Guido Horn, the German singer who represented his country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998, has publicly expressed skepticism about Germany’s chances of success in the upcoming contest with Sarah Engels’ entry “Fire.” In recent interviews with German media outlets, Horn acknowledged Engels’ talents as a performer while questioning whether her chosen song allows her to showcase her full artistic potential.
The veteran artist, who achieved a seventh-place finish with his novelty hit “Guildo hat euch lieb!” in Birmingham, told multiple publications that he finds the song “so remarkably much played safe” that it almost makes him feel sorry for Engels. Despite his reservations about the track, Horn emphasized his personal admiration for the singer, describing her as “a great singer, performer and dancer – and besides that, a very pleasant, hardworking personality.”
Horn’s critique comes amid ongoing fan voting for the Eurovision 2026 contest, where Germany currently holds 27th place out of 35 participating nations with 653 points as of April 22, 2026, 8:51 AM local time. The voting data shows Finland as the clear frontrunner with 18,583 points, followed by Denmark with 10,098 points, based on a total of 92,261 votes cast so far in the public fan poll.
While Horn doubts “Fire” will secure a top result, he acknowledged that conservative approaches have sometimes succeeded at Eurovision historically. “Maybe this concept of ‘playing it safe’ will ultimately be successful,” he speculated, referencing the strategic choice behind Engels’ song selection.
The controversy surrounding Engels’ participation has extended beyond her musical choice, with recent attention focused on an Africa-themed video she released that sparked significant backlash on social media. Horn addressed this directly, stating he finds Engels to be a “great singer” despite the controversy, separating her personal qualities from the debate over her contest entry.
Looking at Germany’s recent Eurovision history, the country has struggled to reach the upper echelons of the scoreboard in recent years. Horn’s own 1998 performance remains one of the more successful German entries in the modern era, highlighting the challenges faced by subsequent representatives in achieving similar or better results.
As the May 16 final in Vienna approaches, the German delegation will be hoping to defy the current voting trends and Horn’s skepticism. Whether “Fire” proves to be a prudent choice that resonates with European audiences or falls short of expectations remains to be seen when the contest takes place next month.
For ongoing updates on the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, including voting results and performance schedules, fans can refer to the official Eurovision website.