Sopot Festival Bursztynowy Słowik competition

The 2026 Top of the Top Sopot Festival introduced a new format for its Bursztynowy Słowik (Amber Nightingale) competition. For the first time since 2009, the winner was determined by a 50/50 split between public SMS votes and a professional jury featuring Katarzyna Nosowska, Andrzej Smolik, and Łukasz L. U. C. Rostkowski.

Following the competition held at the Opera Leśna, the musical duo Kuba i Kuba, composed of Jakub Mieczaj and Jakub Frankowski, was announced as the winner with their song ‘Stygnie lato’. While the jury members' individual rankings showed variations—with jurors Nosowska and Smolik placing Ania Karwan in first place, followed by Kuba i Kuba and Jovi—the combined voting process secured the award for the duo. The final podium included Ania Karwan in second place and Kasia Sienkiewicz in third.

The decision sparked significant debate among viewers on social media, with some critics arguing that other artists, such as Ania Karwan or Natalia Muianga, were more deserving of the win. Additionally, the event, hosted by Paulina Krupińska and Damian Michałowski, experienced a minor on-air interruption when Krupińska adjusted the speaking order of the jurors.