Eurovision 2025 delivered another night of memorable performances and dramatic moments.
The finalists showcased a wide range of musical styles.
Greek singer Klavdia performed “Asteromata”. The heartfelt ballad explored uprootedness, loss and a lasting connection with home.
Estonian artist Tommy Cash took a very different approach with “Espresso Macchiato”. His playful song poked fun at Italian lifestyle stereotypes.
However, Austria’s Johannes ‘JJ’ Pietsch eventually took the crown.
The 24-year-old singer won Eurovision 2025 with his operatic ballad “Wasted Love”.
His performance featured a dramatic techno breakdown on a storm-tossed ship.
JJ originally trained as a countertenor. He thanked the audience as he accepted the glass microphone.
“Thank you so much for making my dreams come true.”
“Love is the strongest force in the world – let’s spread more love.”
Too close to call
The Eurovision 2025 result remained difficult to predict for much of the contest.
JJ eventually finished with 436 points.
Israel took second place with 357 points. Estonia followed closely behind with 356.
The one-point gap between second and third added more drama to the final results.
Austria has now won Eurovision three times.
The country previously claimed victory in 1966 and 2014.
United by music
Eurovision uses the motto “United by music”.
However, the contest has faced political debates and controversies in recent years.
Fans and critics often question how Eurovision handles participation by different countries.
They also debate whether political events influence public voting.
Israel’s participation created another major controversy in 2025.
For the second consecutive year, protesters called for Eurovision to exclude Israel over its military actions in Gaza.
Protests had already taken place on the streets of Basel.
The demonstrations then reached the arena during the live contest.
Two protesters tried to reach the stage during Israel’s performance.
They wanted to disrupt the performance by Yuval Raphael.
Raphael survived the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
Crew members stopped the protesters before they reached the stage.
Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR said one protester threw paint during the incident. The paint hit a crew member.
The Israeli delegation said Raphael felt “upset and shaken” after the incident.
However, the delegation also said she felt “extremely proud” of her performance.
They said her performance “represented Israel in a respectful manner”.
The voting process also created plenty of discussion.
Several fan favourites failed to match public expectations.
Other contestants performed strongly with juries but received weaker public votes.
Despite the controversy, Eurovision 2025 attracted a huge global audience.
Fans enjoyed a night of music, performances and competition.
Austria will host Eurovision in 2026.
The next contest will give the country a chance to build on JJ’s victory.
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