Austria's JJ Clinches Eurovision 2025 Victory as Bulgaria Skips Contest, UK Sinks to 19th Place

Austrian singer JJ clinched victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, delivering a dramatic win in the final moments of the competition. The 24-year-old counter-tenor from the Vienna State Opera performed "Wasted Love," a powerful electro-ballad about unrequited love, which earned him 436 points and pushed Israel’s Yuval Raphael to second place with 357 points. Estonia’s Tommy Cash came in third with 356 points.

Emotional after his win, JJ thanked the audience for making his dreams come true, urging people to "spread more love," as he held the glass microphone trophy. His family, including his 85-year-old grandfather and four-month-old niece, were present to support him, with his younger sister breaking through security to embrace him on stage.

This marks Austria’s third Eurovision victory, following Udo Jürgens’ "Merci, Cherie" in 1966 and Conchita Wurst’s "Rise Like a Phoenix" in 2014. JJ cited Conchita as his inspiration for participating in the contest.

Despite a vibrant performance by the UK’s Remember Monday, their pop anthem "What The Hell Just Happened?" only managed to secure 19th place with 88 points, receiving no public votes for the second consecutive year. The girl group, who met in high school, remained positive, flashing peace signs and hugging each other as the scores were announced.

Bulgaria remained absent from the competition for the third consecutive year, citing financial constraints as the participation fee, set by the European Broadcasting Union, remains unaffordable for the Bulgarian National Television. Moldova also withdrew for similar reasons, joining other countries struggling to cover the rising costs.

Still, Bulgarian pop singer MONA received an official invitation to perform at one of the most anticipated concerts in the Eurovision 2025 program – WIWI Jam 2025, held on May 14 in Basel, the host city. The invitation came from Wiwiblogs, the largest independent media outlet covering Eurovision events, and was extended to select artists only.

MONA was the sole Bulgarian artist on stage, sharing it with performers such as Marko Bosnjak from Croatia, Theo Evan from Cyprus, and Shkodra Elektronike from Albania.

Controversy erupted over Israel’s participation, as protestors demanded their exclusion due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Demonstrators gathered outside the venue, and two people attempted to disrupt Yuval Raphael’s performance by throwing paint, but they were apprehended by security. Raphael, a survivor of the October 2023 Hamas attacks, delivered her ballad "New Day Will Rise" undeterred, though visibly shaken.

Eurovision’s signature blend of camp, innuendo, and drama was on full display. Malta’s Mariana Conte, known for her provocative track "Serving Kant," toned down her lyrics but performed with a mischievous wink, finishing 17th. Estonia’s Tommy Cash leaned into cheeky wordplay with his disco track "Espresso Macchiato," while Finland’s Erika Vikman closed her suggestive performance on a spark-shooting, phallic microphone, securing 11th place.

Serious themes also found their place amid the spectacle. Portuguese rock band Napa addressed economic migration, and Latvia’s Tautumeitas sang of environmental catastrophe, receiving 12 points from the UK jury. Dutch singer Claude paid tribute to his mother in the upbeat yet poignant "C’est La Vie," reflecting on his family’s journey from Congo, while France’s Louane delivered a tearful ballad dedicated to her late mother, ultimately finishing in seventh place.

The voting was chaotic, with 13 of the 26 finalists receiving the maximum 12 points from at least one jury. Israel briefly surged to the top with 297 points from the public vote, including 12 from the UK, but Austria’s tally of 178 points was the final blow, securing JJ’s win and pushing Raphael to second place.

In a heartbreaking turn, Switzerland’s Zoë Më, who had been in second place after the jury vote, plummeted to 10th after receiving zero public votes. Organisers also attempted to bring Eurovision legend Céline Dion to the stage, but despite her video message during the semi-finals, she did not make an appearance.