Eurovision 2025: Austria and JJ win the competition, France and Louane in 7th place

Countertenor JJ dazzled Eurovision audiences in Basel and around the world, winning the trophy for the world's biggest talent show for Austria on Saturday, May 17. "This is beyond my wildest dreams. It's crazy," said the 24-year-old Austrian-Filipino artist, trophy in hand, on stage at the Sankt Jakobshalle.

JJ, aka Johannes Pietsch, collected 436 points with "Wasted Love," whose lyrics describe the experience of unrequited love. He beat Israel's Yuval Raphael (357 points) and Estonia's Tommy Cash (356 points), while France had to settle for seventh place (230 points).

"Let's spread the love, guys, let's spread the love. Forget the hate... be active, make your voice heard... keep fighting for what you believe in and spread the love," the winner said during his press briefing.

With her falsetto voice and angelic smile, the artist has secured Austria's first Eurovision triumph since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst eleven years ago. With "Wasted Love," which flings soprano high notes between two ballad choruses before culminating in a techno surge, the Alpine country has made a risky but rewarding choice.

The scenography of a shipwreck bathed in black and white worthy of Harcourt studios took full advantage of a high-tech scene which allowed the visuals to reach a new peak during this 2025 edition .

Eurovision is due to take place next year in Austria, which was proud to send a countertenor to Basel, a reminder of the place of classical music in Vienna, and where conservative Chancellor Christian Stocker immediately hailed JJ's "magnificent achievement."

Israeli singer and October 7 attack survivor Yuval Raphael, who performed "New Day Will Rise," came in second, supported by the public vote.

The 24-year-old woman, who survived by pretending to be dead under a pile of corpses during the massacre perpetrated by the Islamist movement Hamas, wants to send a universal message of "hope and solidarity." Despite calls to boycott Israel, the artist's popularity has risen over the weeks.

"I'm very happy for Yuval because Yuval did a great job. She seems so nice. And she got the public vote," says Helene Loeb, a Basel resident carrying an Israeli flag.

The artist's performance was disrupted several times. While she was singing during the finale, three spectators attempted to break through the barriers to get on stage. They were stopped by security.

A brief clash also took place between police and several hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Saturday evening in the streets of Basel, even though the mobilization against the war in Gaza was not as strong as in Sweden last year.

Louane , for France, was automatically selected for the final, her song "maman" , a tribute to her late mother, intensely performed with a restrained scenography symbolizing the passing of time in an hourglass, had given hope of a victory.

The public only awarded her 50 points and she only earned 230 in total, even though she was still ranked third after the points were awarded by the national juries.

"Obviously, we're disappointed. All the indicators were pretty positive," admits Raphaël Depetris, 31, who came from Antibes for the show. France hasn't won Eurovision since 1977 and "The Bird and the Child," performed by Marie Myriam.

The Finns of KAJ, competing for Sweden, opted for humor with a tribute to the sauna. Bookmakers had tipped them as favorites for months, but they only managed 321 points, placing them in fourth place.

Millions of viewers around the world were able to vote for several hours for the 26 competitors who remained in the running to win the trophy.

At 69 years old, the song contest has once again this year maintained the unique blend that has made it a success: music, kitsch, competition, a high-definition LED wall and lots of pyrotechnics.

Fans, however, were disappointed by the absence of Celine Dion. Despite intense speculation about a possible appearance by the icon, who suffers from an autoimmune disease, they had to make do with a video released Tuesday in which she expressed her gratitude for a competition she won in 1988 for Switzerland, launching her international career.

"We (...) regret that it was ultimately not possible to include it in the show," the organizers said after the final.