look mum no computer eurovision song: UK sends synth inventor to Vienna
The United Kingdom has selected electronic artist and maker Look Mum No Computer to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May 2026. The choice marks a clear pivot toward experimental electronic performance, with the Kent-based musician promising a highly visual, invention-driven show.
A career built on unusual instruments and DIY spectacle
Look Mum No Computer is the stage name of Sam Battle, a musician, inventor and content creator who has spent more than a decade building a reputation at the intersection of music and hardware. He holds a Guinness World Record for building the world's largest drone synthesizer and is known for creating organs from Furby toys, Game Boy–based instruments, synthesiser bicycles and even flame-throwing keyboards. He also runs a small museum in Ramsgate that houses experimental and obsolete musical technology.
Battle first came to wider attention as frontman of an indie rock band in 2014, before focusing on solo projects and a public-facing practice that documents the design and construction of bespoke instruments. He has a combined social media following in the low millions and has repeatedly framed his work as both performance art and engineering — an approach he says he will bring to Eurovision.
"I find it completely bonkers to be jumping on this wonderful and wild journey, " Battle said after his selection. "I have always been a massive Eurovision fan, and I love the magical joy it brings to millions of people every year, so getting to join that legacy and fly the flag for the UK is an absolute honour that I am taking very seriously. " He added: "I will be bringing every ounce of my creativity to my performances, and I can't wait for everyone to hear and see what we've created. I hope Eurovision is ready to get synthesized!"
What the selection signals about the UK's approach
Selecting an experimental electronic artist signals a shift away from safer pop choices and nostalgia acts. In recent contests the country has struggled to consistently reach the top ranks, and this pick looks like a deliberate gamble: embrace risk and distinctiveness rather than conventional mainstream appeal.
The Eurovision field for 2026 already faces geopolitical and engagement challenges: five countries have announced they will not participate this year, and several national broadcasters have noted slipping television audiences for the contest in recent seasons. Against that backdrop, the UK’s choice of a boundary-pushing performer can be read as an attempt to stand out amid an increasingly eclectic roster of entries from across Europe.
Industry figures involved in the decision emphasised the artist's capacity for spectacle and originality, describing a performer whose live show can translate inventive studio work into memorable stage moments. The song itself has not been released publicly yet, though at least one national radio presenter has indicated they have heard it ahead of its debut.
Expectations for the song and staging in Vienna
No title or recording has been made public, and a formal staging plan is still under wraps. Observers expect the entry will lean heavily on unusual instrumentation and visual invention rather than straightforward choreography or backing vocal spectacle. The artist’s track record of custom-built machines raises the possibility of live-built instruments or striking mechanical props on stage.
The selection invites curiosity about how Eurovision’s voting audiences — often drawn to bold, immediate hooks and high-concept staging — will respond to a contestant whose strengths lie in experimental textures and technical wizardry. If Battle can fuse accessible songwriting with his trademark hardware theatrics, he could alter expectations about what a successful Eurovision entry from the UK looks like.
For now, fans will await the song release and the first promotional performances ahead of the contest in Vienna in May 2026.
