In a thrilling finale to the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 held in Basel, Switzerland, Austria's JJ emerged as the unexpected champion, taking the title with his emotionally charged electro-ballad "Wasted Love." The 24-year-old counter-tenor from the Vienna State Opera captured the audience and judges' hearts with a touching performance that edged out Israel's Yuval Raphael, who had been favorited to win until the final moments. JJ finished with a total of 436 points, while Israel came in second place with 357 points and Estonia secured third with 356 points.
During his victory speech, JJ expressed his gratitude, stating, "Thank you so much for making my dreams come true. Love is the strongest force in the world, let's spread more love." This marks Austria’s third win in the contest's history, following successes in 1966 and 2014. JJ was inspired to compete after witnessing Conchita Wurst's triumph in 2014.
The competition wasn't without its controversies, particularly surrounding Israel's participation, which drew protests against the country's military actions in Gaza. Moments of unrest occurred with attempts to disrupt Israel's performance, although it went ahead without significant disruption, despite Yuval Raphael being shaken by the event.
Other notable performances included Estonia's cheeky entry "Espresso Macchiato" by Tommy Cash, which placed third, and Finland's Erika Vikman, whose bold performance earned her an impressive 11th place. The night also featured emotional tributes, such as Dutch singer Claude's touching homage to his mother and French artist Louane’s heart-wrenching ballad about loss.
In stark contrast, the UK's entry, "Remember Monday," landed in 19th place with 88 points, marking another disappointing result for the nation. The girl group, made up of friends from high school, was animated yet fell short of resonating with voters, earning zero points from the public for the second consecutive year.
As the night progressed, the voting revealed a chaotic outcome with many countries receiving maximum points from different juries, only for the final public votes to create dramatic shifts. While fans had hoped for a surprise appearance from Celine Dion, who previously won Eurovision, she did not attend, leaving many spectators disappointed. Overall, Eurovision 2025 was a night of high-energy performances, heartfelt stories, and political undercurrents.
