Austria claimed its third ever Eurovision Song Contest victory on Saturday night, with 24-year-old artist Johannes Pietsch, known by his stage name JJ, captivating both juries and audiences with his dramatic performance of “Wasted Love”. The grand final took place in Basel, Switzerland, and despite a night marked by political tensions and surprise results, JJ’s hybrid of opera, pop and techno took the top spot with a total of 436 points.
Eurovision 2025: Austria beats favorite Sweden
Austria was not the bookmakers’ top choice going into the final but managed to outscore heavy favorite Sweden and “televote” leader Israel. JJ secured the victory largely thanks to an impressive 258 jury points, which offset Israel’s 297 televote points. Israel finished second with 357 points, while Estonia closely followed in third place with 356 points.
The winning entry “Wasted Love” has been described as a compelling blend of Billie Eilish-style darkness, operatic vocals, and techno rhythms. At the post-show press conference, a visibly emotional JJ stated: “Forget hate. Love is the strongest force. Keep fighting for what you believe in and spread love.”
Austria will now host the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which will be its first time as host since 2015, when Conchita Wurst won the previous year with “Rise Like a Phoenix”.
JJ: from Dubai to Vienna to Europe’s biggest stage
JJ was born in Austria to an Austrian IT specialist and a Filipino chef but spent his early years in Dubai. He returned to Vienna in 2016 and currently studies at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien. A trained opera singer, he previously appeared in season 9 of The Voice UK, after missing the application deadline for the German edition.
This Eurovision marks Austria’s third win, following Udo Jürgens in 1966 and Conchita Wurst in 2014. JJ’s performance now joins their legacy in Austria’s musical history.
Political protests overshadow Israel’s participation
Israel’s participation drew significant controversy amid the country’s ongoing military actions in Gaza. During the performance by Israeli artist Yuval Raphael, protests erupted both inside and outside the St. Jakobshalle arena. Demonstrators attempted to storm the stage, and one threw paint, hitting a crew member. According to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), no injuries were reported, and the individuals were handed over to Swiss police.
Outside, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police, who reportedly used tear gas and rubber bullets. The event prompted Israel’s National Security Council to issue a warning for Israelis in Basel to minimize signs of national identity in public.
Despite receiving 297 televote points, Israel gained just 60 jury points, sparking criticism and debates over the political dimensions of the contest.
Nordic entries: a night of mixed emotions
Norway, represented by Kyle Alessandro, opened the show and ended in 18th place with 89 points. Kyle expressed pride in his performance and praised his newfound friendship with JJ: “It’s extra special that my best buddy JJ won the whole thing.”
Denmark had a tougher night. Artist Sissal, performing “Hallucination”, ended in 23rd place with only 2 televote points, both from Iceland, and 45 jury points. Despite the outcome, Sissal remained upbeat: “I delivered an insanely good performance. I’m proud people can look that up on YouTube.” She hinted at future Eurovision involvement in a more behind-the-scenes role.
Sweden, a strong pre-final favorite with their playful sauna-themed song “Bara bada bastu”, had to settle for 4th place with 321 points.
Eurovision 2025 final scoreboard – Top 5
- Austria (436 points: 258 jury + 178 televote)
- Israel (357 points: 60 jury + 297 televote)
- Estonia (356 points: 98 jury + 258 televote)
- Sweden (321 points: 126 jury + 195 televote)
- Italy (256 points: 159 jury + 97 televote)
A total of 37 countries took part in Eurovision 2025, with 26 making it to the grand final. Despite heated debates and geopolitical tensions, the night ultimately belonged to Austria and JJ, whose message of love, art, and resilience resonated across the continent.
