes, Black Pumas, you know more the rock genre.
I suppose that influenced Alice specifically. But also whatever music I listen to that’s going to influence me one way or another.
So my interpretation, to me Alice is like…you know Alice in Wonderland, falling down the rabbit hole of your own thinking, is that who Alice is meant to represent? As it’s meant to be about obsession and the dark side of psychology.
Whatever the song makes you feel is your truth, so I love to hear other people’s interpretations of the song and honestly nothing is wrong it’s art, everybody should find a home in it. I wrote the song, together with Charlie, we wrote the song about Alice.
Alice basically is telling the story of a woman who tries to draw on boundaries, but these boundaries are crossed and not respected so throughout the whole song Alice does not, she never gets to speak herself if you read the lyrics right, it’s almost somebody else describing her, it’s already somebody else dictating her.
Basically, the bigger subject of the song is abuse of women and the song gets progressively more uncomfortable like in the lyrics if you read the lyrics it gets progressively creepier and it ends up being, you know, sort of an open end, but it ends up being really bad for Alice. Alice is in danger. Yeah, we tried to capture that.
Basically, it’s not about what Alice does, it’s what is done to her.
Is there something that you’ve seen or experienced in your life that made you want to tell the story?
The subject is violence on women. It’s something that I read a lot on the news. It’s unfortunately something that’s very present in society and when you read about it in the news I feel like it’s always the extreme form of violence. But violence starts very much earlier, violence is often disguised in words of love and affirmation. But it’s still violence, it’s not ok.
It starts very, very subtle, but it’s still existing, it doesn’t need to be physical either, usually it’s psychological abuse.
When I write music I write about stuff that I care about, stuff that I carry heavy in my heart and mind and so that was just a subject that I find difficult to talk about because It’s so hard, it’s so heavy. It can be very heavy.
But I am just very glad to have music, because it makes it a little bit easier to talk about it.
I think it stands out because a lot of Eurovision songs can be quite upbeat Eurovision, which are still great songs, but with this one you’re telling a story. You have a message that you want to convey to people
I appreciate that, I think I am a songwriter at heart. Honestly, It’s like therapy for me, people often say that, but it’s true, it’s a way for me to express myself, better than just words so I want to tell a story with my songs. I really appreciate that you feel this way.
If you could collab with any artist, is there anyone in particular that you would want to?
You mentioned Lorde, I’ve been loving her last album, I would love to make music with here, that would be really cool.
Is there anywhere in the world you’d love to perform?
Royal Albert Hall, imagine, or like Madison Square Gardens, stuff like that, that would be really really cool. There are so many great places, so many venues on this planet. Let’s go for the Royal Albert Hall.
Veronica Fusaro / Alice
What’s next for you after Eurovision?
We’ve got a bunch of festivals lined up in summer and then we are planning a little Autumn Europe tour. So, I’m excited for that. I am also very much looking forward to going back to the song writing process in June. Just to go through everything I’m experiencing, just to be able to have a minute with my thoughts. Take the time to go through everything I’ve gone through and everything I’m going through right now.
I like that music is therapy and you’re about to pour your heart out in art
That’s the beauty of art isn’t it. I think sometimes words aren’t enough. The crazy thing about music is it’s all about feelings, it’s just the way of trying to express what we are feeling inside of us. And words are also just sounds that we try to express how we feel.
But sometimes the words and the music together, those two elements when they marry each other, that’s where you get the magic.
It’s very haunting and takes you on a journey, at first you listen to it and hear it’s a song about Alice, but then you realise actually there is an underlying message. It’s actually got a deep meaning
I appreciate that thank you so much, that’s what we try to do with the song and the message.
Are you a big fan of Eurovision?
Yes, I grew up watching it with my family in the living room as you do. It was always a show we enjoyed watching. I very soon was fascinated in the idea with music being able to reach a lot of people, which happens on the Eurovision stage as well. I think it’s beautiful to share music from different countries and to get together and prove the world that it’s possible to celebrate each other.
It’s hard to pick a favourite, but are there any performances over the years that have been your favourites?
There is a few that I really like, one of my favourite songs is Volare by Domenico Modugno…you know…’Volare, oh-oh, Cantare, oh-oh-oh-oh, Nel blu, dipinto di blu.’
It’s just a timeless melody song that I love.
In terms of performance, I really love Loreen Tattoo, more than Euphoria. I preferred her Tattoo performance.
It almost felt more like her in a way. Obviously, she grew into the artist she is throughout the years. Euphoria was great don’t get me wrong, something about Tattoo catches me more in a way.
Do you have an idea for your performance on stage?
Yes, I can’t tell you too much. But we have been brainstorming since January basically about what we want to do with the song and how we will be able to amplify the message of the song with the performance, and I am very much looking forward. I am very happy with the idea.
Now we’re in the process of fixing everything, deciding, in preparation for the performance.
I think Eurovision is going more in the direction…as before it was very theatrical, but now people are going more into the direction of storytelling, moving away from that pop sensationalism
I think the most important thing is authenticity at the end of the day. I think theatrical, or theatre and entertainment and message don’t need to be opposites. It just needs to feel honest at the end of the day.
I think if you look at the big legends of today’s music, like Lady Gaga, she’s a master of performance as well. At the core there is always the artist like her vision and the music. But every performance she does just tells a little more about the song and about her vision. To me, although it’s a big show, big theatre, I believe her. It helps the song come across.
That can happen at Eurovision as well. It just needs to feel real. And then it’s going to make sense. If it feels real then it makes sense.
There is no black and white, everything can be complex as long as they are true to who they are
Yes exactly, you can be crazy, carnival, typically Eurovision. But if it aligns with to the artistic vision, if it aligns with the personal stage, with the artist, then it makes sense.
If there were any aspiring artists that wanted to sign up for Eurovision, what would you recommend for them to get on?
I think if you were to participate on the Eurovision, just go with the song that you love. Don’t think too much about the competition. Don’t write a song for Eurovision specifically. Write a song that you like. Write a song that feels like you, that aligns with you and your artistic vision. Everything else is just pretend and I don’t think that’s healthy for the long run, for the longevity of your career.
Believe in yourself and Eurovision.
That’s the most important message, even in today’s digital culture, people are feeling that they need to perform this idealistic version rather than stay true to who they are. The art gets lost sometimes in that
Yes, I couldn’t say it better. It is a big subject which I think a lot about. You said that perfectly I 100% agree.
If you were to make another album, would each song explore different themes?
The challenge for me, for an album, is to have an overarching narrative throughout the whole album, the whole story.
I think with the album, Alice was part of the story of looking for connection.
At the end an album is always an insight into my life, a certain period of my life, so whatever bothered me and went on in my life in that period is going to be on that album.
Obviously, it can also go down the conceptual road, conceptual album, but for me it’s more of a, I’m sharing my life and my thoughts with an album.
I grew up listening to Linkin Park and Nirvana and all these artists, for me it was a … because back then mental health was quite taboo, everyone had feelings but no one really could express them. So when I listened to these songs, I was like oh… I feel like I resonate with what these artists are saying, I just couldn’t really express it, that’s why I like music that kind of takes people on journeys to understand their emotions.
That’s why I really liked your song, I listened to it and thought this was different to usual Eurovision, I think that’s very important to bring that in
I really appreciate that, I mean just Nirvana and Linkin Park, I think to me that’s what makes music timeless as well, if you, I think maybe the first time you listen to it, you’re like I dunno exactly but this is touching me, but than you go on to listen to it maybe the twentieth time you realise omg yes this makes so much sense.
Cus um I think the beauty of music is it’s stronger than words, it’s stronger than only words, there can be words to music, but you know what I mean it’s like there is the element of sound and the harmonies and instruments that adds so much sentiment to feelings and emotions
Sometimes you don’t want to say anything but you will put on a certain song and let the music speak
Thank you, I love that feeling too, It’s just the magic of music, it’s why I love music so much. I’m just grateful for this thing to exist. Yeah it’s just great
I think music unites as well, when I’ve gone to festivals you forget, this person works in this profession, this person works in that profession, everyone from all over but what unites them is the music
Absolutely, and that’s the beauty of it you get to connect with random, you get to enjoy an evening with strangers, you get to be in the same room and you get to have a great time. It’s beautiful. I think there is a lot of people that should maybe learn a bit from that
I think people they sort of think only these types of people go to festivals, I’ve had a doctor, a banker, a neurosurgeon, from all over, like artists so that’s what’s great about it, that’s what I love about music
Absolutely, absolutely, 100 %
Are there any festivals that you will be going to this year?
As a guest it is always a bit of a challenge as I am always playing in festivals myself so I always think ‘omg wow I would love to go see that artist’ or I’m playing a show myself. It’s always a bit of a struggle so I have to be more on the spontaneous side and realise ‘oh I’m actually free that weekend so I can go check out the artist’ so I can’t really plan that well ahead.
You should come to Poland, have you ever been?
I was once in discussion to open a show in Warsaw but I wasn’t able to make it, but I hope to be playing soon, that would be incredible
‘Alice’ Veronica Fusaro’s Eurovision single is out now
