Who is San Marino’s Eurovision 2026 artist Boy George?

Credit: EBU

Boy George will represent San Marino at Eurovision 2026 alongside SENHIT with the song Superstar.

While SENHIT is already a familiar name to Eurovision fans, Boy George brings a very different kind of fame to the contest.

Early fame with Culture Club

Born George Alan O’Dowd in Kent, England, Boy George rose to international stardom in the 1980s as the lead singer of Culture Club.

The band became one of the biggest acts of the decade, with hits including Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, Time (Clock of the Heart) and Karma Chameleon.

With his distinctive voice, theatrical make-up, and androgynous fashion, Boy George became one of the defining figures of the New Romantic era.

He was also one of the most recognisable queer pop stars of the 1980s, helping bring gender-fluid style and queer visibility into the mainstream.

Culture Club’s biggest hits

Culture Club’s second album Colour by Numbers was a huge international success, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Karma Chameleon became their biggest hit, reaching No. 1 in multiple countries including the UK, where it was the best-selling single of 1983.

Solo career and television

After Culture Club first split in the mid-1980s, Boy George launched a solo career.

His solo hits include Everything I Own, Bow Down Mister and The Crying Game.

He also built a successful career as a DJ, writer, fashion figure and television personality.

Australian viewers may know him from The Voice Australia, where he was a coach from 2017 to 2020.

His 2019 winner Diana Rouvas later competed in Eurovision – Australia Decides, while another of his former team members, Sheldon Riley, went on to represent Australia at Eurovision in 2022.

Personal life and controversy

Boy George has also been open about his personal struggles, including addiction and legal troubles, as well as his journey with sobriety and spirituality.

In 2009, he served four months in prison after being convicted of assault and false imprisonment of Norwegian model Audun Carlsen, who said he was handcuffed during an incident at George’s London home, while George denied the more serious allegations of violence.

Boy George at Eurovision

At Eurovision 2026, Boy George joins SENHIT on Superstar, San Marino’s disco-pop entry for Vienna.

The song was selected through the San Marino Song Contest, with SENHIT performing live and Boy George credited as a featured artist and songwriter.

He co-wrote the song alongside SENHIT, Anderz Wrethov, John Emil Johansson, Jonathan Bellini, Julie Aagaard and Thomas Stengaard.

For Eurovision fans, his involvement continues San Marino’s recent tradition of attracting big international names after Flo Rida competed for them in 2021.

For casual viewers, it means one of the most famous pop figures of the 1980s is making his Eurovision debut.

San Marino will perform in semi-final 1 on Tuesday 12 May.

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