Romania’s Back, Baby: Alexandra Căpitănescu Wins Selecția Națională with “Choke Me”

Romania has officially returned to the Eurovision circus after two years away, and it didn’t come back quietly with a polite ballad and a promise to “just enjoy the experience”. It came back with a national final in Bucharest, a jury-only decision (because chaos is fun, but controlled chaos is apparently better), and a winner whose song title alone sounds like it should come with a safe word.

Tonight’s Selecția Națională 2026 took place in TVR Studio 3 in Bucharest, hosted by Giulia Nahmany and Daniel Nuță, with the winner chosen 100% by a jury. And at the end of the night, it was Alexandra Căpitănescu who took the crown with “Choke Me”, booking Romania’s ticket to Vienna 2026. 

Romania’s comeback night in Bucharest

There’s something very Eurovision about Romania returning and immediately deciding, “Right, let’s make this intense.” Twelve acts rotated through the TVR studio, all under that slightly clinical national-final lighting that makes everyone look like they’re either about to sing or about to confess to a crime. The difference this time was the power structure: no public vote to weaponise on social media, no “televote robbed my fave” heartbreak. The jury had the keys, the car, and the radio station. 

Running order

Emy Alupei – “Tili Bom“
Robert Lukian – “Fire to the Lies“
Vanu – “Therapy Enemy“
Edward Maya x LavBbe x Costi – “Everybody Needs Somebody“
Yguana – “Happy Birthday“
HVNDS – “Dor”
Antonio Pican – “Humans“
WRS – “All the Way“
Olivia Addams – “Croco“
Monica Odagiu – “Fereastră pentru un orb”
Alexandra Căpitănescu – “Choke Me“
Alejandro Zandes & Emil Rengle – “Bailando Solo” 

Results

TOP 3
Vanu – “Therapy Enemy“
Alejandro Zandes & Emil Rengle – “Bailando Solo”
Alexandra Căpitănescu – “Choke Me“

And the winner is…
Alexandra Căpitănescu – “Choke Me“

From 0 points to a fresh start

If you need a reminder of why this comeback matters: Romania’s last Eurovision appearance was 2023, when Theodor Andrei performed “D.G.T. (Off and On)” and finished last in Semi-Final 2 with 0 points, missing the Grand Final entirely. 

So Alexandra’s task in Vienna is pretty clear, and it’s not small: drag Romania back into Saturday night territory, make Europe pay attention again, and do it with a song that, at minimum, will not be forgotten. Love it or hate it, “Choke Me” is not the kind of title you accidentally misplace in your memory.

Now we wait for the Eurovision upgrade: staging, camera work, styling, and that crucial moment where a national final performance becomes a three-minute export product. Romania has done it before. It can do it again. It just needs to stop tripping over its own nerves on rehearsal week.