It was a night of soaring vocals, flashing lights, and geopolitical undertones as Austria’s JJ clinched victory at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. From stirring ballads to sizzling stage effects, this year’s edition had it all – including more than a few surprises.

The glitter-drenched spectacle of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 wrapped up with Austria taking home top honours. Johannes Pietsch, an operatic countertenor who goes by the stage name JJ, captivated audiences and juries alike with his genre-defying track “Wasted Love,” racking up an impressive 436 points to secure the win. Blending orchestral build-ups with a dance-club crescendo, the performance struck a chord – not just musically, but emotionally – and delivered Austria its most talked-about win in recent years.

PERFORMANCES AND POLITICS

As always, Eurovision was more than just music. Every country in the contest casts votes, and that familiar mix of musical appreciation, neighbourly loyalty, and thinly veiled political messages was fully on display. Cyprus handed its top marks to Greece – again – and Azerbaijan refused as usual to award any points to Armenia, keeping that long-standing freeze intact. Meanwhile, Switzerland shocked the crowd when it garnered zero public points despite a strong run leading up to the finale.

Arguably the most polarizing act of the evening came from Israel’s Yuval Raphael. Her song, “New Day Will Rise,” centred on resilience and hope in the aftermath of trauma. Though the lyrics avoided specifics, the backstory was unavoidable – Raphael is a survivor of the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023.

The performance was met with a mix of cheers and boos, reflecting the ongoing controversy surrounding Israel’s continued participation in the competition. Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza following the Hamas attack has killed over 53,000 people and has brought the surviving population of about 2 million to the brink of starvation. For many critics, Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision is seen as a tacit acceptance of its military campaign, and protesters have demanded Israel’s expulsion from the contest, just as Russia was in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. Despite the controversy and protests, however, Raphael finished a strong second with 357 points.

The competition’s flamboyance reached fresh heights this year. Norway kicked things off with 19-year-old Kyle Alessandro, the contest’s youngest finalist clad in chainmail and surrounded by flames. Finland brought fire (literally) with Erika Vikman’s racy “Ich Komme,” ending with her suspended atop a sparkling, oversized microphone stand. Poland’s Justyna Steczkowska, making a return after 30 years, went full fantasy drama with a CGI dragon flapping behind her while she hovered mid-air.

Still, none could match Austria’s JJ in vocal prowess or audience connection. With its message of love and heartbreak, “Wasted Love” is doubtlessly poised to be a pop chart sensation.

For many participants, the win is only one part of the story. British act Remember Monday’s Holly-Anne Hull summed it up in an earlier interview: “We’re doing it for the joy of performing together. Just to live and breathe [Eurovision] as a band is the dream.”

ABOUT EUROVISION

Launched in 1956 as a way to unite a postwar Europe and test emerging broadcast technologies, the Eurovision Song Contest has since grown into one of the world’s largest televised events. What began with just seven participating nations has ballooned into a cultural juggernaut featuring nearly 40 countries, extravagant stage productions, and an audience that regularly surpasses 160 million viewers worldwide.

Held annually and hosted by the previous year’s winning country, Eurovision has launched the careers of international acts like ABBA and Celine Dion, while also serving as a lightning rod for political subtext, neighbourly alliances, and boundary-pushing performances. Though often seen as kitschy or over-the-top, the contest continues to celebrate diversity, creativity, and the unifying power of music.

Around 163 million people watched the Eurovision final and the two semifinals last year. The final figures are not yet available for this year’s competition, but it will surely remain among the most-watched events in the world. Eurovision attracts more viewers than America’s vaunted Super Bowl, which had 123.4 million viewers last year.

That massive viewership is what will likely propel JJ’s song “Wasted Love” up the charts across Europe. For some Eurovision winners, international stardom awaits.

Whether JJ follows in the footsteps of Eurovision legends like ABBA, Céline Dion, or Måneskin remains to be seen, but the platform is certainly there. Such fame is a dream shared by artists and fans alike – and while we never know who will become a global superstar as a result of the contest, Eurovision 2025 unquestionably served up plenty of magical entertainment (and drama) to go around.